Skip to main content

Today, 35 diverse religious leaders joined together to welcome a Republican resolution on climate change, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-6), and fourteen other Republican members of Congress.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Emily Wirzba emily@fcnl.org
Direct: 202-903-2518

March 15^th, 2017, Washington, DC –

Today, 35 diverse religious leaders joined together to welcome a Republican resolution on climate change, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-6), and fourteen other Republican members of Congress. Signatories of the letter, organized by the Friends Committee on National Legislation, include prominent voices from Evangelical, Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and other religious communities.

This resolution affirms the impacts of climate change, acknowledges that human activity has contributed to these changes, and calls on Congress to work constructively on solutions.

The letter states that “climate change is so great a challenge that it transcends political, faith, and social divides. As people of faith, we are rooted in the practice of emphasizing our common values in order to advance cooperation and overcome partisanship. All voices are needed to solve climate change, and the resolution provides a space for the House to join the dialogue.”

The religious community provides a unique space for members of Congress to dialogue about climate solutions. By seeking common ground and emphasizing shared values, people of faith feel called to pray and work to overcome divisions that have prevented climate action.

This letter illustrates the depth and breadth of support from the religious community for bipartisan action on climate change.

The full text of the letter reads:

Dear Member of Congress:

Our diverse faith traditions are guided by principles of compassion, justice, dialogue, and stewardship. We believe that it is the moral responsibility of our nation – and our sacred task as people of faith – to act to address climate change. We feel a special calling to pray and work to overcome the divisions and fears that have prevented action to address one of the greatest threats to current and future generations.

In this spirit, we welcome the resolution introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-6), and fourteen other Republican members of Congress on March 15^th^ that affirms the impacts of climate change, acknowledges that human activity has contributed to these changes, and calls on Congress to work constructively on solutions. We see this resolution as a much-needed step towards continuing bipartisan resolve for action within Congress. We encourage every member in the House of Representatives to co-sponsor this resolution.

Climate change is so great a challenge that it transcends political, faith, and social divides. As people of faith, we are rooted in the practice of emphasizing our common values in order to advance cooperation and overcome partisanship. All voices are needed to solve climate change, and the resolution provides a space for the House to join the dialogue.

We thank those members of Congress who are co-sponsoring the resolution. We ask that other members consider co-sponsoring this resolution as a statement of our shared moral obligation. We look forward to working with you in the coming months to foster a spirit of bipartisan dialogue within Congress so that together, we can create solutions to address climate change for the well-being of our common future.

Blessings,

Diane Randall
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation

Rev. Paula Dempsey
Director of Partnership Relations
Alliance of Baptists

Sister Simone Campbell, SSS
Executive Director 
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice 

Joan Marie Steadman, CSC
Executive Director
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Dr. Steve Timmermans 
Executive Director 
Christian Reformed Church in North America

Kyle Meyaard-Schaap
National Organizer and Spokesperson
Young Evangelicals for Climate Action

Jim Wallis
President and Founder
Sojourners

David Bernstein
President and CEO
Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner
Director
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

Reverend John L. McCullough
President and CEO
Church World Service

Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb
Chair of the Board
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

Sister Patricia McDermott, RSM
President
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Irene Keim
Chair of the Board
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth

J Ron Byler
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. 

Rev. Peter Morales
President
Unitarian Universalist Association

Stan Becker
Clerk
Quaker Earthcare Witness

Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins 
Director
Office of Public Witness, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 

Rev. Sally Bingham
President and Founder
Interfaith Power and Light

Reverend Tim Mulroy, SSC
U.S. Regional Director
Missionary Society of St. Columban

Sharon E. Watkins*
General Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Rev. Fletcher Harper
Executive Director
GreenFaith

Shan Cretin
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee

Josh Zinner
CEO
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

Rebecca Linder Blachly
Director, Office of Government Relations
The Episcopal Church

The Rev. Amy E. Reumann
Director, Advocacy
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Sandy Sorensen
Director, Washington Office
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

Bishop W. Darin Moore 
Presiding Prelate of the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal District
AME Zion Church 

Marie Dennis
Co-President
Pax Christi International

Adin Strauss
General Director
Soka Gakkai International-USA Buddhist Association (SGI-USA)

Patrick Carolan
Executive Director
Franciscan Action Network

Colin Saxton*
General Secretary
Friends United Meeting

Gerry Lee
Executive Director
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Sr. Mary Ann Smith
Social Concerns
Eastern Region, USA
Maryknoll Sisters

Shantha Ready Alonso
Executive Director
Creation Justice Ministries

Very Reverend Kevin J. Mullen, O.F.M.
Provincial Minister
Holy Name Province - Franciscan Friars

*Affiliation listed for identification purposes only


The Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest registered religious lobby in Washington, is a nonpartisan Quaker lobby in the public interest. FCNL works with a nationwide network of tens of thousands of people from every state in the U.S. to advocate for social and economic justice, peace, and good government.

Emily Wirzba

Emily Wirzba

Former Legislative Manager, Sustainable Energy and Environment

Emily Wirzba led FCNL’s lobbying work to achieve bipartisan recognition of climate change and action in Congress. She served as co-chair of the Washington Interreligious Staff Community’s Energy and Ecology Working Group.