The Church and Climate Change

*Delivered at Climate Change Press Conference hosted by the Texas Drought Project in Dallas on 11/19/2015.

When I think about climate change, the message of Jesus comes to mind. We are called to love our neighbor as we love our self. Our actions and lack of action continue to destroy the homes of billions. When it comes to climate change, it seems that we don’t know the first thing about love. Jesus also talked about the least of these. We know that climate change is affecting the poorest of poor and the most marginalized amongst us at a much faster rate than anyone else. With the United Nations Climate Change Conference coming up, I urge followers of Jesus to stand up and speak for justice. Here in Dallas, one of the few things connecting First Baptist, First Methodist, Cathedral of Hope and a wide variety of churches large and small is that none are speaking out on climate change. I call on these churches to stand up and save our planet. Speak out! Act up! Follow the example of Pope Francis! Follow the example of Jesus! In this moment of crisis, silence is complicity in the continued destruction of our planet.

Amen