Oxford Blue turning Spiritual Green?

CHRISTIANS ASKED TO SAY 'I DO' TO NEW PLANET PLEDGE'

Thought to be a 'first' in the UK, Christians in the Oxford diocese of England (incorporating Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire) are being asked to take a pledge to protect the environment when being baptised or confirmed.

The Rt Reverend Dr Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, recently approved a revision to the formal liturgy which now includes the following lines, 'Will you strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth? With the help of God I will.'

Bishop Steven Croft, who is also a member of the Lords select committee for the environment and climate change, said the church had a key moral and spiritual role to play in addressing the climate and ecological emergency and hopes "... many others will take notice (of) the need to care for creation now."

As one of the largest dioceses in the Church of England, with a clergy housing portfolio emitting 2,815 tonnes (tCO2) per year, the Oxford diocese declared a climate emergency in March 2020 and, ever since, it has made its own ambitious green targets, investing over £200,000 over seven years across its church buildings, to reduce its carbon footprint. Earlier this month (June 2022), it approved a £10 million investment into clergy housing to improve the energy and heating efficiency of vicarages and already solar panels have been installed on over 50 properties, but it still has work to do if it's going to achieve net zero by 2035. It is one of 10 dioceses to have divested from fossil fuel companies, making commitments not to invest in coal, oil and gas in the future.

"The Church of England can play a key part in the journey to net zero through example and leadership, but this must be through actions as well as through our words," said Bishop Steven Croft, "The target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is already slipping away from us. Society has only a limited time to act but we should be in no doubt whatsoever that there is a strong and deep possibility of change if we act now."