“We basically have three choices: mitigation, adaptation and suffering. We’re going to do some of each. The question is what the mix is going to be. The more mitigation we do, the less adaptation will be required and the less suffering there will be.” –John Holdren, 2007
https://earthbound.report/2019/10/31/mitigation-adaptation-and-suffering/
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We, the Church Council of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas1, compliment the ELCA Church Council on its 2023 update to A Social Message on Earth’s Climate Crisis2. In our ministry partnership with the local Marshallese community through our congregation’s support of the Ozark Atolls program, we have become directly aware of sea level rise and how the climate crisis has already affected our island neighbors in the Pacific. Our involvement with refugee resettlement brings us into contact with people who are displaced by climate change when it causes crop failure and leads to human conflict. As we look around our Arkansas/Oklahoma Conference at alternating drought and floods, the urgency comes home to roost.
Truly, there are multiple climate crises caused by our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: sea level rise (SLR), ocean acidification, unpredictable droughts and floods, excessive heat, etc. Thinking of intergenerational equity, as referenced in the Social Message, lends great urgency to our need to act now as a church. Michael E. Mann’s recent book, The New Climate War, emphasizes urgency and that we have agency to influence our future. There is much that we can do to mitigate the problems caused by our GHG emissions. We have agency, especially as a broader Church. This indeed is a kairos moment.
However, in a review of the 2023 ELCA Social Message on Earth’s Climate Crisis, we noticed several shortcomings.
First, the most dangerous and pernicious aspect of GHG emissions is that elevated CO2 levels will persist for tens of thousands of years. So, while human beings may survive as a species, the planet and ecosystems will be changed. Climate change will cause habitat loss, which will force many species to go extinct —perhaps extinguishing a majority of species worldwide. Sea level rise will genocidally dismember large groups of human societies living in low-lying areas (e.g., on islands and large portions of countries like Bangladesh), and many will be displaced. This is unjust to the extinct species and intertwined societies by any definition of justice.
Second, the Message downplays ocean acidification (with one mention in passing) and its effects on coral reefs, the nurseries of many fish species. In chemistry, Henry’s Law tells us “that the mass of a dissolved gas in a given volume of solvent [water in this case] at equilibrium is proportional to the partial pressure of the gas.” As we burn more fuel, we add CO2 to air. This in turn forces more CO2 into seawater, which increases the acidity of the water and leads to coral bleaching and coral death, destroying fish nurseries. Many of the same people and other species who live in the low-lying areas most affected by SLR depend on fish for protein and fish oil for calories.
Third, the Message downplays the damaging effects on climate, ecosystems, and human health of current methods of beef and meat production and consumption.
Fourth, the Message downplays the nefarious actions of the oil companies (#ExxonLied!) and the fossil fuel industry.
Fifth, the Message does not recognize the benefits and replacement value of an electrified society. We can rapidly transition to electric heat, electric industrial processes, and electric public transportation with massive social benefits to health. E.g., no tailpipes and no smokestacks mean no emissions and much less noise. As a standard part off his presentation, author, educator, and renewable energy advocate Tony Seba includes photos from the NYC Fifth Avenue Easter Parade in 1900 and 1913. In both, the streets are full of people and vehicles. In 1900, there was 1 car; all of the other vehicles were horse-drawn. Horse manure became a big problem on NYC streets; a problem for health and a disposal nightmare. In 1913, there was no horse in sight, only automobiles. We can change rapidly when a superior option is available. Electrification of vehicles and homes and public transportation is similarly superior to burning fossil fuels. #ElectrifyEverything
Sixth, renewable energy is available today, right now, as an 80% to 95% solution. We are at barely 40% clean electricity on the grid now, while transportation in the U.S. is 98% fossil fuel driven and 29% of our GHG emissions—the largest of any sector. The U.S. can convert ground transportation (road and rail) to 99% battery electric rapidly, with organized effort. The opportunity and the task ahead are huge. The job possibilities and economic development potential are equally huge.
Seventh, in a clean society of the future, there would be 1/535 of the mining needed vs our present system in which we must burn mined stuff for energy for transportation and many of our other uses of energy.
Eighth, as large and rich nations inexorably continue to add to the cumulative GHG burden in the atmosphere, the poorest humans (who contributed the least to the total) and the flora and fauna (which did not contribute any unnatural CO2) of global ecosystems suffer first and worst.
We must demand more of our leaders and our theology or the relationship between God, suffering, and the Church will be damaged even more. After all, “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth… Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image’… God saw everything… and indeed it was very good.” If we don’t preserve it, who will?
Signed:
Susan Young, President
Danielle Howerton, VP
Ashlea Milburn, Secretary
Nicole Battjes
Ted Hammig
Denise Montgomery
Nik Robbins
Terry Tremwel
Nanci White
Albert Crosby, Advisor
Clint Schnekloth, Pastor
A note on our process: Pastor Clint initially suggested to our church council that we consider “finding our voice” more as a body in order to engage in public advocacy as a church council. About a month later, Terry Tremwel, a member of the council, brought this proposed response to the church council for consideration. Our council then spent an evening discussing the original social message, Terry’s response, then voted to unanimously adopt the response as our own, edit it, and submit it to the ELCA Church Council for their review. We also all agreed to share it with the wider church through this blog post.
Thanks to the council for making a statement to the Synod in regard to doing something productive to save our environment. We as a nation and the world were warned of consequences years ago of not taking action to make some changes in how we power our vehicles, homes and businesses.
As an 85 year old woman, I’m on my way out of this world but have children , grandchildren and great-grand children that I hope will be able to enjoy God’s creation and live as wonderful a life as I have. Thanks Pastor Clint for sharing that information.
This is a wonderful and "truth to power" message. WE do need to do more to help our environment if we really care about the wonderful "things" God has placed in our keeping. So far we are doing a lousy job. But, articles and responses such as this give me real hope, that people do care and want to do the best we can in the shortest time possible so that we can still enjoy rare birds, coral reefs, clean seawater. There is so much to do and such little time. Thank you Pastor Clint and ya'll for your thoughtfulness to this urgent matter. I am asking your permission if I might share this post with our Church.,, Canadian Memorial United Church. Blessings to you. I wish that we could afford to be a subscriber and pay, but, at this time we do not have the funds to spare. We are Seniors and do not get a lot of money.
Bob and Lloyd Peacock
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada.