Seattle, WA—The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Pension and Health Benefits has released a video for central conference delegates instructing them to vote against legislation related to fossil fuel divestment. In contrast, delegates attending the United States pre-general conference briefing received a nuanced presentation of the board’s perspective on socially responsible investing, with an opportunity for questions and answers.
Fossil Free UMC calls the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, and all United Methodist leaders, to engage in thoughtful dialogue with central conference delegates. “Many of the church’s central conferences are located in countries that are acutely vulnerable to climate change,” says Rev. Jenny Phillips, Fossil Free UMC Coordinator. “The United Methodist Church has a moral duty to engage delegates worldwide in active discernment on the church’s response to the climate crisis. General agency presentations on this—and on all key issues facing the church—should empower delegates with information, not imperatives.” Further commentary is available here.
Fossil Free UMC is a movement of United Methodists who want to add coal, petroleum and natural gas to the list of United Methodist socially responsible investment screens in the Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions. Fossil Free UMC supports the General Board of Global Ministries and 11 annual conferences in submitting fossil fuel screening legislation to the 2016 General Conference. To learn more, contact Rev. Jenny Phillips at fossilfreeumc@gmail.com, and visit http://www.fossilfreeumc.org.
