| Discipleship | As disciples we are all called to live out the teachings of Jesus in our day-to- day lives, following Christ’s advocacy for love, justice and compassion in the world and responding in ways that imitate the life of Christ in our thoughts, words and deeds. Discipleship is, in the words of Rowan Williams, about “going on asking whether what we do, how we think and speak and act, is open to Christ and Christ’s Spirit; developing the skills of asking ourselves the difficult questions about our consistency and honesty, about how seriously we take what we say.” We acknowledge that this calling is not about one off ‘net zero fixes’ but about the active and continuous participation in the transformation of the world, fusing our lives into alignment with Christ. As disciples, we are called to protect and care for God’s creation and to hold steadfastly to the Anglican Communion’s fifth mark of mission – ‘to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth’ – transforming this mission into our actions. |
| Justice | We embrace the command to “love your neighbour as yourself”, acknowledging that powering our churches with fossil-fuels and continuing church-as-usual is causing devastating impacts on our fellow brothers and sisters across the world. We want to bring the voice of those on the receiving end of climate change into the room, recognising that those most affected by the climate emergency – those that have done least to cause it – do not have the luxury of choice. In doing so, we acknowledge the “radical discrepancy between those who have a say and those who feel the pain.” We therefore stand in solidarity with those most impacted by the climate crisis. We also support the people in Scotland whose health and livelihoods are impacted by air pollution as well as the financial cost of the transition to net zero. In this regard, we support a fair and just transition for the people of Scotland, ensuring that as we navigate towards a regenerative future this is done in an equitable way, materially enhancing the livelihoods and well-being of all people. |
| Hope | In the face of the climate crisis and intense sufferings of our world, it is easy to become overwhelmed with despair. Our work as disciples is to find the hope that pulls us ever forward whilst contending with the grief of the world. As we undertake this work, we trust in God’s love, trusting in our role as agents of change, and recognising the gifts and resources that have been entrusted to us all. We recognise that hope is not a state of mind passively accepted, but a radical act of faith which comes through the active choices and decisions that we make and in the actions that we undertake. We will work to support and inspire one another, remembering that we are not alone in this struggle, and that together we can make a difference. We will always hold in faith that through focused effort, we can make a positive impact in the world and that a flourishing future is possible. Through grace, hope will pull us forward. |