United Methodist Jurisdictional Conferences are coming up in November. One important role of jurisdictional delegates is the process of interviewing and selecting new Bishops to lead our church. Please share this information with the jurisdictional delegates from your annual conference.
Climate Questions for Episcopal Candidates
The United Methodist Council of Bishops made a statement last November on their commitment to address the climate crisis. We need our bishops and future bishops to be strong Creation Justice leaders in their conference(s). As a jurisdictional delegate, you have the opportunity to interview the candidates for episcopal leadership. Below are suggested questions for those conversations. You will also find links to the Council of Bishops’ 2009 “God’s Renewed Creation” and the November 2021 “Climate Crisis Response.”
Sample Questions for Episcopal Candidates
Based on Bishops’ Commitment to Creation Care
In November 2021 the United Methodist Council of Bishops approved five responses to the climate crisis that is increasing the severity of natural disasters around the world and contributing to record global migration. The bishops’ pledge described climate change “as an existential crisis the Church cannot ignore.” Below are suggested questions for jurisdictional delegates to ask episcopal candidates during interviews, based on the Council of Bishops’ climate crisis responses.
- How would you lead your conference(s) in taking action on human-caused climate change?
- The Council of Bishops’ 2009 document God’s Renewed Creation addresses the intersections of climate change, poverty, racism and colonialism. How would you address these in your conference(s)? How have you advocated as a pastor in the past?
- How would you use the resources of the General Board of Church and Society, United Women in Faith, The General Board of Global Ministries, and The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to support your advocacy related to climate justice?
- How would you engage your conference(s) in fulfilling the Council of Bishops’ commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in partnership with the Interagency Commitment to Just and Equitable Net-Zero Emissions?
- How will you affirm our Social Principle on The Natural World: Global Climate Stewardship to support government efforts to mandate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions?
These questions are available to download as a pdf file as well.
