The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

Original Text of Resolution:

(D048)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 71st General Convention call upon the Episcopal Church at all levels to live in such harmony with the earth that all peoples and species may depend upon it to sustain life for future generations; and be it further

Resolved, That each diocese through its environmental stewardship committee or appropriate body assist congregations to learn more about the environmental issues facing us, particularly those most critical in their own communities, in order for them to undertake an active program of environmental stewardship to protect and, where necessary, to restore the health and integrity of the land, waters, and air of that diocese, reporting their progress to the Environmental Stewardship Team or appropriate national body; and be it further

Resolved, That the Church recognizes fully environmental protection measures may well have been taken in vain if the world population doubles as predicted by the middle of the next century; and be it further

Resolved, That the Convention expresses its support of the efforts of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Conference on Population and Development being held in Cairo, Egypt, in September, and be it further

Resolved, That it is most appropriate for the Presiding Bishop, the President of the House of Deputies, the Environmental Stewardship Team or appropriate national body and corresponding diocesan bodies to bring the Church's teaching on good stewardship into the arena of public debate on environment and economic policies so that love for neighbor and the values of sufficiency and sustainability may stand against the false values of unnecessary consumption and exploitation.

Proposed Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 71st General Convention call upon the Episcopal Church at all levels to live in such harmony with the earth that all peoples and species may depend upon it to sustain life for future generations; and be it further

Resolved, That each diocese through its environmental stewardship committee or appropriate body ensuring and relying on sound objective, scientific, engineering and technical knowledge and information, assist congregations to learn more about the environmental issues facing us, particularly those most critical in their own communities, in order for them to undertake an active program of environmental stewardship to protect and, where necessary, to restore the health and integrity of the land, waters, and air of that diocese, reporting their progress to the Environmental Stewardship Team or appropriate national body; and be it further

Resolved, That the Church recognizes fully environmental protection measures may well have been taken in vain if the world population doubles as predicted by the middle of the next century; and be it further

Resolved, That the Convention expresses its support of the efforts of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Conference on Population and Development being held in Cairo, Egypt, in September, so long as the positions of the Episcopal Church are upheld; and be it further

Resolved, That it is most appropriate for the Presiding Bishop, the President of the House of Deputies, the Environmental Stewardship Team or appropriate national body and corresponding diocesan bodies to bring the Church's teaching on good stewardship into the arena of public debate on environment and economic policies so that love for neighbor and the values of sufficiency and sustainability may stand against the false values of unnecessary consumption and exploitation.

Deputy Simons of Pittsburgh moved an amendment to D048.

Proposed Amendment:

Insert the words "to exercise its responsibilities to God's created order so" following "levels" in line 2, and delete the words "to live in such harmony with the Earth" in lines 2 and 3 of the first resolved.

Motion carried

Simons amendment adopted

Debate followed on D048, as amended.

The question was called to terminate debate on D048, as amended.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on D048, as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #293)