Today, 29th November, a dozen Christians, including members of the clergy, interrupted the 4pm Evensong service at Chichester Cathedral, which was being broadcast live on BBC radio 3.
The Christians, who are mostly members of Christian Climate Action, stood up in the service, holding signs reading ‘Chichester Diocese funds climate chaos’. The group sang a plainsong penitential chant. A statement was then read out and the group prayed.
Mary Smail, was the member of the group who gave the short statement. She said: “Eleven days ago, the Chichester Diocesan Synod voted to retain the Dioceses’ investments in fossil fuels, despite the Church of England National Investment Bodies having decided to divest – because ‘engagement has failed’. It is astonishing that Chichester has chosen this path, described by the UN Secretary General as ‘a highway to climate hell’. We protest at this wanton irresponsibility and call upon the Diocese to reverse its decision.”
Earlier this year the Church of England’s National Investment Bodies pledged to divest from fossil fuels, following a vote at General Synod. The vast majority of Church of England dioceses either do not have investments in fossil fuels or have voted to divest. There are only three Church of England dioceses that currently hold these investments – Southwell and Nottingham, Chichester and Peterborough. On the 18th November 2023, the Diocese of Chichester voted to stay invested in fossil fuels.
Rev Hilary Bond, an Anglican vicar, was one of those who interrupted the service. She said: “As Christians we follow a God who is all about justice, especially for the poor. Many of the poorer parts of the world are already enduring great suffering because of the effects of climate change, brought about by the continued use of fossil fuels by the richer parts of the world. In continuing to invest in fossil fuels the Diocese of Chichester are ignoring the cry of the poor when they could so easily invest more ethically and be part of bringing climate justice to the whole of God’s world. “
Christian Climate Action wrote a letter to the Bishop of Chichester. An exert reads: “We feel compelled to make it plain that Chichester Diocese is supporting the greenwashing of Total, Shell and BP, and is complicit in the suffering of millions of people in the global south and the breakdown of the earth’s life support systems.”
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Val King, a business adviser, was another Christian with the group. She said: “We are living in a world of record breaking temperatures, floods and wild fires while companies like BP scale back climate goals while profits more than double. Why can they not see they are now complicit in the increase in global warming, which is already causing suffering and death in the global south. How dare they play at money games when they could so easily place their money in positive investments. Those responsible for investing must be called out.”
Ruth Jarman, mother of three, was another Christian involved. She said: “The earth is crying out for prophetic, moral leadership – a role the Church should be providing. It cannot do this while invested in companies that are in the business of destroying life”
