Full Legislative History
Resolution Number: 1991-A195
Title: Affirm Environmental Responsibility and an Environmental Stewardship Team
Legislative Action Taken: Concurred As Substituted and Amended
Final Text:

Resolved, That the 70th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, affirming our responsibility for the earth in trust for this and future generations:

  1. Declares that Christian Stewardship of God's created environment, in harmony with our respect for human dignity, requires response from the Church of the highest urgency;
  2. Calls on all citizens of the world, and Episcopalians in particular, to live their lives as good stewards with responsible concern for the sustainability of the environment and with appreciation for the global interdependence of human life and the natural worlds; and
  3. Urges all Episcopalians to reflect on their personal and corporate habits in the use of God's creation; to share with one another ideas for new responses; and to act as individuals, congregations, dioceses, and provinces of the Episcopal Church in ways that protect and heal all interdependent parts of creation. Such action should include prayerful theological discernment and factual knowledge. It should also consider global and local links and the balance of environmental integrity with economic sufficiency for human living;

and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church, acknowledging the sovereignty of God and God's call to us in the servanthood of Christ, continue to engage environmental issues, passionately caring for the earth and striving to live into the promises and mandates which are ours as stewards of creation; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention calls upon the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies to appoint an interdisciplinary, multicultural Environmental Stewardship Team, 14 members, representing each Province and a broad spectrum of Church membership, whose gifts and expertise are suitable to the task. The mission of the Environmental Stewardship Team is to educate, motivate and facilitate congregations, dioceses and provinces toward local and regional plans, advocacy and action. The Team will work with other environmental groups of common interest; and be it further

Resolved, That the 70th General Convention includes in the Program Budget an appropriation of $100,000 per year during the 1992-1994 triennium to carry out the work of the Team; and be it further

Resolved, That the Environmental Stewardship Team report regularly to Executive Council during the triennium and to the 71st General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 70th General Convention requests the Presiding Bishop to communicate immediately and directly to all Episcopalians, the scope and urgency of this resolution.

Citation: General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Phoenix, 1991 (New York: General Convention, 1992), p. 317.