Archbishop of Canterbury signs Ash Wednesday Declaration

On Feb. 22, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, put his signature to the Ash Wednesday Declaration, a new initiative launched by Operation Noah. Operation Noah is a Christian organization dedicated to countering the growing threat of climate change and its impact on God’s creation.

Entitled “Climate Change and the Purposes of God: A Call to the Church,” the declaration challenges the church to realize that concern about climate change is fundamental to the Christian gospel and central to the church’s mission. The document, produced by Operation Noah’s think-tank, has been signed by church leaders from 12 denominations and organizations. The other signatories are:

Desmond Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town;
Barry Morgan, archbishop of Wales;
Richard Chartres, bishop of London;
Keith O’Brien, archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh;
Val Morrison, moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church;
Lionel Osborn, president of the Conference of the Methodist Church;
David Arnott, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland;
Joel Edwards, International director of Micah Challenge (a global Christian anti-poverty coalition);
Ellen Teague, chair, National Catholic Justice & Peace Environment Group;
Kallistos (Ware), metropolitan of Diokleia; and
Jonathan Edwards, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

A short public service of prayer and dedication to launch the declaration took place on Ash Wednesday at the Anglican church of St. Mary-Le-Bow in London’s Cheapside district.