Anglicans inspired by Quakers
Quaker action inspires Anglican environmentalists
Anglican environmentalists say they are inspired by the example of British Quakers in divesting from the multinational oil firm BP. They have launched the ‘Good Steward’ campaign to call on the Church of England to follow suit.
They want an end to all church shares in oil companies. According to the most recently available figures, the Church of England has £170.8m invested in BP, Shell and Exxon Mobil. Anglican activists gathered in London on Saturday to plan a campaign on the issue.
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM), the formal organisation of Friends in England, Scotland and Wales, agreed to sell their shares in BP last year.
Their Finance and Property Committee had initially defended their shares in the company, which formed BYM’s biggest single investment. Their position triggered calls for divestment by Quaker environmental activists and the World Development Movement (see ‘British Quakers sell BP shares’, 12 November 2010).
‘British Quakers have set an inspiring example,’ said Siobhan Grimes, a spokesperson for the campaign. ‘A faith community does not need to be oil-dependent to survive financially’.
She told the Friend: ‘If we want our church to be a moral voice, then we must start by demonstrating good ethics in all we do’.
Comments
I am a non baptized Friend but I receive, what the computer calls, a clergy pension. This arises from a few years when I worked for Southwark Welcare. I have always disapproved of the investment policy of the Church Commissioners who assured me they did not invest in armaments made by companies for whom it was their major activity. By implication its alright to invest in those companies who make armaments but do other things too. I wish the Anglicans all the best in their campaign. It will be a good way to raise the issues of climate change too.
By SarahL on 28th January 2012 - 10:32
Please login to add a comment
