The Episcopal Ecological Network (EpEN)

Plan for Implementation of the Policy on The Environment

   The plan that follows is designed to carry out the policy on the environment, as set forth in the first part of this resolution, in response to Res. D126a of the 1988 Meeting of the General Convention in Detroit.  The plan provides for direct action at three levels,  (1) by the Presiding Bishop's office,  (2) by the Executive Council, and (3) by a coalition of representatives of the Standing Commission of the General Convention.  The premise for these actions is the stated need for a systemic approach to the environment and creation that seeks to encourage all people to a new attitude of humility in the inter-related areas of conservation,  social and economic justice, and promotion of world peace.

   (a)  The plan acknowledges that a new approach to the interrelated nature of all aspects of the environment has an impact on every area of the life of the Church.  It will require much new thought and analysis and the widest feasible range of in put.

    (b)  The plan also recognizes that,  in certain narrower areas, steps are already being taken by the Council and the Presiding Bishop's Office. More needs to be done,  however,  and coordination of these effforts is essential.

    (c)   Finally,  the plan is designed to stress the obligation of the leadership of the Church, particularly in the General Convention's interim bodies,  the Executive Council,  and the Presiding Bishop's Office,  to be a model for the rest of the Church in addressing the environmental challenge.

   1.  Role of the Presiding Bishop's Office

   The detailed work of the General Church Program is generally divided among thre groups,  Mission Suport, Mission Planning, and Mission Operations.  The ongoing work of each of these three groups embraces concerns for the enviroment as broadly defined following the Executive Council's discernment process on the environment at its January 1991 meeting.  the Presiding Bishop directed the heads of these three groups to implement and coordinate the church's work on the environment in a somewht different manner than in the past.  Thus,  the heads of the three groups are tomeet with him from time to time to ensure compliance with the spirit of his directive.  Each of the three heads will designate a person from the group to be responsible for carrying out work onthe environment in a coordinated manner.  Further, those persons are to meet regularly and will be responsible for preparing the Presiding Bishop's reports to the Executive Council regarding the environment.

   The Presiding bishop has also stated  his intention to appoint a person within Advocacy, Witness and Justice Ministries unde Mission Operations todevote significant effort to coordinating the work of each group regarding the environment, (a) seeing that the periodic meetings of representatives of the three groups described above are held,  (b) convening all national desk officers with environment comonents in the three groups for the purpose of developing a coordinated program,  (c) preparing initial drafts of the Presiding Bishop's reports to the Council,  and (d) being the initial person to speak for the Presiding Bishop's Office in this area in relations with dioceses and other bodies within the Church, our Anglican and ecumenical partners,  and the general public.  This person is to be assisted by scientific and other expert consultants engaged specially for work on the environment.

   Funding for the foregoing efforts is to be made available,  as the Presiding bishop from time to time directs, from among the amounts budgeted for existing work by the three groups that carry out the General Church Program, until such time as additional funding specially authorized for environmental work can be made available.

    The Church applauds these organzational decisions by the Presiding Bishop,  encourages the energetic and faithful carrying out of these decisions, and looks forward to reports from the Presiding Bishop reflecting this work.  In this regard, there will be particular interest in learning of progress in the four broad areas discussed below:

   (a)  Integration:  the nammer in which ongoing work by the Presiding bishop's Office regarding the environment is being coordinated, both internally and with other church institutions,  for consistency of position, efficiency, and the attainment of a broad view of the environment:

   (b)  Education:  measures to provide guidance and assistance to dioceses and congregations, including the dissemination of existig useful material, such as the Report of the Presiding Bishop's consultation (1990) and Just and Proper Use, Issues in Environmental Stewardship (1991),  the preparation and publication of new articles on theological and practical aspects of the Church's analysis of and response to the environmental challenge, and measures to acquire information and learning from dioceses and congregations regarding their environmental efforts:

   (c)  Management:  steps to operate the Church Center and other Church properties in an environmentally sound manner, as well as steps to make other investment, grant, and loan decisions in similar fashion;  and

   (d)   Advocacy: efforts to develop informed and resonsible positions for the Church on environmental issues and to advance such positions forcefully with governmental agencies, international bodies, and business entities.

   2.  Role of the Executive Council 

   The detailed work of the Council is generally divided among its Standing Committees.  The Council's policy on the environment, however, dictates that the Council create a Special Committee on the Environment, drawn from the membership of the various Standing Committees.  It is recommended that at the start of the new triennium the Presiding Bishop appont approximately seven members of the Cuncil to this Special Committee, including at least two members of the Committee on Witness and Outrech or its equivalent and one member of each of the other Standing Committees.  The Presidng Bishop shall designate one member of the Special Committee as convener.

   The Special Committee on the Environment is to deal directly with reports and legislation regarding environmental issues,  as broadly defined by the Church's policy on the environment, and to coordinate the work of the Council's Standing Committees on such issues. The Special Committee will also be specifically responsible for the followng areas:  (a) considering reports on environmental issues from the Presiding Bishop's Office and monitoring the work of his office in carrying out the church's policy;  (b) considering reports and making recommendations to the Council regarding the work of the Council's Committee on Social Responsibility in Investments and the Council's Committee on Trust Funds;  and (c) acting as liaison on environmental issues with the Standing Commissions and other committees and commissions created by the General Convention.

   3.  Role of the Standing Commissions of the General Convention

   Much of the detailed work of the General Convention done in preparation for its triennial meeting is divided among its 13 Standing Commissins.  All these interim bodies deal in some fashion with issues of the environment,  as broadly define.  The Council's policy makes clear,  however, that a new effort of crucial importance and considerable difficulty is now needed to integrate the Church's approach – by action and attitude – toward the problems of the physical environment,  social and economic justice, and promotion of world peace.

   To ensure that this new effort will enjoy broad vision and participation by clerical and lay leaders of the Church,  the Presiding Bishop is urged to convene a coalition on the Environment of representatives of the Standing Commissions as an outgrowth of the work of all these interim bodies.  It is recommended that the Coalition be composed of one member of each of the Standing Commissions,designated by the Chair of that Commission,  and an additional person as con vener appointed jointly by the Presding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies.  It is also recommended that the Presiding Bishop designate a staff liason between the Coalition and his office.

   Under this proposal,  funding for the participation of the representatives of the Commissions would be borne by each Commission, and the remaining expenses of the Coalition would be paid as directed by the Presiding Bishop until such time as additional funds specially authorized for work on the environment can be made available.  The Coalition would meet two or three times a year the the next triennium;  and representatives of the Coalition would meet from time to time with the Executive Council's  Special Committee on the Environment.

   The principal goal of the Coalition would be to address the need of the Church to broaden its vision of the environment.  Specifically,  the Coalition would consider (a) how the many policies and programs of the Church that are the concern of the several Standing Commissions should be coordinated to advance the Church's policy on the environment;  (b) how the Church at all levels can relate concerns for physical environment in specific areas to the larger concerns for conservations and enhancement of the international environment  (c)  how Church institutions can relate such concerns for international conservation to the related concerns of social and economic justice and promotion of peace on an international basis;  and (b) what resolutions should be adopted by the General Convention to further this goal.

From April 1991 meeting of Executive Council

The EpEN is a national network of active lay and clergy persons within the Episcopal Church, USA, who share a common concern for the environment and a common belief in the presence of God in all Creation and who work to make these concerns and beliefs known throughout all Provinces and Dioceses within the church.  Members come from around the Episcopal Church USA.  The activities of the EpEN are focused on the areas of Reflection, Education, and Action. 

If you would like to contact any of these groups or to find out more about the EpEN, please click on the links on the left.