Posted on September 29, 2020 by John Torrey, Valley News

I am writing on behalf of the Green Team at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College to urge Upper Valley residents to vote and politically advocate with the climate in mind.

Climate change should be an important issue for all of us. This is especially true for people of faith. Global warming is first and foremost a social justice issue. Those who benefit from carbon emissions are not those who suffer its worst effects. The poor and marginalized will die and become displaced in staggering numbers as a result of wealthy societies’ carbon footprints. Future generations across the globe will suffer from an environmental disaster they did not create. It seems clear where the command to “love thy neighbor” calls us.

Religious texts emphasize the importance of tending to God’s creation. In Genesis, God gives humankind the task of being stewards of the natural world. Nature is deemed “good” and is given intrinsic value. We in the Upper Valley know how beautiful creation can be. The fact that humans are devastating the natural world should give us all pause.

Fortunately, there is much that can be done to protect people and nature from the horrors of climate change. None of this change will happen if we do not elect pro-climate-action candidates on Nov. 3, up and down the ballot. Faith communities can be important moral voices in the fight against global warming.

The Church of Christ at Dartmouth College Green Team is engaged in an effort to inspire climate-based voting in partnership with Interfaith Power and Light. Please visit interfaithpowerandlight.org to learn more and discover how your place of worship can get involved. We encourage everyone to do what they can to ensure that people will be thinking about climate change when they vote in November. The lives of millions and the fate of our planet hang in the balance. The stakes could not be higher.

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Posted on July 18, 2020 by Marshall Sheppard

I awoke to the news that Congressman John Lewis died. He died at a time when people are actually complaining about “violation of freedoms” because experts recommend wearing face masks to protect their health. I cannot help but to juxtapose those complaints against a man who endured beatings and brutality for my right to simply live equally in this country. John Lewis stands firmly with some of the great Americans in history.

Yes, I know. John Lewis may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think about the environment or climate change. However, his body of work shows that he understood the significance of environmental issues and climate change. Read more here

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

President Donald Trump is losing support among both white and Hispanic Catholics, according to new data released this week, although if the election were held today, he would likely win the white Catholic vote.

A poll from the Pew Research Center released July 1 showed the president’s disapproval rating among white Catholics is at 45%, up from 42% in January of this year. Among Hispanic Catholics, his disapproval figures are even higher — clocking in at 74% in June, compared to 72% in January.

Trump’s overall approval among Catholics has dropped from 45% in January to 41% in June. Although his support among white evangelical Protestants remains high, the president has experienced a 6-percentage-point drop from 78% in April to 72% in June among U.S. adults who say they “approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president.” Read more here