Baptists in oppostion to coal-mine

Members from at least four Baptist congregations in the North East joined a large crowd of campaigners for a ‘Family Beach Party’ at Druridge Bay, a beauty spot in Northumberland, to voice their strong opposition to a proposed new open-cast coal mine in the vicinity

Dr David Golding CBE, of Whitley Bay Baptist Church was one of the speakers at the event on Bank Holiday Monday (30 May), and quoted the views of Chris Kilsby, Professor of Climate Change at Newcastle University, who described the proposal as “simply insane… since it will perpetuate our dangerous fossil fuel burning habit, divert investment away from renewables and inevitably add to rising global temperatures." 

David had also canvassed the opinion of Professor Sir John Houghton FRS, probably the greatest climate scientist of his generation (and, like David, an evangelical Baptist), who stated that “Coal is the most carbon-polluting, by far, of all the commonly available types of fuels… A future with carbon-free energy sources will be more healthy, save many lives and also reduce damaging sea level rise... The sooner we get on with it the better the future will be.”

David concluded his speech on climate change by laying two simple (but far from easy) charges on the audience: 'You must have no readily avoidable part in it!' (i.e., by your lifestyle choices), before adding, 'and you must not allow it to happen with your meek acquiescence!'

'We took part', said David, 'because as Christians we are concerned about the threat posed by climate change to the world’s poor, to the life prospects of our children and grandchildren, and to the rest of God’s good creation.'