Episcopal Bishop Touts Environmentalism

The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. and fifteen other nations wrapped up a visit to Wisconsin today, with a strong push for protecting the environment.

The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori is not your typical spiritual leader of millions of people. One of her doctorates is in Oceanography. Schori, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S., toured the UW-Milwaukee Water Institute and talked about religious groups becoming more active in fighting for clean water and a clean environment. “The health of the wider ecosystem protects human health and is important to justice in human communities.”

Schori says Episcopal churches are both trying to “green” their buildings and educate their members about proper use of water and other natural resources. She also says she’s on board with president Obama’s recent advocacy for action against climate change …and thinks many other religious leaders are, too: “the religious community see this as the central issue.”

On Sunday, Schori spoke about the environment to more than 200 people at an Episcopal church in Milwaukee. Nationally, religious conservatives have attacked Schori’s more liberal views on theology, the ordination of gays and other issues.