RESOLUTION FOR THE EXPANSION AND PROTECTION
OF WILDERNESS AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES

Whereas creation is a gift from God; and

Whereas God has called us to be stewards of God’s creation; and

Whereas Jesus, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist and numerous other biblical personalities had many transformative experiences with God in the wilderness; and

Whereas rich spiritual experiences in the wilderness remain a common reality among God’s human creatures to this day; and

Whereas all of God’s creatures have intrinsic value in God’s eyes; and

Whereas the scientific community tells us that non-human creatures are currently undergoing a crisis of extinction 1,000 times greater than the rates typical of the planet’s history; and

Whereas global warming is threatening to increase the rate of extinction; and

Whereas it is important, in order to protect the diversity of life, that substantial areas be set aside for non-human life and that these areas be connected to other wild areas so that plants and animals may have the mobility necessary to adapt to climate change and other threats; and

Whereas humans depend upon a healthy environment for life-giving services such as clean water and fresh air; and

Whereas many of Earth’s ecosystem services are approaching a state of crisis due to human exploitation; and

Whereas many of the natural places in the United States of America such as the red rock canyon-lands of the Colorado Plateau, the coastal plain of the Arctic, and other locations across the North American continent are threatened with harm due to human exploitation of resources and motorized recreation; and

Whereas the United States of America with its heritage of public lands and legal provisions for protecting wilderness areas provides a special opportunity to preserve the blessing of creation as God has created it; therefore

Be it resolved that (denomination entity) convey to the members of the United States Congress, the Department of the Interior, and the President its strong support for the expansion and protection of wilderness areas in our nation; and

Be it further resolved that the members and local churches of (denomination entity) convey to their respective senators and congressional representatives their strong support for the expansion and protection of wilderness areas in our nation; and

Be it further resolved that (denomination members) avail themselves of the spiritual blessings to be found in the many special places in God’s creation provided by our nation for human renewal.