This decision by the church follows last year’s announcement detailing its mission-based investment strategy and builds on the church’s many efforts already in place to invest in an environmentally sustainable way. Through this approach, the church seeks both to carefully steward its financial resources while upholding its mission of justice and care for the earth.
“As progressive faith-based leaders, we recognize now more than ever the moral imperative of a cogent and forward-thinking action plan in response to a growing list of today’s social ills,” said Lisa Hinds-Salmon, Chair of Riverside’s Finance Committee. “We share a long history of activism at The Riverside Church. The very real threat of climate change presents us with yet another opportunity to discover the active response that fits with our values and reflects the diversity of thought within our community.”
The Riverside Church was built in 1930 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and maintains an endowment of over $140 million seeded by the Rockefeller family. John D. Rockefeller Sr. famously became one of the wealthiest men in the country in the late 1800s as owner of Standard Oil, the largest oil production company of its time. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, established by grandchildren of Rockefeller Sr., announced its intention to divest from fossil fuels in 2014. The Riverside Church is part of a growing movement of religious communities, non-profits, educational institutions, and philanthropic organizations which have, collectively, made divestment commitments covering over $5 trillion in assets globally
“We are aware of our responsibilities towards the planet and together with our brother and sister organizations, including the UCC church and Union Theological Seminary, we are committed to raising awareness on a global level that fossil fuels need to be rapidly phased out. It is just wrong to ruin our one beautiful planet, the place where everything we’ve ever known exists,” said Beth Ackerman, chair of the Beloved Earth Community at the church.
Located in Morningside Heights on the Upper West Side, The Riverside Church in the City of New York is one of the leading voices of Progressive Christianity, influential on America’s religious and political landscapes for more than 85 years. Built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Currently led by The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, the interracial, interdenominational, and international church has long been a forum for important civic and spiritual leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, President Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and countless others. Visit www.trcnyc.org<http://ww
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