Discover and read all articles in the Our Living World series here.
Biblical foundations
On the first day, as one of the first acts of creation, God spoke light into existence and separated light from darkness. The light at this point was undifferentiated. Neither sun, moon nor stars yet existed. Yet, this light would be enough to support the plants, which depend on photosynthesis, when they were created on the third day.
God had more in mind than a world of land, water and plants. So, to power the broader array of animal life (Day 5) and human life (Day 6), God concentrated the undifferentiated light into the “greater light to rule the day” (sun), the “lesser light to rule the night” (moon) and the stars (Genesis 1:14-18) on the fourth day.
Of the three, the sun was and remains the primary source of energy for all creatures in our living world. Plants grow and produce harvests. Animals eat plants, enabling the animals to grow, and other animals and humans eat both plants and animals.
When we think of the term “energy,” however, our minds likely turn first to the oil, gas and nuclear fuels producing power. Whether through combustion engines, electrical transmission or batteries, that human-produced power runs our homes, factories, schools, hospitals and transportation systems worldwide. In the United States, electricity produced through solar and wind power combined represented about 17% of the energy produced by utility companies. Solar alone surpassed coal in the US in May 2026, 12.8% of energy production versus 12.2% for coal. Worldwide, renewable energy has now become the largest single source of electricity.
Creation is at stake
United Methodists are part of this worldwide realization. We call ourselves and our human neighbors to end our gluttony of human-produced energy that endangers all life, and to alter our patterns of life to be energized primarily by the abundant gifts of sun, wind and water we have had from the beginning of earth's creation.
The revised Social Principles adopted by the 2024 General Conference give much greater attention to creation care, climate change, and the appropriate stewardship of energy sources than previous editions.
Other United Methodist Resolutions
Meeting that goal requires drastic changes by everyone and an overhaul of economic systems. United Methodists understand that shifting substantially away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will displace corporations, industries and jobs worldwide. This is why United Methodists commit to advocating for "plans for developing and deploying alternative sources of energy [that]... minimize negative financial impacts by investing in strategies that support people in successfully transitioning to new employment, strengthen the social safety net to deal with the loss of jobs and income, and provide ample educational and retraining opportunities."
Now imagine this on a personal scale in the United States. Here, even with the rise of renewable energy sources to exceed coal, over 80% of human-generated energy comes from fossil fuels. This includes everything from heating and cooling your home and office, the transportation you use yourself and to get the things you need, the electricity you use to cook your food and keep it cold or otherwise safely stored, as well as to operate your computer, phone and whatever else requires human-generated energy. In the US in 2025, 4.9% of all energy produced was used by datacenters, about a third of that for artificial intelligence (AI) alone. If we were now simply to end all use of fossil fuels, we would have the resources in place to cover just one under one fifth of our current energy needs. If you map this onto a year, we would exhaust our current energy production capacity by March 11 (March 10 in a leap year).
United Methodists understand that simply shifting the base of our current pattern of human-produced energy from fossil fuels to sun, wind, water does not and cannot avert the catastrophe we otherwise face. While making the shift to renewable energy, we also must dramatically change our patterns of living, worldwide, so we no longer require the levels of power generation we currently do.
Principles for positive change
Specific Action Steps from United Methodist Statements
- Individual/family actions:
Install insulation, generate electricity and useful heat jointly, reduce-reuse-recycle (in that order), use public transportation, eliminate fossil fuels in appliances and vehicles, simplify your lifestyle - Local church actions:
Install dampers in furnaces, insulate all church properties adequately, limit heating and lighting to rooms that are in use, use air circulation, purchase energy-efficient appliances, transition to alternative energy sources such as solar energy, become involved in programs such as the Energy Stewardship Congregation and Interfaith Power and Light programs.. - Conference, camp/retreat centers, and general agency actions:
Lead and model for congregations conference/denomination wide efforts to change energy sources and activities in just and sustainable ways, support and fund renewable and energy-efficient mission projects. (See Part 5 of this series for Net-Zero carbon emissions policies of general agencies).
Principles deeper than a reasonable concern for ecological collapse drive United Methodists to action. “Energy Policy Statement,” the fourth resolution in The Book of Resolutions, identifies our underlying commitments to justice and sustainability.
“Just energy policies,” it says, “close the gap dividing wealth and poverty, rich nations and poor; liberate and do not oppress; fairly distribute the benefits, burdens, and hazards of energy production and consumption, taking into consideration the living and those not yet born; and give priority to meeting basic human needs such as air, water, food, clothing, and shelter.”
“Sustainability” means our approach to human-produced energy will “ensure adequate resources and opportunity for present and future generations to enjoy a healthy quality of life; enhance local environmental and economic vitality while minimizing impacts on the health of both human and non-human creation; and promote social and intergenerational equity."
Taken together, these commitments lead United Methodists to conclude that further development of some forms of energy production are dead ends or can continue to be pursued only with great caution. Fossil fuel production and use must cease. Nuclear energy creates waste products that still cannot be safely disposed of without creating other human and ecological problems, many of them with effects lasting for generations. Hydroelectric power may be pursued only where it does not destroy habitats, threaten water supplies, or, in areas near fault lines, become a flood danger to communities downstream.
These are the reasons United Methodists advocate focused efforts primarily toward creative developments in wind and solar energy and the economic and governmental systems and incentives needed to promote its rapid and responsible deployment.
United Methodist practices for energy use
The imminent and real threat and our commitment to justice and sustainability lead United Methodists to call for and pursue a wide range of strategies and specific actions for the sake of our living world.
United Methodists are also called to national and international advocacy for policies that ensure the energy needs of all human beings are equitably met, impoverishing none.
How will your family, local church and conference help lead United Methodists and the world to embrace the challenge to help all in our living world survive and thrive now and for generations to come?
Burton Edwards serves as Lead for Ask The UMC, the information service of United Methodist Communications.
