Rev Bill White, 70, amongst four arrested at Bath Abbey

Four people, including a retired Church of England priest, were arrested at Bath Abbey as they sought to ask the Church of England to Stop Crucifying Creation.

Rev Bill White, 70, visited the Abbey on Saturday 13^th September alongside three other members of Christian Climate Action. They hung a banner from the Abbey tower and had with them copies of a new CCA publication, Stop Crucifying Creation.

Stop Crucifying Creation calls on the Church of England to take find the courage to speak out prophetically and persistently against the forces that driving us towards deadly climate change; to cease doing harm through its own activities; and to return to its radical roots of prayer, confession and building loving community as we face climate breakdown.

The action at Bath Abbey was part of a weekend of action around the country to promote this call:

• At Westminster Abbey two people were dragged out of the building by security staff after kneeling to pray at the altar.
• At Winchester Cathedral after occupying the roof for almost five hours, four of our members were given the opportunity to speak at the Sunday morning service.
• At York we unveiled a huge banner and spoke with members of the public.
• At Durham we unveiled a huge banner on the cloister lawn and prayed.
• At Canterbury we held a banner, prayed and spoke with members of the public.
• On Sunday 14th September, we held vigils outside 12 different cathedrals, abbeys and priories across England. We gathered at Exeter, Newcastle, Rochester, Lancaster, Chester, Winchester, York, Liverpool, Bury St Edmunds, Bath and both St Paul’s and Southwark in London.

At some locations we were welcomed, thanked for bringing climate change to the Church’s attention and/or invited to speak from the pulpit during a service, At others clergy and staff attempted to silence us or hide us by screening us off, refusing members of the public entry to the building until they handed back leaflets we had given then or asking us to move to ‘a corner’ or a ‘side chapel’ to pray.

Rev Bill White and three others who were arrested were release under investigation which means they could be charged with an offence at any point during the next six months.

L: Bill with three other members of CCA who were all arrested shortly after this photo was taken. R: banner at Bath Abbey

The weekend of action follows the publication of the document Stop Crucifying Creation which has been sent to hundreds of Church of England clergy over the past two weeks.

How you can get involved

• Read Stop Crucifying Creation here.  If you are a member of the Church of England, please share it with your vicar and your PCC. 
• Order Stop Crucifying Creation fliers by emailing: ccalocalgroups@gmail.com.
• Read and use the liturgy we used for the prayer vigils. Written by Rev Helen Burnett.
• Donate. Action like these need funds.
• Attend the next New to CCA zoom call and get involved