Flight–free bishop wants environment at centre of Christian faith

26/02/2007

For most of the 150 delegates who travelled to Germany for a gathering of church leaders in historic Wittenberg the trip was a matter of a few hours thanks to one of the many low-cost airlines that now ply Europe's skies.

But for Anglican Bishop Richard Chartres of London who has pledged to refrain from air travel for a year as a sign of his commitment to the environment the journey earlier this month meant a 1000 kilometre train voyage with changes in Brussels and Berlin.

Travel takes rather longer Chartres told Ecumenical News International in Wittenberg the town where Martin Luther instituted the Reformation. I left Waterloo [in London] at 7.15 p.m. and arrived in Wittenberg at 9.30 a.m. the following morning. Chartres signed a pledge to refrain from all air travel for 12 months during a Stop Climate Change demonstration in London in October.

I shall not flinch Chartres insisted although he acknowledged the effects of his decision were at times very inconvenient. Still One useful result is slowing down a bit he noted. I think it also focuses the mind on going to things that are really valuable.

In 2006 Chartres was criticised by Michael O'Leary chief executive of low-cost airline Ryanair after the bishop was reported saying it was sinful to pollute the planet by catching a plane for a holiday. But the 59-year-old cleric said in Wittenberg: I'm not preaching to other people. If one is saying 'cut the carbon' … one has to be very alert to one's own footprint. This is a new way of being faithful of walking lightly on the earth.