Words'nTone

“Calvin DeWitt, professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a leading evangelical supporter of various environmental causes, called the NAE statement “a retreat and a defeat.” He predicted “negative consequences for the ability of evangelicals to influence the White House, unfortunately and sadly.” Should influencing the White House be the primary or even a major objective for evangelicals, or should their goal be to please God?

“A better objective would be to follow another statement made not by a committee but by a single individual who claims ownership of His church and requires obedience to all who would follow Him: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) Jesus also called on His disciples - then and now - “to obey everything I have commanded you.” A quick look does not reveal those teachings as having anything to do with global warming or the environment. Rather, He calls individuals to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison and pray for those who persecute them. Evangelicals should pursue these higher virtues instead of settling for the lower life of politics” [Cal Thomas, “The agenda-driven life,” in Townhall.com (Feb 13, 2006)].

I certainly hope there are some evangelical Christians involved with environmental issues. And some, I hope, are lobbying politicians for legislation that is reasonable and actually helps protect our environment. But this is crazy. Now evangelicals are seeking to be known as “green.” Don’t they know the verdict is not out on whether there really is a man-made global warming, let alone if we can gauge how much, or whether it is something we (man) can stop? (Read Michael Crichton’s State of Fear that exposes the weak, but agenda-driven green movement’s argument and its manipulating the evidence for global warming.) I think I am mostly bothered because there are other “causes” which there is clearly a need and clearly presented in Scripture. I am speaking specifically about the issues of poverty. Where is the same outcry and desire to end poverty right here in America? Let’s see a “Call to Action” from these same 86 evangelicals to end poverty. I guess it is not sexy enough of an issue, especially since it is in their own backyard. Let’s see these 86 signers of the green evangelical magna carta call on the President to fight the war on poverty right here in the United States. Plead with him, lobby him to restore full funding to the Community Services Block Grant program, the primary Federal instrument that has as its mission and purpose “to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty.”

A New York Time’s essay also highlights some of the concerns other evangelical have on the evangelical switch to green (selected paragraphs):

“Despite opposition from some of their colleagues, 86 evangelical Christian leaders have decided to back a major initiative to fight global warming, saying ‘millions of people could die in this century because of climate change, most of them our poorest global neighbors’.”

“Among signers of the statement, which will be released in Washington on Wednesday, are the presidents of 39 evangelical colleges, leaders of aid groups and churches, like the Salvation Army, and pastors of megachurches, including Rick Warren, author of the best seller ‘The Purpose-Driven Life’.”

“’For most of us, until recently this has not been treated as a pressing issue or major priority,’ the statement said. ‘Indeed, many of us have required considerable convincing before becoming persuaded that climate change is a real problem and that it ought to matter to us as Christians. But now we have seen and heard enough’.”

“Some of the nation’s most high-profile evangelical leaders, however, have tried to derail such action. Twenty-two of them signed a letter in January declaring, ‘Global warming is not a consensus issue.’ Among the signers were Charles W. Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries; James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family; and Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.”

“E. Calvin Beisner, associate professor of historical theology at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., helped organize the opposition into a group called the Interfaith Stewardship Alliance. He said Tuesday that ‘the science is not settled’ on whether global warming was actually a problem or even that human beings were causing it. And he said that the solutions advocated by global warming opponents would only cause the cost of energy to rise, with the burden falling most heavily on the poor” [“Evangelical Leaders Join Global Warming Initiative,” by Laurie Goodstien in the NY Times (February 8, 2006)].

Well, my goodness. Haven’t they seen enough of poverty? Haven’t they heard enough? Isn’t the Bible full of agenda regarding the Christian community’s responsibility to the poor? This climate thing is still an unknown. But, what is known is that people are poor and Christians are supposed to do something about it...no need for research on this issue.

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