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February 09, 2006
New Climate Initiative: Evangelical Conservatives and Moderates Break Ranks with Extremists
by Faithful Progressive
What a difference a week can make! Last week we noted that the National Association of Evangelicals had been persuaded by a small group of partisan extremists, including James Dobson, not to take a stand on man's warming of God's creation. But, in a much more hopeful development, this week a group of Evangelical Conservatives and moderates launched their own Initiative: Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action. The signers included some high-profile conservatives and moderates: Rev. Dr. Rick Warren, Senior Pastor, Saddleback Church; Rev. Brian McLaren, Senior Pastor, Cedar Ridge Community Church; and Christianity Today magazine columnist Andy Crouch. The Statement made four Claims:
Claim 1: Human-Induced Climate Change is Real;
Claim 2: The Consequences of Climate Change Will Be Significant, and Will Hit the Poor the Hardest
Claim 3: Christian Moral Convictions Demand Our Response to the Climate Change Problem
Claim 4: The need to act now is urgent. Governments, businesses, churches, and individuals all have a role to play in addressing climate change starting now.
It concluded as follows: "We the undersigned pledge to act on the basis of the claims made in this document. We will not only teach the truths communicated here but also seek ways to implement the actions that follow from them. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, we urge all who read this declaration to join us in this effort."
This is a very important statement in its own right, and it is exciting to see conservative and moderate Christian Evangelicals once again embracing truly Biblical rather than partisan Republican values. Secondly, they urge actions at all levels to support their vision. Third, in so doing, they have also expressed a concern for the poor that has been sorely missing from the Evangelical agenda. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, they have broken ranks with the extremists who so dominate the discussion of Christian values.
What a difference a week makes--but then all things are possible with the Lord's help.
Posted by Faithful Progressive at February 9, 2006 10:48 PM
Comments
Let's hope that this good news is not too late. Now if we could find out how to get George Bush to take his head out of the sand....
Posted by: George J. Couch at February 11, 2006 04:36 PM
Extremism is a problem on both sides.
Your brand of extremism here is every bit as dangerous, if not more, than that of Dr James Dobson and others. While he may be overprotective of Biblical Christian values, to the point of legalism and error - your efforts would ultimately rip the Bible to shreds and have it mean far different things than originally intended.
You might as well do what the Mormons have done, and rewrite the Bible. You will never be able to convince the majority of Christians of your extremist liberal views.
Posted by: Scott at February 11, 2006 05:04 PM
"rip the Bible to shreds"..."your extremist liberal views"
Well, Scott, you've got some colorful language there. But no evidence to back up your heated accusations. Why is that?
Posted by: Tenoch at February 11, 2006 05:49 PM
Scott:
Here are some real Biblical Values, from the link FP provided.
"For by Him (Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth." (Col. 1:16)
While we cannot here review the full range of relevant biblical convictions related to care of the creation, we emphasize the following points:
*
Christians must care about climate change because we love God the Creator and Jesus our Lord, through whom and for whom the creation was made. This is God's world, and any damage that we do to God's world is an offense against God Himself (Gen. 1; Ps. 24; Col. 1:16).
*
Christians must care about climate change because we are called to love our neighbors, to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, and to protect and care for the least of these as though each was Jesus Christ himself (Mt. 22:34-40; Mt. 7:12; Mt. 25:31-46).
*
Christians, noting the fact that most of the climate change problem is human induced, are reminded that when God made humanity he commissioned us to exercise stewardship over the earth and its creatures. Climate change is the latest evidence of our failure to exercise proper stewardship, and constitutes a critical opportunity for us to do better (Gen. 1:26-28).
Love of God, love of neighbor, and the demands of stewardship are more than enough reason for evangelical Christians to respond to the climate change problem with moral passion and concrete action.
Dobson utges beating young children, as little as 18 months old. How can anu sane person call that Biblical?
FP is right--he is more GOP Hack than Biblical anything.
Joshua
Posted by: josJoshua at February 11, 2006 07:00 PM
It gives me some hope to see that many in the evangelical community have chosen to throw their support behind this innititive. I think that lending support to this will speak well of us before the world community by letting them know that Christians care not only for their souls but for their earthly well-being.
I just hope we can get leaders who can implement some of the suggestions.
Billy Strain
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I think that lending support to this will speak well of us before the world community by letting them know that Christians care not only for their souls but for their earthly well-being.
I just hope we can get leaders who can implement some of the suggestions.
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