Evangelicals Awaken to Environmental Crisis

...but Naysayers try to derail movement!

One of the most exciting yet precarious developments in Christianity is the emerging of a serious effort among many evangelicals to develop action to take responsible care of God's creation. This page will highlight some of the ongoing developments.

Several high profile evangelicals are trying to thwart this momentum. It is of critical importance that all Christians serious about environmental advocacy be aware of this debate and to lend their support to those who are seeking to influence the church to creation responsibility.

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GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE

Christians For The Mountains advocates for strong local, regional, national, and international measures to counter Global Climate Change. Climate Change is at the forefront of impending catastrophic forces that will disrupt weather patterns resulting in massive species extinction, flooding, drought, agriculture upheaval, disease, and a host of related geo-political problems. The science is absolutely clear that human-induced factors are significantly contributing to an increase in global temperature. The morality is therefore clear, too, considering the devastation that even now is beginning to occur and which will be accelerating. To counter climate change is thus summons to faith and engagement.

According to their website, "The Interfaith Stewardship Alliance (ISA) is a coalition of religious leaders, scientists, academics, and other policy experts committed to bringing a balanced Biblical view of stewardship to the critical issues of environment and development." Their analysis is that there is no human-caused global warming. Their policy initiatives are to thwart efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses as counterproductive to economic prosperity. There position is spelled out in a 20 page document, An Examination of the Scientific, Ethical and Theological Implications of Climate Change Policy,by Roy W. Spencer, Ph.D; Paul K. Driessen, Esq., and E. Calvin Beisner, Ph.D. (note this paper is a large .pdf 500 K file that needs Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher)

Dean Ohlman is a committed evangelical presently working with Radio Bible Class Ministries in Michigan. Ohlman has extensive knowledge of evangelical thinking in terms of creation and environmental issues. His rebuttal of the the ISA position, particularly that of Beisner, is illustrative of this debate, and provides excellent, biblically-based argumentation. It is suggested to read Ohlman's article first.

Southern Baptists at their 2006 Conference have held back from taking a strong stand against Climate Change.