[lit-ideas] NY Times article
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2006 00:19:48 EST
Hi,
Here's the NY Times article on this interesting (to me) shift...note
this--for those of us concerned with wanting changes, this is quite welcome.
(and
maybe they'll do something about the potential legislation which sets the
stage
for major change in the National Park Service ... that troubles me,
too...and is related.
The statement, to be announced in Washington, is only the first stage of an
"Evangelical Climate Initiative" including television and radio spots in
states with influential legislators, informational campaigns in churches, and
educational events at Christian colleges.
Best,
Marlena
New York Times
February 8, 2006
Evangelical Leaders Join Global Warming Initiative
By _LAURIE GOODSTEIN_
(http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?ppds=bylL&v1=LAURIE
GOODSTEIN&fdq=19960101&td=sysdate&sort=newest&ac=LAURIE
GOODSTEIN&inline=nyt-per)
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."
The statement calls for federal legislation that would require reductions in
carbon dioxide emissions through "cost-effective, market-based mechanisms" â
a phrase lifted from a Senate resolution last year and one that could appeal
to evangelicals, who tend to be pro-business. The statement, to be announced
in Washington, is only the first stage of an "Evangelical Climate Initiative"
including television and radio spots in states with influential legislators,
informational campaigns in churches, and educational events at Christian
colleges.
"We have not paid as much attention to climate change as we should, and
that's why I'm willing to step up," said Duane Litfin, president of Wheaton
College, an influential evangelical institution in Illinois. "The evangelical
community is quite capable of having some blind spots, and my take is this has
fallen into that category."
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.
Their letter was addressed to the National Association of Evangelicals, an
umbrella group of churches and ministries, which last year had started to move
in the direction of taking a stand on global warming. The letter from the 22
leaders asked the National Association of Evangelicals not to issue any
statement on global warming or to allow its officers or staff members to take a
position.
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.
In response to the critics, the president of the National Association of
Evangelicals, the Rev. Ted Haggard, did not join the 86 leaders in the
statement
on global warming, even though he had been in the forefront of the issue a
year ago. Neither did the Rev. Richard Cizik, the National Association's
Washington lobbyist, even though he helped persuade other leaders to sign the
global warming initiative.
On Tuesday, Mr. Haggard, the pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs,
said in a telephone interview that he did not sign because it would be
interpreted as an endorsement by the entire National Association of
Evangelicals.
But he said that speaking just for himself, "There is no doubt about it in my
mind that climate change is happening, and there is no doubt about it that it
would be wise for us to stop doing the foolish things we're doing that could
potentially be causing this. In my mind there is no downside to being
cautious."
Of those who did sign, said the Rev. Jim Ball, executive director of the
Evangelical Environmental Network: "It's a very centrist evangelical list, and
that was intentional. When people look at the names, they're going to say, this
is a real solid group here. These leaders are not flighty, going after the
latest cause. And they know they're probably going to take a little flak."
The list includes prominent black leaders like Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. of
the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, the Rev. Floyd
Flake of the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in New York City, and Bishop
Wellington Boone of the Father's House and Wellington Boone Ministries in
Norcross,
Ga.; as well as Hispanic leaders like the Rev. Jesse Miranda, president of
AMEN in Costa Mesa, Calif.
The evangelical leaders are meeting Wednesday with senators or their staff
members concerned with legislation on energy and the environment. Their letter
commends senators who last year passed a resolution by Senators Pete V.
Domenici, a Republican, and Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat, both of New Mexico,
which
called for regulatory measures like a cap and trade program, a system in which
industries would buy or trade permits to emit greenhouse gases.
In their statement, the evangelicals praised companies like BP, Shell,
General Electric, Cinergy, Duke Energy and DuPont that it said "have moved
ahead
of the pace of government action through innovative measures" to reduce
emissions.
The television spot links images of drought, starvation and Hurricane Katrina
to global warming. In it, the Rev. Joel Hunter, pastor of a megachurch in
Longwood, Fla., says: "As Christians, our faith in Jesus Christ compels us to
love our neighbors and to be stewards of God's creation. The good news is that
with God's help, we can stop global warming, for our kids, our world and for
the Lord."
The advertisements are to be shown in Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, New Mexico,
North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Virginia.
The Evangelical Climate Initiative, at a cost of several hundred thousand
dollars, is being supported by individuals and foundations, including the Pew
Charitable Trusts, the Hewlett Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers
Foundation.
The initiative is one indication of a growing urgency about climate change
among religious groups, said Paul Gorman, executive director of the National
Religious Partnership for the Environment, a clearinghouse in Amherst, Mass.,
for environmental initiatives by religious groups.
Interfaith climate campaigns in 15 states are pressing for regional standards
to reduce greenhouse gases, Mr. Gorman said. Jewish, Roman Catholic and
Eastern Orthodox leaders also have campaigns under way.
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