God, science join forces

Wonder Twin powers, activate!

Posted by David Roberts at 12:25 PM on 12 Jan 2007

Interesting. I interviewed famed biologist E.O. Wilson, who talked about the need for scientists to reach out to religious leaders, to ask them to lend their moral credibility to the fight against biodiversity loss and other environmental ills. And I interviewed evangelical mega-church pastor Joel Hunter, who talked about the need to reach out to scientists, to ask them to educate religious leaders so they can bring a credible message on the environment to their congregants.

Well, it seems they've been talking to each other as well. From a new press release:

Leading Evangelicals, Scientists to Launch Environmental Collaboration

Leaders of the evangelical and scientific communities will announce an unprecedented joint effort to protect the global environment and advance policies that address some of the most pressing threats to our planet, including global warming, habitat destruction, pollution, and species extinctions. Spearheaded by the National Association of Evangelicals and scientists at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, the newly-formed collaboration is 28-members strong and growing.

Wilson and Hunter are both on the list.

The group plans to hold a press conference and release a statement next Wed. Stay tuned.

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Link to the press release

There's no link to the press release....

Benny Big Eye

by Benny Big Eye at 1:47 PM on 12 Jan 2007

I can't find it online.

grist.org

by David Roberts at 1:53 PM on 12 Jan 2007

Here's the release

Leading Evangelicals, Scientists to Launch Environmental Collaboration

Kate Sheppard

by Kate Sheppard at 2:44 PM on 12 Jan 2007

Last I heard...

the group will release a joint statement highlighting their shared concerns about human-caused threats to the Creation

...the scientists weren't so hot on the whole 'Creation' thing...

Common sense is an oxymoron...

by Engineer at 3:21 PM on 12 Jan 2007

Ha!

I wouldn't be so hot on it either. This will make for some interesting bedfellows. I see Pat Robertson isn't on the list...that's a relief.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

by biodiversivist at 10:05 PM on 12 Jan 2007

"Creation"

My guess is, the scientists acquiesced in the use of the term "Creation," even if they themselves do not share a belief in that doctrine, because they felt they could interpret it in a loose, non-religious, metaphorical way, and they understood that the intended readership of this group's statement(s), including many religionists who are mistrustful of environmentalists and scientists, would be grateful to find that word there.

And by the same token, I am sure many of the clergy would not insist on using "Creation" in their private conversations with the scientists; but they too understand that one of the points of this "joint effort" is to impress the evangelicals, whose prejudices they know very well.

What I find more troubling is that the scientists agreed to participate in this exclusively evangelical project, when they should have insisted that all denominations be invited to participate. Getting as many evangelicals on board as possible is fine. But the scientists should beware of subscribing to anything that turns out to be doctrinally narrow and exclusivist.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 1:43 AM on 13 Jan 2007

Good point Canis

Scientists are poindexters. Political strategists, they are not.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

by biodiversivist at 7:49 AM on 13 Jan 2007

Oh well

A few wacky phraes won't kill this. Progressive evangelicals? Yep. Jimmy Carter is a great example!

He sure is pushing hard for peace in the ME. Releasing that book that is bringing the often death-threat-invoking weight of fundamentalist Christians and Jews down on him takes some kind of courage!

We need these good people who try to live by the example set by their favorite son o' God. Right here on our side!

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

by amazingdrx at 9:52 AM on 13 Jan 2007

Too Narrow

I want to second CanisCandida's cautions (after all, a number of evangelists do not consider Catholics to be real Christians, and would they work with denominations that include women and (probably not) gays as leaders?).

The number of people involved is very small for a press release. Usually people try to get everyone they can in on the original effort, figuring somw will peel away. I wonder if this is poor organizing, or difficulty in securing more names??

patrick

by bookerly at 1:38 AM on 14 Jan 2007

ADVERTISING POLICY

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