'Creation care' embraces climate change

Evangelical environmental movement gathering strength

Posted by Joseph Romm (Guest Contributor) at 10:09 AM on 19 Mar 2007

Read more about: climate | green living | religion and spirituality

For some Christians, teaching the science of climate change contradicts religious beliefs. But a growing group of evangelical environmentalists has been working to change that view.

For a few years, Richard Cizik, the Vice President for Governmental Affairs with the National Association of Evangelicals, has spoken out as passionately in favor of addressing climate change as he has against abortion, gay marriages or embryonic stem-cell research. You can read an interview with him at Grist and hear one from NPR.

What would jesus drive? Despite his being isolated by several other religious leaders, Cizik is not alone. The New York Times has also featured Jim Ball, a Virginia minister who relies heavily on the Bible for his guidance in going green. He explains:

"Colossians, chapter 1, verses 15 to 20 is the touchstone text for me," he said. "'All things have been created by Him and for Him. All things have been reconciled by His blood on the cross.' The Apostle Paul tells us we are called to be ministers of reconciliation, and that means caring for all things."

Both men advocate what is widely-called "creation care," which includes preserving the landscape and the livelihoods we have been given. And both men wisely see how climate change poses a direct risk to creation.

Recently there has been more good news. The NAE has backed Cizik's creation care agenda, reaffirming that "environmental protection ... is an important moral issue." We will need as many voices as possible speaking out on climate change if we are to avoid the worst.

For story: 'Creation care' embraces climate change
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good for Jim Ball!

This hymn in the first chapter of the deutero-Pauline Letter to the Colossians (i.e., it is not by Paul himself, but by a disciple of his, who after Paul's death was expanding on his thoughts) is a principal example of "high Christology" in the New Testament (i.e., identifying Jesus as not just a human being, but as the highest of God's creatures, prior to all creation; cf. also the prologue to the Gospel according to John). Jesus "is the image (literally, icon) of the unseen God, firstborn of all creation, because in him were created all things in the heavens and upon the earth, things seen and things unseen ... "

It is a disgrace that we Christians have generally not taken this doctrine to heart, and apply it in a creation-reverencing manner. Fortunately there are a few who do, such as Jim Ball and Richard Cizik.

By contrast, those biblical texts which are interpreted as condoning homophobia, even encouraging it, are very few, very marginal, and very much culturally circumscribed. I would hope that Cizik, Ball and their allies evolve to realize that preaching homophobia is contrary to the Gospel. And meanwhile, creation care is an excellent subject for them; let them dedicate their preacherly resources to that, more exclusively.

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

by caniscandida at 10:55 AM on 19 Mar 2007

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