Global Warming (View 2 of 2): An Evangelical Call to Action on Climate Change
by: Jim Ball - May 1, 2006 - comments: 2
This is one article of a two-article series representing two views on climate change. For another viewpoint, please read the other article, How Should We Respond to Global Warming? by E. Calvin Beisner.
There is a new issue of concern that has arisen for evangelical Christians. It’s the problem of global warming, also called climate change.
What, briefly, is the problem? Human activity, mainly the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, is artificially enhancing a naturally occurring process called the greenhouse effect, which is created by gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide (CO2) that trap heat. The naturally occurring greenhouse effect is beneficial. Indeed, it allows life on earth as we know it to exist. But we are now pumping dangerous amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and thereby raising the temperature of the planet–as if we were causing the planet to have a fever. This rising planetary temperature, or global warming, in turn is causing changes to the earth’s climate, or the weather of an area over time. Global warming is driving the weather patterns of the planet toward the extremes. The results are more floods and droughts, intensified hurricanes, sea-level rise, and increases in health problems due to the spread of disease.
To address this challenge, nearly one hundred senior evangelical leaders, including Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose-Driven Life, have come together to form the Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI) and issue a statement, “Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action.”
We make four basic claims:
1. Human-induced climate change is real.
After careful study we now are convinced that there is enough sound scientific evidence to require action. As a recent joint statement by the National Academies of Science of all G8 countries (including the U.S.) put it: “The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action.” This statement by the National Academies of the G8 countries reaffirmed the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s most authoritative body on the subject. The IPCC’s reports represent the scientific consensus and have been headed up by Sir John Houghton, an evangelical Christian and fellow Baptist.
Do not be fooled by assertions to the contrary that the science is not settled. They are the equivalent of someone claiming that smoking doesn’t cause cancer. When major companies including BP, Shell, General Electric, Wal-Mart, and DuPont–who face the possibility of regulation–are saying the problem is real and action is necessary, then you can rest assured that the science is sound.
2. The consequences of climate change will be significant, and will hit the poor the hardest.
This is the heart of the matter for Christians: Global warming is going to have profound impacts on people, especially the most vulnerable. Global warming will make droughts drier, floods fiercer, hurricanes harsher, and health threats like malaria more menacing. As Hurricane Katrina demonstrated, even in the richest and most powerful nation on earth, it is the poor who bear the brunt of natural disasters. For human beings to increase the power of such disasters runs contrary to Jesus’ most basic ethical teachings. Millions could die in this century due to global warming.
3. Christian moral convictions demand our response to the climate change problem.
As the ECI statement says, “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) . . . 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.”
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.
The need to act is urgent, and we all have a role to play. Much attention has been drawn to our call for federal action, with concerns about economic cost. In response to our statement, Charles Colson wrote, “Everybody is for stopping global warming. But at what cost?” Good question. Economic concerns cannot dictate whether we act, but good financial stewardship suggests they should guide how we act.
The first thing to understand is that acting now will be much less expensive than failing to act and leaving our children a terrible mess to clean up.
So what is a cost-effective way to address the problem?
Senators including John McCain (R-AZ), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Warner (R-VA), and Robert Byrd (D-WV) have endorsed the same approach the ECI has called for: a mandatory, economy-wide, business-friendly, market-based approach. Do you think these senators are going to pass anything that seriously harms the economy? That’s not going to happen. And even if it did, we wouldn’t support it. Current proposals being considered by the Senate would cost somewhere in the range of $20-$200 a year per family, and we are working with key Senate offices to make sure that low-income families are helped to pay these costs.
The good news economically is that making the investments necessary to begin to stop global warming creates jobs, cleans up our environment, makes us more energy efficient, and enhances national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, thereby creating a safe and healthy future for our children.
Therefore, with the same love of God and neighbor that compels us to preach salvation through Jesus Christ, protect unborn life, preserve the family and the sanctity of marriage, and defend religious freedom and human dignity, we the leaders of the Evangelical Climate Initiative have resolved to come together with others of like mind to pray and work to stop global warming. We hope you will join us. Together, with God’s help, we can make a difference.
Rev. Jim Ball, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Evangelical Environmental Network and spokesperson for the Evangelical Climate Initiative. To learn more about the ECI and to read its statement, “Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action,” visit http://www.christiansandclimate.org .
This is one article of a two-article series representing two views on climate change. For another viewpoint, please read the other article, How Should We Respond to Global Warming? by E. Calvin Beisner.
Further Learning
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2 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Aug 15th, 2006, at 11:47am, Donny Jenkins wrote:
What? I can’t belive what I’m reading. Do you know that the volcano in Hawaii put out more CO2 in one day than Americans autos do in an entire year? Plus, God has put in print (bible) that the seasons will change, along with wars and rumor of wars. I’m sorry, but the “Globle Warming” or “Climate Change” or what ever is politicaly right, is all the same thing, a bunch of people wanting to put BLAME on some one else. WE, as Christians, have a much, much larger battle. Just look in the middle east right now. Just look at the Muslim population explosion. Besides, More CO2 means more TREES and GRASS and FLOWERS, and that means more oxygen for us mammals to breath.
Yes, the end will come. Do you know when? I don’t, but my Lord and savoir says to go unto all the earth preaching and teaching his word.
Why don’t you try wasting your time in a more constuctive way. Go win a tree hugger to Christ.
Donny
2 On Jan 25th, 2007, at 10:13pm, Alayna wrote:
I am senior Christianity major at a respected university, and I have minors in chemistry and biology. Global warming is very real, and will not be going away until society wakes up and does something about this issue. As Christians, we have a responsibility to care for the God’s gift, the Earth, and it is time we start doing that. Thank you for this article.