The 2016 Presidential election left lots of people on lots of sides (not just two!) bruised and, sad to say, many friendships torn, some perhaps beyond repair but by the grace of God. For both religious political conservatives and religious political liberals---whether evangelicals or mainline Protestants or Roman Catholics or Mormons or Jews---the two leading candidates left more than a little to be desired. This was one of those times when policy and character didn't line up very well for … [Read more...]
Mother Theresa, the Environment, and the Poor in India
"Early this month, Mother Theresa was canonized as Saint Theresa by Pope Francis in a celebrated canonization ceremony in Vatican City. At this juncture, the same poor people in Calcutta (now Kolkata), whom she served with her life, face a different kind of threat to their lives—energy poverty caused by radical environmental policies. Sadly, these policies are supported by Pope Francis himself..." Read the full article at the Earth Rising Blog. … [Read more...]
Climate Litigation in a Topsy-Turvy World
Last month federal magistrate judge Thomas M. Coffin ruled that a lawsuit filed on behalf of 21 children and teenagers seeking damages from the federal government for its failure to fight climate change (enough) could go forward. His decision surprises many legal scholars, but Michael B. Gerrard, Director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law (I can't resist the temptation to refer to King Canute!) commented, It is the first time a federal court has suggested that government may have a … [Read more...]
Can We Defend Liberty against a Militarized EPA?
Did you know that the federal Environmental Protection Agency spends millions of dollars on guns, body armor, camouflage equipment, unmanned aircraft, amphibious assault ships, radar and night-vision gear, and other military-style weaponry and surveillance activities? You read that right—EPA, not the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines. Why? Because EPA regulations are so ubiquitous, so onerous, and so contrary to the spirit of our freedom-loving nation that ordinary Americans find … [Read more...]
The Theologization of Global Warming Among American Evangelicals: Who Says Religion and Science Can’t Mix?
[Note: This essay was written in the summer of 2010 at the request of Dr. Patrick Michaels, intended for a book he was editing. His publisher declined to include it in the book because of its religious content. It was never published elsewhere until now. We hope it remains a helpful survey of the history of the debate over global warming among evangelicals up to that time.—ECB, March 11, 2016] Introduction In the last half decade there has been a blossoming of public concern about global … [Read more...]
A Christian’s Perspective on Climate Change: Conventional Energy Sources Are Necessary for Developing Nations’ Poor
Global warming has been making headlines consistently during the past two decades. The subject impacts global economic policies and thereby our everyday lifestyle. Amidst the smoke in the battleground arises the moral call of Christians to function as responsible stewards of creation. But how does climate change impact the marginalized of the world? What can we, as followers of Christ, do for the environment and the poor? The recent developments at the Paris climate change conference saw … [Read more...]
Stop calling me a ‘denier’: Debating science is honorable, not evil
We’ve all read the articles, and heard the voice of doom about “mother earth.” The earth is going to get really hot, it’s all humans fault, and we must make drastic changes to fix our mistakes. Those who disagree with this viewpoint are termed “Climate Deniers,” an insult intended to bring about the specter of Holocaust denial. The fact that this particular insult makes no sense, since it’s impossible to “deny” climate doesn’t seem to matter. What do climate alarmists and climate skeptics … [Read more...]
Why are Young Americans Flocking to Bernie?
Of course young people like Bernie! He promises them free college, free health care—free, free, free. But why don’t these young people understand TANSTAAFL (“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”)? I’ll tell you. Their mistake is perfectly understandable. For eighteen, twenty, maybe twenty-five years or more practically all they’ve consumed has been free to them. Their parents have fed them, clothed them, housed them, medicated them, transported them, entertained them, educated … [Read more...]
Georgetown University Climate Symposium Includes Prominent Neopagan Speaker
Wish I’d heard of Georgetown University Berkley Center’s “Symposium on Religion and Climate Change“ earlier. Perhaps Cornwall Alliance could have had someone there to offer a contrasting perspective---something most meetings seem rather loathe to entertain. Alas, I only learned of it about an hour before it was to begin. Aside from the usual problem of such conferences having scientific blinders on, assiduously avoiding the need to interact with the serious scientific objections to climate … [Read more...]
Is Pope Francis Contributing to Human Trafficking?
Speaking to a gathering of mayors from around the world at the Vatican July 21, Pope Francis urged action to reduce global warming, saying he particularly hopes the UN climate summit later this year will address how it "affects the trafficking of people." Problem #1: Human-induced climate change has not affected the trafficking of people, or even migration in general. The one and only candidate for climate-change refugee status, a man from the island of Kiribati, just lost his case on appeal, … [Read more...]
