[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...]
Why I Will Not Sign the SBECI Declaration
Recently a number of conservative Southern Baptist leaders endorsed the document, "A Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change," which asserts: "We believe our current denominational engagement with [climate change] issues has often been too timid, failing to produce a unified moral voice. Our cautious response to these issues in the face of mounting evidence may be seen by the world as uncaring, reckless and ill-informed. We can do better." Although many of the signers … [Read more...]
Perceived Southern Baptist Split on Global Warming Evaporating
. Washington, DC (March 11, 2008) - In response to the well-publicized announcement of the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, national spokesman for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, issued the following statement today: This declaration, though sincere, is being used to give the false impression of a major split among Southern Baptists over global warming. Indeed, according to the most prominent signer, Southern Baptist Convention … [Read more...]
Seminary Student’s Climate Change Project is not SBC’s
Reprinted with permission of the Baptist Press* WASHINGTON (BP)—Jonathan Merritt, a 25-year-old student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., captured widespread media attention March 10 in releasing a statement titled “A Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change.” The so-called “Southern Baptist” statement is not an initiative of the Southern Baptist Convention which voiced its views on global warming last summer in a resolution, “On Global … [Read more...]
Good Stewards, Good Samaritans
The environment is again an important election issue. Some candidates have claimed religious support for their views, but there is no single “Christian” perspective on the environment. It is a question of fact and prudence, not theology. We all have a stake in a healthy environment. God gave humanity dominion over the earth and called us to be good stewards of his creation. But he gave us no particular policy agenda. Rather, we must work together to balance environmental protection, economic … [Read more...]
Fact Sheet: Evangelicals Should be Wary of the Politicization and Bad Science of Global Warming Alarmism
Download the Fact Sheet In recent months, the news has carried a spate of stories about Christians embracing the cause of global warming. These news stories highlight some evangelical leaders who have endorsed alarmist claims in their public statements, urged political action on climate change, and even screened Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, in their churches. It’s no surprise that some politicians are welcoming converts to the cause on the eve of national elections, or that the … [Read more...]
