Green Evangelicals Stand Against Global Warming

WASHINGTON – Evangelicals are newly rising up to the good-old, biblical commandment to be stewards of God’s creation by joining the environmentalists’ call to stop global warming.

“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,” states a document recently signed by 86 top evangelical leaders and representatives.

The document, aptly entitled “The Evangelical Climate Initiative,” was released on Wednesday at a press conference in Washington alongside results from a nationwide study that showed a “higher-than expected level of concern over the environment” from Evangelical Christians.

According to the study, three of four evangelicals support environmental issues, two thirds are convinced that global warming is actually taking place, and seven out of ten believe global climate change will pose a “serious threat to future generations.”

“Even among evangelicals who are political conservatives, over four out of ten believe global warming must be reduced even if there’s a high economic cost, and half feel we must begin addressing the issue immediately,” reads an excerpt from the research paper, conducted by the Arizona-based Ellison Research center.

The 86 signers hope that such results and their new initiative could help influence government leaders to “pass and implement national legislation requiring sufficient economy-wide reductions in carbon dioxide emissions…”

“As American evangelical Christian leaders, we recognize both our opportunity and our responsibility to offer a biblically based moral witness that can help shape public policy in the most powerful nation on earth,” the Climate Initiative states.

Supporters of the statement include top Evangelical stars such as: Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church; Rich Stearns, president of World Vision; Todd Bassett, national commander of the Salvation Army; and Duane Litfin, president of Wheaton College.

However, noticeably missing are the names of other Evangelical heavyweights who in the past have closely worked with the Bush Administration on public policy. Neither James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, nor Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission, has joined the effort.

Instead Dobson and Land were among 20 Evangelicals who signed onto a letter urging the National Association of Evangelicals to refrain from taking an official position on the issue.

“We believe there should be room for Bible-believing evangelicals to disagree about the cause, severity and solutions to the global warming issue,” the conservative Evangelicals wrote in their letter to the NAE.

Ultimately, NAE staff members opted not to sign the initiative, though over a dozen unpaid board members lent their name. Those who signed the campaign are now working to gain a broader support from the Evangelical community.

“Some are early adopters, and some are late adopters,” Jim Ball, Executive Director of the Evangelical Environmental Network said at the press conference.

Ball also explained that in coming months, signers will work to reach the grass-roots by mobilizing pastors.

“We are going to be engaged in many activities over the year, reaching out to churches and going to colleges,” Ball said.

They also began a massive advertising campaign through both television and print media.

Here's the signature list:

Rev. Dr. Leith Anderson, Former President, National Association of Evangelicals (NAE); Senior Pastor, Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN

Robert Andringa, Ph.D., President, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), Vienna, VA

Rev. Jim Ball, Ph.D., Executive Director, Evangelical Environmental Network; Wynnewood, PA

Commissioner W. Todd Bassett, National Commander, The Salvation Army; Alexandria, VA

Dr. Jay A. Barber, Jr., President, Warner Pacific College, Portland, OR

Gary P. Bergel, President, Intercessors for America; Purcellville, VA

David Black, Ph.D., President, Eastern University, St. Davids, PA

Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Dr. Dan Boone, President, Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville, TN

Bishop Wellington Boone, The Father's House & Wellington Boone Ministries, Norcross, GA

Rev. Dr. Peter Borgdorff, Executive Director, Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI

H. David Brandt, Ph.D., President, George Fox University, Newberg, OR

Rev. George K. Brushaber, Ph.D., President, Bethel University; Senior Advisor, Christianity Today; St. Paul, MN

Rev. Dwight Burchett, President, Northern California Association of Evangelicals; Sacramento, CA

Gaylen Byker, Ph.D., President, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Rev. Dr. Jerry B. Cain, President, Judson College, Elgin, IL

Rev. Dr. Clive Calver, Senior Pastor, Walnut Hill Community Church; Former President, World Relief; Bethel, CT

R. Judson Carlberg, Ph.D., President, Gordon College, Wenham, MA

Rev. Dr. Paul Cedar, Chair, Mission America Coalition; Palm Desert, CA

David Clark, Ph.D., President, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Former Chair/CEO, Nat. Rel. Broadcasters; Founding Dean, Regent University; West Palm Beach, FL

Rev. Luis Cortes, President & CEO, Esperanza USA; Host, National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast; Philadelphia, PA

Andy Crouch, Columnist, Christianity Today magazine; Swarthmore, PA

Rev. Paul de Vries, Ph.D., President, New York Divinity School; New York, NY

Rev. David S. Dockery, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; President, Union University, Jackson, TN

Larry R. Donnithorne, Ed.D., President, Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, CO

Blair Dowden, Ed.D., President, Huntington University, Huntington, IN

Rev. Robert P. Dugan, Jr., Former VP of Governmental Affairs, National Association of Evangelicals; Palm Desert, CA

Craig Hilton Dyer, President, Bright Hope International, Hoffman Estates, IL

D. Merrill Ewert, Ph.D., President, Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, CA

Rev. Dr. LeBron Fairbanks, President, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, OH

Rev. Myles Fish, President/CEO, International Aid, Spring Lake, MI

Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake, Senior Pastor, Greater Allen AME Cathedral; President, Wilberforce University; Jamaica, NY

Rev. Timothy George, Ph.D., Founding Dean, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Executive Editor, Christianity Today; Birmingham, AL

Rev. Michael J. Glodo, Stated Clerk, Evangelical Presbyterian Church , Livonia , MI

Rev. James M. Grant, Ph.D., President, Simpson University, Redding, CA

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenway, President, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY

Rev. David Gushee, Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University; columnist, Religion News Service; Jackson, TN

Gregory V. Hall, President, Warner Southern College, Lake Wales, FL

Brent Hample, Executive Director, India Partners, Eugene OR

Rev. Dr. Jack Hayford, President, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Steve Hayner, Ph.D., Former President, InterVarsity; Prof. of Evangelism, Columbia Theological Sem., Decatur, GA

E. Douglas Hodo, Ph.D., President, Houston Baptist University, Houston, TX

Ben Homan, President, Food for the Hungry; President, Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organizations (AERDO); Phoenix, AZ

Rev. Dr. Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland, A Church Distributed; Longwood, FL

Bryce Jessup, President, William Jessup University, Rocklin, CA

Ronald G. Johnson, Ph.D., President, Malone College, Canton, OH

Rev. Dr. Phillip Charles Joubert, Sr., Pastor, Community Baptist Church, Bayside, NY

Jennifer Jukanovich, Founder, The Vine, Seattle, WA

Rev. Brian Kluth, Senior Pastor, First Evangelical Free Church; Founder, MAXIMUM Generosity; Colorado Springs, CO

Bishop James D. Leggett, General Superintendent, International Pentecostal Holiness Church; Chair, Pentecostal World Fellowship; Oklahoma City, OK

Duane Litfin, Ph.D., President, Wheaton College, Wheaton IL

Rev. Dr. Larry Lloyd, President, Crichton College, Memphis, TN

Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, Executive Director, World Hope; Alexandria, VA

Jim Mannoia, Ph.D., President, Greenville College, Greenville, IL

Bishop George D. McKinney, Ph.D., D.D., St. Stephens Church Of God In Christ, San Diego, CA

Rev. Brian McLaren, Senior Pastor, Cedar Ridge Community Church; Emergent leader; Spencerville, MD

Rev. Dr. Daniel Mercaldo, Senior Pastor & Founder, Gateway Cathedral; Staten Island, NY

Rev. Dr. Jesse Miranda, President, AMEN, Costa Mesa, CA

Royce Money, Ph.D., President, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX

Dr. Bruce Murphy, President, Northwestern University, Orange City, IA

Rev. George W. Murray, D.Miss., President, Columbia International University, Columbia SC

David Neff, Editor, Christianity Today; Carol Stream, IL

Larry Nikkel, President, Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS

Michael Nyenhuis, President, MAP International; Brunswick, GA

Brian O'Connell, President, REACT Services; Founder and Former Executive Director, Religious Liberty Commission, World Evangelical Alliance; Mill Creek, WA

Roger Parrott, Ph.D., President, Belhaven College, Jackson, MS

Charles W. Pollard, Ph.D., J.D., President, John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR

Paul A. Rader, D.Miss., President, Asbury College, Wilmore, KY

Rev. Edwin H. Robinson, Ph.D., President, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Olathe , KS

William P. Robinson, Ph.D., President, Whitworth College, Spokane, WA

Lee Royce, Ph.D., President, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS

Andy Ryskamp, Executive Director, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Grand Rapids, MI

Rev. Ron Sider, Ph.D., President, Evangelicals for Social Action, Philadelphia, PA

Richard Stearns, President, World Vision, Federal Way, WA

Rev. Jewelle Stewart, Ex. Dir., Women's Ministries, International Pentecostal Holiness Church; Oklahoma City, OK

Rev. Dr. Loren Swartzendruber, President, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg VA

C. Pat Taylor, Ph.D., President, Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO

Rev. Berten A. Waggoner, National Director, Vineyard, USA; Sugar Land, TX

Jon R. Wallace, DBA, President, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA

Rev. Dr. Thomas Yung-Hsin Wang, former International Director of Lausanne II, Sunnyvale, CA

Rev. Dr. Rick Warren, Senior Pastor, Saddleback Church; author of The Purpose Driven Life; Lake Forest, CA

John Warton, President, Business Professional Network, Portland, OR

Robert W. Yarbrough, Ph.D., New Testament Dept. Chair, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL

John D. Yordy, Ph. D., Interim President, Goshen College, Goshen, IN

Adm. Tim Ziemer, Director of Programs, World Relief, Baltimore, MD

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