Posted on 12/16/2008 9:13:10 PM PST by Alex Murphy
Conservative evangelicals who saw environmentalism as alarmism welcomed Richard Cizik's resignation as the National Association of Evangelicals' Washington lobbyist last week.
But evangelicals and scientists who had been working on "creation care" for several years saw it as a blow to their efforts.
More than 50 evangelicals — including several environmental advocates — sent a letter to the NAE President Leith Anderson this morning, signaling their support for Cizik's efforts and urging the organization to "carry out Richard's vision of a broad Christian moral agenda."
Those who signed the letter included presidents of organizations, professors, pastors, and authors, such as Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, Calvin DeWitt, professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin, and Lynne Hybels, author of Nice Girls Don't Change the World and wife of Bill Hybels, who is senior pastor of Willow Creek.
One of the letter's signers, Ken Wilson, senior pastor at the Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor, said Cizik pioneered a dialogue between evangelicals and scientists, convincing pastors like himself to preach more about the environment.
"Cizik's resignation can be a real stumbling block to people of goodwill for people who saw the evangelical community as good news for the environment," Wilson said. "It will certainly alienate those outside of the faith who sees it as a narrow groupthink."
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
Signees:
Rev. Paul Alexander, PhD, Professor, Theology & Ethics; Director, Doctor of Ministry Program, Graduate School of Theology, Azusa Pacific University
Joe Battaglia, President, Renaissance Communications, Inc.
Cliff Benzel, Executive Vice President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Craig A. Boyd, PhD, Executive Director, Institute of Faith Integration Prof. of Philosophy, Azusa Pacific University
Steve Bradbury, International Chairman, Micah Network
Randy Brinson, President, Redeem the Vote
Don Bromley, Executive Pastor, Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor
David Bryant, President, Proclaim Hope!
Jason Chatraw, Publisher, Ampelon Publishing
Calvin B. DeWitt Ph.D., President, Academy of Evangelical Scientists and Ethicists, President Emeritus, Au Sable Institute
Serge Duss, Visiting Fellow, Mark O. Hatfield Institute of Public Service
Joel Edwards, International Director, Micah Challenge International
Daryl Eldridge, Ph.D., President, Rock Bridge Seminary
Chris Elisara, Ph.D, Creation Care Study Program, Julian, CA
Carl H. Esbeck, Professor of Law, University of Missouri
Deborah Fikes
David Gushee, President, Evangelicals for Human Rights
Steve Haas
Rev. Derrick Harkins, Senior Pastor, Nineteenth St. Baptist Church, Washington, DC; Member, Board of Directors, World Relief
Peter Heltzel, Assistant Professor of Theology, New York Theological Seminary
Lynne Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church
Peter Illyn, Founder/Executive Director, Restoring Eden
Jim Jewell, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Flourish
Cheryl Bridges Johns, Professor of Christian Formation and Discipleship, Church of God Theological Seminary
Robert K. Johnston, Professor of Theology and Culture, Fuller Theological Seminary
Anna Jane Joyner, Co-Coordinator of Renewal: Students Caring for Creation
Jan Kary, Senior VP, Marketing & Development, World Relief
Rev. Dr. Andrew Lindahl, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Austin, MN
Rick Love, Ph.D., Consultant for Christian-Muslim Relations
Ben Lowe, Co-Coordinator of Renewal: Students Caring for Creation
The Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, Chair of the Board, World Hope International
Gabe Lyons, Author and Founder of the Fermi Project and Q Conference
Steve Martin, President, Vital Visions, Inc.
Brian McLaren, Author/Speaker
Teri Merrick, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy & Theology, Azusa Pacific University
Jonathan Merritt, Faith and Culture Writer/A Southern Baptist voice on creation care
Rev. Marlon Millner, co-founder, Pentecostals & Charismatics for Peace & Justice, Philadelphia, PA
Stephen V. Monsma, Research Fellow, The Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, Calvin College
Richard J. Mouw, President, Fuller Theological Seminary
Bryant L. Myers, Ph.D., Professor of International Development, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
Mary Nelson, President and CEO, Bethel New Life
Carey C. Newman, Director, Baylor University Press
Rev. Adam Phillips, Chair, Micah Challenge USA
Lowell (Rusty) Pritchard, Ph.D., Editor, Creation Care magazine
Mark Rodgers, Principal, Clapham Group
Dr. Tony Richie, Senior Pastor, New Harvest Church of God, Knoxville, TN
Rev. Gabriel Salguero, Executive Member, Latino Leadership Circle; Sr. Pastor, The Lamb's Church of the Nazarene
Andrew Saperstein, Associate Director, Reconciliation Program, Yale Center for Faith and Culture
Ron Sider, President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Matthew Sleeth, MD, Director, Blessed Earth
Glen Stassen, Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological Seminary
Richard Stearns
Rev. Eric Steinkamp, PhD, Northwest University
Brian Swarts, National Coordinator, Micah Challenge USA
Clyde Taylor, Former Chair, World Relief
Peter Vander Meulen, Coordinator, Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America
Dr. Bob Wenz, The Kings College and Seminary
Tyler Wigg Stevenson, Director, Two Futures Project
Ken Wilson, Senior Pastor, Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor
Some known liberal outfits there; others sound like made-up names for organizations.
That Calvin College and the CRC would even have these positions surprises me.
Stephen V. Monsma, Research Fellow, The Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, Calvin College
Peter Vander Meulen, Coordinator, Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America
Azuza Pacific was once a Conservative Christian College
The CRC got a late start, but is racing to catch up with its mainline sisters in the PCUSA, UMC, ECUSA, UCC, etc. They got kicked out of NAPARC a few years ago. So I’m not surprised to see them on the list.
And I hit ‘post’ to soon. A big clue as to how liberal the CRC is can be seen in the guy’s title. When is the last time you saw a conservative group with an ‘Office of Social Justice’. When folks start using liberal buzz words like ‘social justice’ odds are that they’ve already quit preaching the Gospel.
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