One of the great Christian theologians of modern times, Abraham Kuyper, once said, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"
Kuyper, who also served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 1901-1905, laid the theological framework for what has been the basis of my ministry: That Christianity is a worldview, a way of seeing all of reality through God’s eyes. Christians, therefore, have a responsibility not only to share their faith with others, but to work for justice and righteousness in every area of life. Christians ought to be stewards of the gifts God has given us, and prominent among them, of course, is this beautiful world in which we live.
This means that Christians should be activists in caring for the environment and personally set the example on energy conservation. We are also, however, to act prudently and to make wise choices.
Christians should place a high priority on protecting the environment—clean air, clean water, and certainly not contributing to global warming. But we must not do this in ways that would cripple economic development—particularly in Third World countries. In protecting the environment, we must not punish the world’s poor.
This is the central issue in the present debate over global warming.
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