Jim Wallis
President and CEO of Sojourners

Jim Wallis

Jim Wallis is President and CEO of Sojourners, a Christian organization whose mission is to articulate the biblical call to social justice.

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Evangelicals: A Tipping Point on the Environment?

It already is. The “greening” of the Evangelicals, in particular is the major new development.

The religious right tried to prevent this from happening but they failed and, in so doing, lost control of the evangelical political agenda. Key establishment groups like the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), are now firmly committed to “creation care” and to the issue of global warming in particular. The best line in the last few years on this subject came from Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs at the NAE, who said, “I don’t think God is going to ask us how he created the earth, but he will ask us what we did with what he created.”

In February 2006, a full page ad appeared in the New York Times heralding a new “Evangelical Climate Initiative” that was signed by 86 evangelical leaders, including 39 Presidents of Christian colleges. The statement was released over the objections of two dozen of the most prominent religious right figures in America (all the usual suspects) who said evangelicals should stick to abortion and gay marriage. The Times ad was headlined “Our commitment to Jesus Christ compels us to solve the global warming crisis,” and the statement said, in part, “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.”

The concern over global warming, in particular, is even stronger among a new generation of young evangelicals who have made environmental stewardship a mainstream and virtually consensus issue among their peers. Evangelicals tell me that global warming is a “life issue” for them and a fundamental part of Christian ethics. I’ve spoken to many secular leaders of environmental organizations who are beginning to realize how the new evangelical environmental movement could perhaps provide a “tipping point” on our response to the urgent crisis of global warming. If both the scientists and the evangelicals made this a common cause, there’s no telling how much could happen.

By Jim Wallis  |  February 9, 2007; 8:01 AM ET Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
Previous: Climate Change: A Moral Imperative to Act | Next: Protect the Environment, Not Punish the Poor

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The first pictures from the set of the latest Indiana Jones film, starring Harrison Ford, are released...

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Sony predicts shipments of Blu-Ray DVD players could grow six times in the US as the rival format lowers its target...

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British download store 7digital relaunches with a promise to offer cheaper prices and greater ease of use than iTunes...

Posted by: Rafael Rocha | June 15, 2007 12:21 PM
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Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh

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Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh

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Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh

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Let us, then, be up and doing, with a heart for any fate

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Posted by: rvyone hkcaeulzg | February 15, 2007 9:07 AM
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You apologize:

"The religious right tried to prevent this from happening but they failed and, in so doing, lost control of the evangelical political agenda. Key establishment groups like the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), are now firmly committed to “creation care” and to the issue of global warming in particular."

You are a shmuck.

Foreskin, which serves no purpose known to man (or woman now that science proves what men always knew, a shmuck's propensity to injure women and serve no purpose whatsoever).

Thank you for your wisdom and insight.

Bob

Posted by: Bob | February 12, 2007 10:36 PM
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Dumb question - why is the religious right hyperfocused on issues like gay marriage, as Wallis notes? Any issue that relates in some way with sex seems to drive them bonkers. The perfect illustration of this is the HPV vaccine. The religious right opposes a potentially lifesaving medical measure on the grounds that it might encourage young women to have sex.

Posted by: Tonio | February 12, 2007 1:59 PM
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So you keep spamming, yet, this would not seem to be what *science* is saying. Look, even evangelicals figured out they're total maroons for not stopping calling most scientists in the world 'commies' for pointing out the facts.

You got a macro set for that bit of *koff* erudite, umm *koff* pious, *koff* well-intentioned,* Umm, ...misguided commentary? Might be time to change it. The Party will no longer reward your 'loyalty.'

Get with the program. Soon they'll be accusing 'liberals' and non-Christians of 'attacking' your longtime traditions of stalwart environmental stewardship.

Wouldn't want to miss out on that. Would you?

Posted by: Paganplace | February 10, 2007 4:26 AM
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There is NOT evidence to state that global warming is caused by humans or industrialized nations. Period.

Posted by: Scientist | February 10, 2007 2:14 AM
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Dear Mr. Wallace, please correct me if I am wrong but it seems to be a real danger in that evangelical faithful can be "bent" to evil ends quite easily. There is a website www.godhatesfags.com which serves as testimony to what I am saying. When we first met I was the Frozenone, then DryIce, and now Hard_NOx. The more I deal with the World, the colder I get.
God Bless you and yours Sir. Stay warm in God's Love. amen

Posted by: Hard_NOx | February 10, 2007 1:42 AM
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Hey, we're supposed to 'know them by their works,' ....about time we got some work out of em. ;)

Posted by: Paganplace | February 10, 2007 12:46 AM
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So far, so good. I'm not concerned with your motives, as long as your efforts coincide with my own concerns. You'll have more success and have it sooner if you can unwrap the flag from Jesus' shoulders and free all that Jeezusness to do some real good.

Posted by: Schuyler DuQuesne | February 9, 2007 11:22 PM
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Ok, Roll up your sleeves, guys. And save your pennies, certain corporate and 'Faith based' government money might be going bye-bye, but here's where the action is. There's much more than consumer guilt about it. :)

Posted by: Paganplace | February 9, 2007 9:50 PM
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I hope you succeed with this.

Posted by: Ba'al | February 8, 2007 1:57 PM
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Yes, by all means stop pestering gay people and start poking around issues that are actually important like the environment. Keep your noses out of other people's bedrooms.


Signed,

A perfectly secure, straight (not narrow), married man who is not at all threatened by my gay neighbors, Barry Golwater's grandson and Dick Cheney's daughter.

Posted by: Cal | February 7, 2007 4:03 PM
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