Southern Baptist Leaders Now Environmentalists | Protestants in US to Go Green

Praise The Lord: Change in Southern Baptists View On Global Warming

March 12, 2008 10:32 am Nadia Culture, Environment, In the News, Politics, Spirituality

Southern Baptist Leaders Now Environmentalists
Southern Baptist Congregation
The Southern Baptist Convention released a statement on Monday that advocated action against global warming. Forty-six members criticized the church, claiming that they had been “too timid” and that more needed to be done.

The title of the new declaration is “A Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change”. Click on the link to find more information there.

The new declaration states, “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.”

This is a noticeable change from a statement released in 2007 questioning whether humans had an impact on climate change. Previously, a resolution advised Baptists to “proceed cautiously” about the global warming debate.

Now, the position Southern Baptists are holding is that people have a Biblical duty to stop and reverse the effect of climate change.

According to the document, some of the signers needed swaying on the issue first. “Some of us have required considerable convincing… but now we have seen and heard enough to be persuaded that issues are among the current era’s challenges that require a unified moral voice.”

What Does This Mean for Other Denominations?

Southern Baptists are the largest group of Protestants in the U.S., which means that if they really pledge to spread the word about environmentalism, then they can reach 16 million people with their newfound green message. That means up to 7 percent more of the population could be doing their part to help save the environment.

A similar debate has been going on with the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents 30 million people, including Baptist congregations. Some conservatives feel like theological discussion has no place in a scientific issue.

Gary Bauer and Reverend Richard Cizik Regarding Policy

Gary Bauer, president of American Values, signed a letter in 2007 urging leaders to call for the resignation of the Rev. Richard Cizik, the Washington policy director who has promoted fighting climate change for years. However, Cizik sees where this is going: “[it gives] impressions in people’s minds of being liberal, left wing… all these kinds of things.”

Let’s hope Cizik and the Southern Baptists keep preaching the good word of Mother Earth. Amen!

For more about the shift in Southern Baptist policy, click here.

Copyright 2008 Matty Byloos