Boiling Point: Conference on Climate Change at Multnomah

On Saturday, Multnomah's New Wine, New Wineskins organization hosted a symposium on global climate change called "Boiling Point" (link).

I attended 2 of the 3 plenary sessions and 1 of 6 workshops offered during the day. Here's some thoughts:

Plenary #1: Paul Metzger, professor at Multnomah

• The world has made environmental stewardship a moral issue. Evangelicals should make it also a spiritual issue. Liberals often believe that evangelicals are disengaged from the real world concerns and only care about their fiefdoms and thus they don't buy our picture of Jesus. Young evangelicals are environmentally-aware. The political parties are adjusting to this. Churches should likewise adjust to give these believers a platform for serving our world through the church -- not in spite of it.
• There is much debate within conservative circles (popularized by Rush, Hannity and O'Reilley) about whether there is actually any climate change at all. Metzger made a great point -- it's about prudence. Prudence suggests that fossil fuel energies, even if they aren't causing climate change, are dirty and unhealthy and are a limited resource. Prudence suggests that we are wiser if we continue to implement cleaner energies. This is a very strong point.
• Where there is environmental polution (water, air, etc) and if there were to be (some may say there already is) climate change, this will affect the "least of these" first. The poorest of the poor are the ones who have the least resources to move themselves and their family away from harm and to have the basics of life. So, Christians are fulfilling the charge that Jesus gave to love the least of these when we provide a healthy environment.
• In 2001, poll of evangelicals by Gallup said that only 7% were concerned about the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Bono criticized evangelicals for turning a blind eye toward this issue. In 2006, Bono appeared at Willow Creek's Leadership Summit and praised evangelicals for now leading the way.
  

Plenary #2: Richard Cizik, VP of Govt. Affairs at National Assn of Evangelicals

• The church needs a "conversion" to understanding its responsibilities from Genesis 1 about stewardship of the earth. This is a full understanding of the gospel. The apocalyptic is not intended to paralyze us (as in suggesting that the earth will be fine as long as God wants it to be and then Jesus will return) but to spur us to action (Matt 24: be ready). Cizik suggests that it is our responsibility to lead the charge on social issues such as Christians did in the fight against slavery 150 years ago.
• Resources:
• "The Great Warming" www.thegreatwarming.com (DVD)
  
• Serve God Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth, MD (book)
  

Workshop: Peter Illyn, Exec Dir of Restoring Eden

• Key issue: How does "Creation Care" fulfill the purpose of the church (Illyn's suggested purpose of church: love God - worship, love people of God - community, love everyone else - mission)?
• Suggestions for worshiping God through understanding nature:
• Visit places of beauty and contemplate/discuss His creation: Zoos, Parks, Gardens.
• Remember that man is made in the image of God from the dust of the earth.
• Suggestions for serving each other through stewardship:
• Tree planting / Rehab of affected micro ecosystems (stream clean-up).
• Recycling / Energy Audits for Public / Light bulb Conversion
• Clean-ups / Litter Removal
• Partnering with local/regional organizations that are doing enviro projects.
• Light bulb Conversion:
• Converting 5 heavily used bulbs to fluorescent replacements.
• If every household in US did this, 5 coal burning plants could be shut down.
  

My takeaways:

• Our theology of mission/evangelism (and discipleship) must address:
• Our stewardship of the earth (Genesis 1).
• Our response to the needs of the poor (Matt 25, Luke 9).
• Our response to social injustice (contemporary slave trade, child prostitution and other abuses, recent news about "rape war" in the Congo).
• Our practice of this theology of mission must be both local and global.
• Local:
• Loving God through His Creation (Education of what God has done).
• Serving Each Other through Stewardship (Taking action to protect the environment).
• Supporting Environmental Issues (advocacy to government and business).
• Global:
• Determine as an individual and as a church how you will act out your theology in the world to care for the poor and exercise good stewardship.
  
• One heavy criticism of the movement of environmental concern among evangelicals suggest that these people are "earth worshippers" or are worshipping the creation rather than the creator (1 Cor 1). The primary response was that this is about stewardship not about worship. In addition, it was pointed out correctly that our churches do not struggle with earth worship but stuff worship -- materialism.
  

-Derek