From my youth, I've been an environmentalist. My wife and I, sometimes with our children, have backpacked in the Canadian Rockies (Jasper National Park), the Tetons, the Colorado Rockies (both eastern and western slope, last year outside Ouray). We've also taken a number of canoe trips in Boundary Waters Canoe Area (US) and Quetico (Canada). We've toured the length of Southeastern Alaska and gone on safari a couple of times in Zimbabwe/Botswana/Namibia and Zambia. For many years, we drove a diesel VW Rabbit, averaging 44 miles per gallon and spewing soot from our tailpipe. To this day I continue to read about renewable energy sources including wind, geothermal, and solar. Being a states' rights man, generally, if there's an area I'd be willing to see our national government abuse the Commerce Clause, it would be our nation's energy policy.
Having said all that, our readers will, I hope, be less likely to misunderstand me when I say that I view Richard Cizik's new Gospel as no gospel at all...
Rather, it's a perfect representation of the betrayal of the biblical conscience and witness in the interest of conforming, instead, to the patterns of this wicked world:
by Richard Cizik
I will celebrate "Earth Day" and encourage Christians of all denominations and traditions to do so. Why? We believe that God created the earth, entrusting its care to man, and that He will one day recreate it in "the new heaven and new earth." We are called to "witness" to our faith as believers.
Participation in this event is an opportunity to express love for God and care for what He has created. We evangelicals call this "creation care." Care for the entire creation -- the environment and "all creatures great and small" -- is a biblical obligation (Gen. 2:15). We should walk in God's ways (Deut. 10:12) and try to inspire people by offering broader vistas of thought and service.
Can we hear the voice of the biblical prophet Ezekiel: "Is it not enough for you to drink the water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?" Here's a modern-day question: Is it enough for you to enjoy a pleasant climate? Must you destroy it? Is it not enough for you to enjoy the myriad of creatures? Must you extinguish them? Major segments of the earth are dying and we are responsible. Earth's resources are not infinite.
A new moral awakening is sweeping our land. It's a re-awakening to the heart of the Gospel ethic: to steward the natural world in order to preserve for ourselves and future generations a beautiful, rich, and healthy environment. It is "revision-ing" our lives. Taking part in "Earth Day" is a response to this new calling.
Thus, our family will worship together at National Cathedral in Washington with other environmental, scientific, and faith leaders and then enjoy the outdoors together. It's all part of a faith commitment we've made to do everything in our power to preserve this precious gift the Creator has given us.
(Richard Cizik is vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals. His primary responsibilities include editing publications such as NAE Washington Insight, directing NAE's Washington Insight Briefing and Christian Student Leadership Conferences, setting its policy direction on issues before Congress, the White House, and Supreme Court, and serving as a national spokesman on issues of concern to evangelicals.)
Concerning Cizik's exegesis of Ezekiel 32:13, Doug Stuart and Gordon Fee must be sputtering with rage. Or, maybe not? Reading the Bible for all it's worth has already taken a back seat to Feminism. Why not Deep Ecology, also?
As I've said before, the Presbyterian Church in America needs to pull out of the National Association of Evangelicals. Worse than irrelevant--it's pathetic pandering.
(Thanks, Skip.)
