God's Green Earth
by Jay Rickabaugh

Once again, Earth Day slipped past the radar of just about everyone. But while the holiday itself is an endangered species, the environmental movement may recently have found the most unorthodox of allies. Indeed, the growing coalition between greens and conservative Christians is the best hope yet of convincing the current administration to protect our natural resources.

Beyond a few tepid rallies, the only noteworthy environmental event on Earth Day was a petition presented to the White House by the liberal National Council of Churches, opposing the president's Clean Air Act "revisions." Perhaps, given its political leanings, such a stance is no surprise. But then last week, conservative Christians quietly joined the fight against climate change; both the National Association of Evangelicals and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined with other religious denominations and scientists to push Congress and the president for tougher action to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

It's surprising, but only on the surface. In fact, on the contrary, it should be surprising that it took this long for mainline Christian groups to get involved. After all, for people that go to painstaking lengths to promote the teaching of creationism in public schools, it should be expected that they would oppose a president whose policies destroy the creation. For a group who recites the Bible to oppose euthanasia, the disintegration of the nuclear family and media violence, it should be expected of them to honor the multiple biblical references demanding Christians maintain a positive stewardship of the earth. Throughout Genesis, Job, Deuteronomy and Jeremiah, the bible compels Christians to take action on behalf of the planet. Job 12:7-10 commands that:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, the birds of the air, and they will tell you, ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.

Sadly, the past inaction by conservative Christians on environmental issues is a product not of their belief system but of their strange bedfellowship with economic Republicans, not to mention their aversion to the left's cultural politics. As a result, their partnership with liberals will forever be limited in scope, though their organization and political clout is an enormous boost.

Conservative Christians can be the internal allies needed to encourage President Bush to re-enter the Kyoto Protocol (the international greenhouse gas accord he refused to push through Congress in 2001), create true restrictions against industrial polluters and put forth an energy policy that looks three generations into the future and not just to the prices at the pump. They need not make a big stink, just a whisper in some strategic ears.

This president has staked his reputation on ignoring the polls and acting with principle. It's just a shame he's unwilling to look up at the growing consensus in front of him, armed with the book he credits with changing his life.