Southern Baptists Fight Climate Change (AP)

Don't worry, they still fight against drinking and gambling, too, but a group of SBC leaders, including its president, have now weighed in against global warming. You can find the AP's news report here.

Now, I'll probably get abuse on for this, but having actually watched Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," and then read many of the critiques of both it and the global climate change theory in general, I tend to think that there may be at least some prudence in considering whether substantially increasing carbon dioxide levels due to the use of fossil fuels might have an impact on our atmosphere and thus on ocean temperatures, ice caps, etc. (just go back and read all the qualifiers in that sentence!). I'm not embracing the theory, or rejecting it as more liberal lunacy. I don't see how the Kyoto Treaty, which exempted the nations who were doing the worst at curbing emissions from its restrictions, would do any good. And I am proud that the U.S. actually leads in the development of the technology and implementation to reduce such emissions.

All that said, I'm wondering just why we needed church leaders to weigh in on the subject--as church leaders . It is not a moral question, nor is it one that offers clear moral solutions. Nor one that the church needs to give "top down" guidance to people about--although as the article points out, "no one speaks on behalf of all Southern Baptists (no truer words were ever written!). Many cite "creation care" as the mandate under which such guidance should be offered, but one man's or nation's idea of care may end another's livelihood.

This is a time when speaking up as a concerned citizen is absolutely appropriate, but to do so displaying the label of "pastor" or "denominational leader" seems an attempt to transfer credibility, as if one is saying, "I'm an expert in soul care, so listen to me about climate change." I've just told you that I have some concerns about what we should do related to this issue, and you know I am a pastor, but that does not mean I am an expert, nor someone whose word should carry more weight because I have advanced degrees in theology and watch the news.