Do We Really Need This?

A couple of weeks ago I read with interest an article in the Times Picayune (New Orleans) about 44 Southern Baptist leaders who had announced the signing of a "Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change." I was really surprised to learn that such a declaration was in the works.

Though I respect that those who signed the declaration are absolutely free to do so, it's unfortunate that because of their collective stature among Southern Baptists this statement will find traction among observers of various persausions. Actually what the signers are doing, both through this statement and a website inviting others who agree to sign it as well, is attempting to raise its impact past how the convention spoke through a resolution at its last meeting in June 2007. http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/amResolution.asp?ID=1171 I also think its informative to note that Richard Land, the Executive Director of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (SBC), has chosen NOT to sign the declaration. Land heads our denomination's agency that should offer counsel on such a statement.

I do affirm that we should do all we can to be good stewards of the world the Lord gave to us to manage. However, we should not think so highly of ourselves that our actions could change the timetable God has for the environment. He alone controls and holds the world togther.

My bigger concern is that when we focus attention to this or other social matters to the neglect of our main task that we tend towards missing the essentials. Here's a simple question: "What is our main task?" Is it to share Christ? Or are we to focus our attention on environmental matters or political matters or social matters or governmental matters? Please do not become distracted -- climate change is such an issue. However, Southern Baptists leaders should be careful not to rally our people to a cause that is not only suspect in its reality but also a distraction to our real work.

Should we be concerned with the enviroment and take measures to ensure its protection? Yes. Do we really need the declaration that the 44 signed? No.