Guest column: Evangelical clergy say addressing climate change is pro-life

Guest column: Evangelical clergy say addressing climate change is pro-life

Guest column: Evangelical clergy say addressing climate change is pro-life

Posted: October 13, 2014 - 11:18am

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For us, being pro-life includes not only defending our unborn children but also the biblical mandate to care for all life.

While the threats may be different, the injunction to protect life is the same.

We are called to protect this seamless garment of life.

Toxins and other pollutants foul our water, air and soil, impacting the purity of life God intends.

FLORIDA IS GROUND ZERO

Children are especially vulnerable to many of these pollutants because their small bodies are still developing.

A few years ago, pro-life evangelicals spoke out on the impact of mercury on the unborn.

One in six children in the U.S. was born with too high levels of mercury in their blood.

Because of the efforts of pro-life evangelicals, the United States is taking a leadership role in reducing the impact of mercury on the unborn.

Another important issue is water.

As a recent USA Today op-ed put it, if you care about life, pay attention to what’s happening with water.

We believe climate change to be a profound pro-life issue.

And Florida is ground zero when it comes to climate change.

Cities across the state are already spending millions in taxpayer dollars to install new sea level pumps, bolster sea walls and protect from salt water intrusion.

While it is good to respond to current challenges, it is even more cost effective to spend funds ahead of time to prepare for present changes in the climate, including extreme weather events.

Let’s upgrade Florida’s water pumps and building codes today before we have to clean up a bigger mess tomorrow.

WE MUST BE GOOD STEWARDS

Given the dollars already being spent and the scale of the cost, if you care about taxpayer money and limited government, you should care about climate change.

We are also concerned about worsening air pollution under climate change.

Duval County alone has almost 18,000 cases of pediatric asthma.

That number would be dramatically lower if we were better stewards of God’s world.

When we see the present impacts, our pro-life ethic kicks in.

Let’s empower individuals to take the lead when it comes to entrepreneurial business solutions that create a cleaner environment.

We need to see climate not as an issue about politics or partisanship but as a moral concern.

God has given us all the tools to be good stewards of God’s creation.

TIME FOR A REAL PLAN

It’s time for Florida to come together to come up with a plan to address climate change.

The church in Florida is already starting to take the lead.

As the church starts to take on climate change more directly, it’s also time for clean businesses to take the lead.

The cost of solar has plummeted, yet Florida is still well behind where it could be when it comes to clean energy.

We need to do what we can to transition away from expensive fossil fuels and toward cheaper and healthier technologies.

These actions should include putting together a plan to play Florida’s part in achieving the Clean Power Plan.

And finding conservative solutions to addressing carbon pollution.

Our poor stewardship of God’s world is a reflection of how seriously we take God’s teaching.

That’s why creation-care remains integral to being pro-life.

■ The Rev. Joel Hunter is senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, FL.

■ The Rev. Mitch Hescox is CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network.

■ Alexei Laushkin is vice president of the Evangelical Environmental Network.

Evangelical Clergy Say Addressing Climate Change Is Pro-Life

While the threats may be different, the injunction to protect life is the same.

We are called to protect this seamless garment of life.

Toxins and other pollutants foul our water, air and soil, impacting the purity of life God intends.

FLORIDA IS GROUND ZERO

Children are especially vulnerable to many of these pollutants because their small bodies are still developing.

A few years ago, pro-life evangelicals spoke out on the impact of mercury on the unborn.

One in six children in the U.S. was born with too high levels of mercury in their blood.

Because of the efforts of pro-life evangelicals, the United States is taking a leadership role in reducing the impact of mercury on the unborn.

Another important issue is water.

As a recent USA Today op-ed put it, if you care about life, pay attention to what’s happening with water.

We believe climate change to be a profound pro-life issue.

And Florida is ground zero when it comes to climate change.

Cities across the state are already spending millions in taxpayer dollars to install new sea level pumps, bolster sea walls and protect from salt water intrusion.

While it is good to respond to current challenges, it is even more cost effective to spend funds ahead of time to prepare for present changes in the climate, including extreme weather events.

Let’s upgrade Florida’s water pumps and building codes today before we have to clean up a bigger mess tomorrow.

WE MUST BE GOOD STEWARDS

Given the dollars already being spent and the scale of the cost, if you care about taxpayer money and limited government, you should care about climate change.

We are also concerned about worsening air pollution under climate change.

Duval County alone has almost 18,000 cases of pediatric asthma.

That number would be dramatically lower if we were better stewards of God’s world.

When we see the present impacts, our pro-life ethic kicks in.

Let’s empower individuals to take the lead when it comes to entrepreneurial business solutions that create a cleaner environment.

We need to see climate not as an issue about politics or partisanship but as a moral concern.

God has given us all the tools to be good stewards of God’s creation.

TIME FOR A REAL PLAN

It’s time for Florida to come together to come up with a plan to address climate change.

The church in Florida is already starting to take the lead.

As the church starts to take on climate change more directly, it’s also time for clean businesses to take the lead.

The cost of solar has plummeted, yet Florida is still well behind where it could be when it comes to clean energy.

We need to do what we can to transition away from expensive fossil fuels and toward cheaper and healthier technologies.

These actions should include putting together a plan to play Florida’s part in achieving the Clean Power Plan.

And finding conservative solutions to addressing carbon pollution.

Our poor stewardship of God’s world is a reflection of how seriously we take God’s teaching.

That’s why creation-care remains integral to being pro-life.

■ The Rev. Joel Hunter is senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, FL.

■ The Rev. Mitch Hescox is CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network.

■ Alexei Laushkin is vice president of the Evangelical Environmental Network.

Christians and Climate Change

Dr. Joel C. Hunter talks about the visible impacts of climate change with Dr. Scott C. Hagen, director of CHAMPS Lab and professor at the University of Central Florida, and Rev. Mitch Hescox, president of The Evangelical Environmental Network.

Evangelicals in Florida turn to climate change and call on Gov. Scott to act

Evangelicals in Florida turn to climate change and call on Gov. Scott to act

Evangelicals in Florida turn to climate change and call on Gov. Scott to act

Evangelical leaders in Florida have taken on climate change as a cause and are trying to increase pressure on Gov. Rick Scott to take action, while criticizing Sen. Marco Rubio’s stance on the issue.

“He’s smarter than that,” Joel Hunter, pastor of Northland church in Longwood, said in an interview.

This evening, Hunter will moderate a discussion at his church on why Christians should care about climate change. Among the panelists is the Rev. Mich Hescox, president of the Evangelical Environmental Network, who wrote a letter to Rubio about his widely publicized comments doubting man’s contribution to climate change.

Hescox is also gathering signatures for a petition aimed at Scott.

“As Christians, we believe that God's grace empowers us to honestly confront the challenges we face and change for the better,” it reads. “We are failing to keep our air and water clean for our children, contributing to a changing climate that most hurts the world's poor, and putting Floridians at risk as temperatures and sea levels continue to rise. To meet these challenges, we need leaders who understand our duty to God’s creation and future generations. That's why we are calling on Gov. Rick Scott to create a plan to reduce carbon pollution and confront the impacts of a changing climate.”

Hunter, who is a spiritual advisor to President Obama, says he’s taken to urging congregants to do their part: Turning off lights that aren’t needed, setting air conditioning at a reasonable temperature, keeping car tires properly inflated.

He said he was neither panicked nor preoccupied with the issue. “But this is part of what I think is the moral responsibility of the church to lead in areas that can benefit and protect people.”

Asked about Rubio’s comments, he said: “There are certain aspects of this where qualified scientists could disagree, but not with the overwhelming conclusion. I don’t doubt his sincerity, but I understand his political constituency and so does he.”

Rubio lashed out at liberal critics by saying they won’t accept the settled science that life begins at conception.

“I”m pro life so everything about it, I’m in,” Hunter said. “But even if that’s true, two wrongs don’t make a right. It’s not like you can prove the validity of your stance by saying the other side has a wrong stand. That’s not logical.”

SOURCE: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/evangelicals-in-florida-turn-to-climate-change-and-call-on-gov-scott-to-act/2180561

Joel Hunter launches multi-faith effort on climate change

Joel Hunter launches multi-faith effort on climate change

Pastor Joel Hunter announced Wednesday that he is launching an inter-faith initiative to raise awareness and action regarding climate change.

The iniative, called Blessed Tomorrow, brings together Muslim, Jewish, Catholic and Protestant faith leaders who have pledged to work with their congregations and communities in response to climate change.

“Faith leaders and their communities have been at the forefront of moving America forward throughout our nation’s history. From abolition to human rights, we have been there to answer our call to care for all of God’s creation. Blessed Tomorrow builds on that tradition by bringing together a diverse group of leaders from across the country who are committed to making an impact on one of the greatest moral imperatives of our time — climate change,” said Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, a Church Distributed in Longwood.

Blessed Tomorrow expands Hunter's advocacy among evangelicals that care of the planet is founded in the Scriptures, and not the exclusive domain of liberals and environmentalists.

Blessed Tomorrow provides simple, proven resources faith leaders can use to empower their members and communities. Congregations are urged to create a Path to Positive plan, which will guide them to be better stewards of God’s creation for the sake of future generations.

Learn more about how people of faith and congregations can create their own Path to Positive:(http://blessedtomorrow.org/path-to-positive)

SOURCE: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/blogs/religion-world/os-joel-hunter-launches-multifaith-effort-on-climate-change-20140507,0,5793860.post

Obama Welcomes Christian leaders to White House for Easter Prayer Breakfast

Pastor Joel C. Hunter offered the opening prayer at the fifth annual Easter Prayer Breakfast at the White House.

Orlando Sentinel: Interfaith prayer service honors Joel Hunter

Interfaith prayer service honors Joel Hunter

One by one, members of different faiths and beliefs stepped forward Tuesday night to light candles in remembrance of loved ones they had lost.

In the procession of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists, Northland Church Pastor Joel Hunter and his wife Becky lit a candle for their son, Isaac Hunter.

In the end, some 70 candles flickered in a small sanctuary of the St. James Catholic Cathedral in downtown Orlando during the hour-long Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace.

"Many of us faced losses this past year or unresolved losses," said Rev. Bryan Fulwider, a Congregational minister. "We are strengthened, we are healed, by standing together, walking together, being together."

Leaders of the major religions as well as representatives of the Sikh, Unitarian and Baha'i faiths, also said prayers.

The service was both an act of empathy for all who lost friends and relatives and a public show of support for Hunter, whose son died by suicide in December.

"This is a service designed to bring comfort to all that have had losses, but it's also a collective embrace of him and his family for their loss of Isaac," said Pastor James Coffin, executive director of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida.

Coffin said the idea of focusing on personal peace following a private tragedy came from Orlando Catholic Diocese Bishop John Noonan, who started the annual interfaith prayer service about three years ago.

Hunter is widely respected within the faith community for his commitment to building relationships with leaders of different religions.

One of his longest friendships is with Imam Muhammad Musri, president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida.

"He is an evangelical leader who got a lot of flak for going out and meeting with Muslims and other communities," said Musri, who sat beside Hunter.

"The least we can do is be with him and lift up his spirit."

That willingness to join in with other religions might have cost Hunter friends among evangelicals, but his commitment to interfaith cooperation is the natural extension of his Christian faith, said Fulwider, president of Building US, a nonprofit diversity consulting and training organization.

"He has become a friend to those in other faith communities because this is who Jesus calls him to be," Fulwider said.

"He is not a person who cuts off relations because you have a difference of understanding or belief or thoughts. To me that is the heart of the Christian gospel."

jkunerth@tribune.com or 407-420-5392.

SOURCE: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-01-14/news/os-joel-hunter-peace-prayer-20140114_1_isaac-hunter-joel-hunter-interfaith-council

Barack Obama’s Church Attendance: An Interview with Dr. Gary Smith

Editor’s note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. In this latest edition, Dr. Paul Kengor, the executive director of the Center for Vision & Values, interviews Dr. Gary Scott Smith, Grove City College professor and author of the acclaimed, Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush, published by Oxford University Press.

Kengor: Dr. Smith, you are one of the country’s leading experts on faith and the presidency. Reporters frequently come to you for comment. In that spirit, the New York Times interviewed you last week on the notable fact that President Obama didn’t attend religious services this past Christmas. That’s quite unusual for a president, isn’t it?

Smith: Yes, it is.

Kengor: Do you know of any other president skipping religious services at Christmas?

Smith: Some probably did not attend religious services at Christmas, but I do not know of any specifically. The media was not omnipresent before the 1960s, so it was easier for presidents’ non-attendance to go unnoticed. However, most presidents have attended church faithfully while in office, including George Washington, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. Others who claimed to have a strong Christian faith but attended infrequently while president include Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Ronald Reagan. Obama did issue a Christmas message, as he has done every year as president, in which he encouraged Americans to serve others. “For families like ours,” he declared, “that service is a chance to celebrate the birth of Christ and live out what He taught us—to love our neighbors as we would ourselves; to feed the hungry and look after the sick; to be our brother’s keeper.” Obama has used this latter phrase more than 60 times in his presidential addresses and proclamations.

Kengor: Yes, he uses that phrase constantly. Did President Obama give a rationale for not attending church this Christmas? What’s the explanation?

Smith: He apparently has not offered an explanation for not attending Christmas services. He did vacation in Hawaii for five days where he spent time with his family, played golf three times, attended a basketball game, and visited a military base. On Christmas Eve, the president called U.S. armed forces members who are stationed around the globe to wish them a Merry Christmas.

Kengor: Moving away from this Christmas example, what about Obama’s attendance at church generally? The New York Times quotes an “unofficial White House historian” who calculates that Obama has attended church 18 times during his nearly five years in the White House, while his predecessor, George W. Bush, attended 120 times during his eight years in office. Is Obama a member of a church?

Smith: Obama does not currently belong to any congregation. After attending St. John’s Episcopal Church and 19th Street Baptist Church in Washington a few times, he decided instead to worship primarily at the Evergreen Chapel at Camp David. However, he rarely spends weekends at Camp David.

Kengor: Does Obama have a formal religious affiliation? He’s no longer with the denomination that housed Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s church, is he?

Smith: Since ending his relationship with Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ Church in Chicago during the 2008 campaign, Obama has not joined a church.

Kengor: Has Obama explained his lack of church attendance? You and I both have written on President Ronald Reagan’s faith. Reagan stopped attending church regularly after the assassination attempt, though (to my knowledge) he always attended Christmas and Easter services. Reagan gave a host of reasons for his infrequent attendance as president. (He returned to church regularly again after the presidency.) Has Obama addressed this? Reagan was constantly asked to address it, and did.

Smith: Obama has seldom commented on why he rarely attends church. His basic explanation is that he dislikes being on display when he worships (many people have snapped pictures of him with their cell phones and some pastors have spoken directly to him).

Kengor: In the Times article, you’re quoted as saying, “I would argue that Obama’s faith has been one of the most misunderstood of any president.” What do you mean by that?

Smith: From 2008 until now, many Americans (as high as 20 percent in some polls) have identified Obama as a Muslim despite the controversy over his membership in Wright’s church and his many professions of Christian faith. Because of his connection with Wright, others have labeled him an advocate of black liberation theology. Many political and religious conservatives complain that Obama’s claim to be a Christian is disingenuous and entirely politically motivated. Obama has been labeled “the most explicitly Christian president in American history” by historian John Fea and America’s “Most Biblically Hostile” president by evangelical author and activist David Barton. Many conservative Christian books and websites argue that Obama is trying to destroy the nation’s Christian heritage and cannot possibly be a Christian because of his stances on abortion, gay marriage, and government redistribution of wealth. On the other hand, liberal Protestants and Catholics and some evangelicals praise Obama’s concern for aiding the marginalized, oppressed, and poor. Some younger evangelicals support Obama because of his commitment to social-justice issues like overcoming racism, combating poverty, and tackling global issues like AIDS.

Kengor: As you note, conservatives who don’t like Obama argue that his faith is not genuine, while liberals who do like Obama argue otherwise. Others take a position somewhere in between. What’s your take?

Smith: I believe that Obama’s faith is genuine. He has testified to it many times on both the campaign trail, at National Prayer Breakfasts, and in other settings. Obama has repeatedly declared that Jesus is his savior and Lord and that he bases his life on Christ’s teachings. He has frequently affirmed his belief in Christ’s divinity, bodily resurrection, and atoning death on the cross. Obama insists that he prays and reads the Bible regularly. He meets and prays regularly with ministers of various denominations and theological traditions. Evangelical pastor Joel Hunter, Obama’s closest spiritual mentor, asserts that the president is “born again” and “has trusted in Jesus Christ with his whole heart.”

Obama’s faith is difficult to decipher, however, because various streams—the African-American church, the Social Gospel movement, mainline Protestantism, and evangelicalism—have all shaped it. On the other hand, as Stephen Mansfield contends, Obama’s “big-tent approach” to religion and spirituality “is perfectly in step with the country he now leads.” Like the vast majority of Americans, he believes that many paths lead to God and that all religions contain fundamentals truths. Similarly, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat asserts that Obama embodies America’s “uncentered spiritual landscape” because like 44 percent of Americans, the president switched his religion as an adult, and because he is part of one of America’s fastest-growing religious constituencies—the “unchurched Christian” bloc.

Kengor: Dr. Smith, thanks for your time. I strongly encourage readers to pick up a copy of your outstanding book on faith and the presidency.

Smith: My pleasure.

Dr. Gary Scott Smith chairs the history department at Grove City College and is a fellow for faith and the presidency with The Center for Vision & Values. He is the author of “Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. Bush” (Oxford University Press, 2009) and “Heaven in the American Imagination” (Oxford University Press, 2011).

SOURCE: http://www.ammoland.com/2014/01/barack-obamas-church-attendance-an-interview-with-dr-gary-smith/#axzz2pjmtCxYU

Son of “Orlando’s Favorite Pastor” Named “Orlando's Best Eye Surgeon”

Father and son honored by readers of Orlando Business Journal and Orlando magazine.

ORLANDO, Fla. (OCT. 18, 2013) — Like father like son … readers of Orlando Business Journal have named the son and namesake of nationally known pastor Rev. Joel C. Hunter as “.” Rev. Hunter was recently honored as “Orlando’s Favorite Pastor” by Orlando magazine.

Joel Hunter, M.D. opened the area’s most-advanced LASIK facility back in 2010 at the RDV Sportsplex—offering state-of-the art, bladeless laser vision correction and laser cataract surgery. This year, Hunter Vision expanded its services to include general eye care.

As a distinguished fellow at the most prestigious refractive surgery center in the world, Dr. Hunter had his choice of jobs, but chose instead to create a new and better kind of medical practice in his hometown of Orlando.

Using a new generation of diagnostic and surgical equipment, Dr. Hunter is able to perform some of the finest and most-precise vision correction procedures in the field, including 3D LASIK and laser cataract surgery—a procedure he is helping to pioneer at Hunter Vision.

Dr. Hunter concludes, “My family has been grateful to serve the central Florida community for nearly 30 years. Hunter Vision is committed to continuing that tradition.”

Northland Film Builds Bridge Between Evangelicals and Environmentalists

SOURCE: Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel It's not easy turning an evangelical into an environmentalist.

But a new documentary from Northland, A Church Distributed aims to do just that by focusing on Scripture instead of science, faith instead of logic.

In "Our Father's World," Northland pastor Joel Hunter makes the argument to conservative Christians that saving energy, recycling waste and reducing your carbon footprint are all based on Scripture.

"The Bible provides a direct mandate to be caretakers of the garden," Hunter says in the documentary. "While creation still belongs to God, he has graciously entrusted it to our care and stewardship."

But the film also points out that evangelical Christians have abdicated the care of God's creation to the New Age and secular environmentalists. To become an evangelical environmentalist is to be associated with the tree-huggers, pagan nature worshippers and liberals.

"What has happened is the environmental movement has been generally championed by the liberal wing of the church, which appeals to logic and science," said Tony Campolo, a Pennsylvanian pastor who appears in the Northland film. "They make their case brilliantly, but they don't understand that evangelicals will not take seriously any case that is not based on the Bible."

In advocating for Bible-based environmentalism, Hunter gets pushback from both sides.

"We get shut out of the conversation with scientists because of our faith, but we also get a lot of flak from the fearful people in the religious community who think environmentalism is something pagan," Hunter said. "This is right where we want to be. If you aren't getting it from both sides, there's no need for a bridge."

Building a bridge of common ground between the faith and secular communities is starting to work, said the Rev. Andy Bell, executive director of Sunshine State Interfaith Power and Light, a St. Petersburg faith-based environmental group created in 2010.

"The secular environmentalists say, 'Welcome, we've been waiting for you guys,' '' said Bell, a United Methodist minister whose group includes Northland and 14 other Central Florida religious organizations.

It's a natural alliance because most people who care about saving the earth are spiritual, if not religious, said Frank Jackalone, senior organizing manager for the Sierra Club in St. Petersburg. The love of nature and the determination to prevent its destruction speak to the soul of mankind, he said.

"Most environmentalists see the protection of the planet as a spiritual expression no matter what their faith," Jackalone said.

What the evangelicals bring to the movement is more than just a spiritual love of nature, said Sister Patricia Siemen, a nun and environmental activist. It's a moral and ethical argument that comes with a religious conviction.

"Evangelical Christians bring a lot of passion and moral force to climate change," said Siemen, director of the Center for Earth Jurisprudence at Barry University School of Law in Orlando. "I think their leadership is very important. I hope they can go shoulder to shoulder with other environmentalists, whether spiritual or not."

In the documentary, Hunter makes the point that protecting the environment and saving Earth from destruction do not belong to one group or faith. He states that every major religion has tenets for taking care of Earth and all its living things.

"One of the things I love about living in this age is God is giving us problems so big no one faith community can really solve them," he said. "Therefore, we need to work together and we need to find common ground both with believers of other religions and with those who believe in no religion."

If faith leaders such as Hunter can marshal the legions of evangelicals to join the environmental movement, it could have a profound impact on climate change, Bell said.

"The game changer for climate change will be people of faith," he said. "The secular environmentalists were ahead of us because we dropped the ball. We let things get out of hand without raising the moral questions related to our ability to care for the Earth."

"Our Father's World" is available to view and download for free at ourfathersworldfilm.com.

jkunerth@tribune.com or 407-420-5392

What they believe

Evangelical environmentalists believe:

They will be held accountable by God if they harm or destroy the environment.

They are obligated by Scripture to be good stewards of Earth.

They are called by God to sacrifice, and conservation requires sacrifice.

They have a moral, ethical and religious responsibility to protect Earth.

Mankind does not own Earth, which belongs to God.

Sources: Our Father's World, Sentinel research

Copyright © 2013, Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Sentinel: Dr. Joel C. Hunter Is a "Different Breed of Evangelical"

The paper reports: "Hunter has established himself as a different breed of evangelical. He works with leaders from other faiths. He advocates for environmental stewardship, help for the poor and assistance during natural disasters rather than focusing on abortion and gay marriage. His church, Northland, a Church Distributed, plays a prominent role in most every issue confronting Central Florida from the shooting of Trayvon Martin to homeless schoolchildren. Hunter gained national prominence by becoming the spiritual adviser to President Barack Obama but asserts his leadership locally by providing a reasoned, compassionate voice that resonates across religious, economic and racial lines." View the Sentinel's complete list of "Orlando's Power Brokers."