Evangelical environmentalism
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Evangelical environmentalism is a movement in the United States in which some Evangelical have embraced the environmental movement. In February 2006, a group of 86 respected evangelical Christian leaders from across the nation unveiled a campaign for environmental reform and put out a statement calling on all Christians to push for federal legislation that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions in an effort to stem global warming. The Evangelical Climate Initiative intends to lobby federal legislators, hold environmental meetings at churches and colleges, and run television and radio ads that link drought, starvation, and hurricanes to global warming. In an effort not to be lumped in with the the political left, many Evangelical environmentalists prefer the term "creation care" instead of environmentalism.
In January 2006, a group of high-profile evangelicals opposed to the Evangelical Climate Initiative's stance issued a letter to the National Association of Evangelicals which stated that "global warming is not a consensus issue, and our love for the Creator and respect for His creation does not require us to take a position."
Those Evangelicals that support environmentalism were surprised and delighted when influential televangelist Pat Robertson changed his stance on global warming. In October 2005, Robertson accused the Evangelical Climate Initiative of teaming up with "far-left environmentalists," but in the summer of 2006 on his 700 Club television show, Robertson stated that "they're making a convert out of me." He also said "We really need to address the burning of fossil fuels. If we are contributing to the destruction of this planet, we need to do something about it."
