Cadences of God

Alaska is having another gold rush. This one is based on eco-tourism. Over the last few years, Alaska’s income from tourism has exploded. Some of this, no doubt, it due to an increase in advertising for their wonderfully rich natural beauty. However, something else which is helping is that Alaska is warming six times faster than the rest of the country. One of the peculiarities of Global Warming is that the areas closer to the North and South Pole warm exponentially faster than areas closer to the equator.

I am sure someone who knows far more about the science behind global warming could clue you into why that is happening, but this is above my ministerial pay grade. What is disturbing to me personally is that this means there is a visible and very tangible dimension to climate changes which are occurring on the Earth. I know that there is some political debate regarding the reality of what is going on with the planetary environment. So, a few thoughts of my own to add to the mix. 

1. The cause of global warming might be in debate. I will grant this to the detractors of the environmental shifts which are currently going on. However, there is absolutely no question that the shift is in fact happening. Global Warming is a reality, whether or not the cause of this warming is us human beings. 

2. Given that there is a dispute regarding the cause of global warming, we human beings can be sensible about the way in which we disagree here. And it saddens me to think that we are not capable of a civil disagreement on this one. Detractors of the “environmental movement” sometimes talk as if they want the whole planet paved with factories billowing out smoke at every intersection. I do not think they want this. I think they are mad at people who talk too strongly, as if they wanted to abolish pavement altogether. Can we not agree that there is a difference of opinion and find away to meet the needs and concerns of both sides of this issue? 

3. Here is my thought to compromise. “Liberals” (whatever that is) claim that climate change is our - that is human beings’ - fault. However, ”conservatives” (whatever that is) argue that this is a normal planetary shift that is occurring and that human beings have some impact on the environments but that we should not get a big head about how much we influence planetary environmental processes and functions. 

I would argue that we should assume that both sides are right. Let us hope that the conservatives are right on this one, and that this is just a normal shift. But let us act as if the liberals are right, and cut down our waste, pollution, carbon emissions, and all the rest of the garbage that we are spilling out into the air, water, soil, etc. If the conservatives are right, then we will have a cleaner and healthier environment. No harm done! If the liberals are right, then we will have saved the planet AND we will have a cleaner and healthier environment.  Either way, I do not see the down side to green policies becoming more mainstream and common.  

4. The same assumption - that both sides are right - can be used for the ways in which we should deal with this crisis. “Liberals” want federal regulations. “Conservatives” want to have private enterprise receive tax breaks for engineering corporate solutions to the crisis. Personally, why can’t we have both?

5. After all, anyway you look at this, from a Christian perspective this is an easy one. The environmental crisis aside, we should be in the business of caring for the Earth and it’s best interests.  In Genesis 2, God gives human beings the charge of caring for the earth and all its inhabitants. In a sense, we are the earth’s farmers. And that means that we get to use all the minerals and agricultural resources of the planet. But it also means that we have to make sure we take care of the fields so that they can be tilled next year, and the year after, and so on. This is not a choice. Biblically, this is a commandment. If we would be faithful to the God who is Lord of Heaven and Earth, then we can do no other. In this sense, from the perspective of one who would be faithful to God, the reality or non-reality of the environmental crisis is a secondary matter. Being “green” is theologically mandatory. Even if there were no environmental crisis, this would still be a commandment.  Anyway, my two cents.  

Tags: Creation //