We Need Better Creationists

Many of the folks I know that call themselves "creationists" reject scientific evidence for biological evolution taking place over a billion years or more. They demand that our children be taught in school that God is the Creator and scientific evidence for evolution is meaningless. It is as if to say, "Listen up heathens, my creation story is far superior to yours."

The funny thing is that many of these self-professed creationists seem unconcerned about protecting God's creation. They seem perfectly content to sit idly by as corporations plunder and poison the handiwork of God in pursuit of ever larger profit margins. Some prominent Christian leaders even declared that humans are not responsible for climate change, climate science cannot be trusted, and all good creationists should pledge allegiance to fossil fuels. Of course, if human activity is absolved of a major role in climate change, then by extension any observed changes have to be God's fault. Careful there, brothers and sisters.

We need better creationists - ones that want to be better stewards of God's creation by preserving this planet's resources for future generations. The first step is to confess our sins and confront the reality that human beings have been doing a lousy job of caring for creation. Here is some of our handiwork.

"Current rates of extinction are about 1000 times the background rate of extinction." Awesome. Too many plants and animals are in the way of large scale agricultural operations.

The oceans are rapidly becoming more acidic thanks to carbon pollution. In fact that current rate of acidification, sliding down the pH scale, is considerably greater than anything in the geological record dating back at least 58 million years. Nothing says respect for creation like drastically changing the chemistry of the oceans. It burns said the starfish to the coral.

And then there is climate chaos. Climate science says we are headed to a 4 degree Celsius rise in global temperatures by the end of this century. What a brave new world we are leaving for future generations!

Yet all is not lost. A new breed of creationist is emerging.

A recent sermon from Pope Francis warns that failure to respect Creation will have dire consequences.

The first lies in the risk of considering ourselves masters of Creation. Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude”. 

And he urged people to nurture and safeguard Creation as God’s greatest gift to us, because while God always forgives, Creation never forgives and – he warned – if we destroy Creation, in the end it will destroy us!

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops demanded action on climate change. The National Catholic Register called "climate change is the church's No. 1 pro-life issue." Amen.

Blessed Tomorrow sprang up a month ago.

Longwood, FL May 7, 2014 – Today marks the launch of Blessed Tomorrow (http://www.blessedtomorrow.org), a new national interfaith coalition of religious leaders committed to inspiring and engaging people of faith to lead on climate solutions in their congregations, communities and homes. 

Blessed Tomorrow brings together some of the nation’s most preeminent religious leaders from the Evangelical, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic and Protestant faiths who are personally dedicated to leading by example on stewardship within their organizations and engaging their faith communities to respond to climate change.

The list of individual religious leaders and partner organizations associated with Blessed Tomorrow is indeed impressive. This could be the start of a lovely chorus of voices from all over theological spectrum.

Blessed Tomorrow partners have been very active in the fight to protect renewable energy in Ohio and remind the governor of Florida what rising temperatures and sea levels will mean for the state.

Nothing like creationism for the 21st century.