the god of environmentalism - a response

In the Times Colonist, a pastor wrote a letter to the editor regarding the recent climate change buzz. He wrote:

I agree with the analysis that "it may even be that the new environmentalism evolves into a secular religion."

The rapid shift to the protection of our Earth and its climate arising out of the present climate change "crisis" is the shifting of our worship of the God who created us to worhip of the creation which God made.

This is not surprising since this process has repeated itself throughout history. The Earth and its climate has become our god.

I wrote him the following.

It’s true. The secular world will work on climate issues without God. It’s the secular world. Pointing the finger back at ourselves, our call is to step forward and speak to matters regarding creation to include God.

In the process, we have to start with some hard questions. What are we doing regarding God’s natural, created world? Do we not work for the good of the natural world believing that Creation reflects God's glory (Ps 19) and is made by God (Gen 1)? Is our only response to judge? "Look at the secular world! They are making a god out of nature." Will this present the world a path to know God and see the Earth as God’s?

I wonder if many of us Christians have lost touch with, respect for and appreciation of God's created world. He made it for us to inhabit, and it is a gift to us. Just as we are stewards of all God-given gifts, we are to exercise stewardship of this land. Worshipping God does not mean avoidance of responsibility to the Earth, present crisis or not.

I have heard comments such as "tree-hugger" or "earth worshipper" directed toward those seeking to bring change of how we live on Earth. Yes, there is always a caution that we place nothing above God. No, we don’t need to panic because we realize that God is sovereign, has a plan and is in control. Maybe, we have used these as excuses to sit back and offer a critique of the world as our only response.

At least…at the very least…there is a concerted effort on the world’s part to promote stewardship of this home where we dwell, and that is commendable.

Do we need to take the speck out of our own eye and confess our lack of care for something God has entrusted us?

To myself, I have a caution. May I not judge Christians for lack of care. Many are doing their part. I will be content with my own knees on the floor.