Wow - it looks like some people in the evangelical church of North America actually do give a rip about earth stewardship. Amazing. The Evangelical Climate Initiative is being backed by 86 evangelical leaders, 39 of whom are presidents of Christian colleges and leaders of aid groups.

"For most of us, until recently this has not been treated as a pressing issue or major priority," the statement said. "Indeed, many of us have required considerable convincing before becoming persuaded that climate change is a real problem and that it ought to matter to us as Christians. But now we have seen and heard enough."

Of course, another 22 evangelical leaders signed a letter in opposition to this, including Focus on the Consumeristic Polluting Family president James Dobson, and Chuck Colson. Oh yeah, it also got signed by the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of my denomination. Pardon me? Exactly what is unethical or restrictive of religious liberty about deciding to quit taking out our corporate gluttony on the rest of the planet? I swear, whenever I hear the name of my denomination mentioned in the press I cringe. Once in a while, there's actually a story catching us doing what we're supposed to (like Hurricane Katrina relief efforts), but mostly we just end up looking like a bunch of boobs.

To be fair to the opposition letter, their reason for not backing the initiative (or outright opposing it, as the case may be) is that this isn't a "consensus issue." I heard a story on public radio a few months back talking about how this whole village on some South Pacific island had to pick up and move a couple thousand meters inland because the rising water levels were coming dangerously close to their homes and businesses. I guess our evangelical friends aren't looking for consensus in the right places.

Thanks to Jordon and Rick for the links.