An Open Letter to the Signers of

“Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action”

and Others Concerned About Global Warming

“They only asked us to remember the poor–the very thing I was eager to do.”

–The Apostle Paul, Galatians 2:10

Widespread media reports tell of a scientific consensus that:

• the world is presently experiencing unprecedented global warming;

• the main cause of it is rising atmospheric carbon dioxide because of human use of fossil fuels for

energy; and

Initiative. The document calls on the federal government to pass national legislation requiring sufficient

reductions in carbon dioxide emissions to fight global warming and argues that these are necessary to

protect the poor from its harmful effects.

In light of all this, many people are puzzled by the Interfaith Stewardship Alliance’s opposition to such

calls. Do we not care about the prospect of catastrophic global warming? Do we not care that with rising

temperatures the polar ice caps will melt, and the sea will inundate low island countries and coastal

regions? Do we not care that the world’s poor might be most hurt by these things?

Yes, we care. But we also believe, with economist Walter Williams, that “truly compassionate policy

requires dispassionate analysis.” That is the very motive for our opposing drastic steps to prevent global

warming. In short, we have the same motive proclaimed by the Evangelical Climate Initiative in its “Call

evidence and argument against the extent, the significance, and perhaps the existence of the much-touted

scientific consensus on catastrophic human-induced global warming. Further, good science–like truth–is

not about counting votes but about empirical evidence and valid arguments. Therefore we also present

data, arguments, and sources favoring a different perspective:

• Foreseeable global warming will have moderate and mixed (not only harmful but also helpful), not

catastrophic, consequences for humanity–including the poor–and the rest of the world’s inhabitants.

• Natural causes may account for a large part, perhaps the majority, of the global warming in both the

last thirty and the last one hundred fifty years, which together constitute an episode in the natural

rising and falling cycles of global average temperature. Human emissions of carbon dioxide and

other greenhouse gases are probably a minor and possibly an insignificant contributor to its causes.

• In light of all the above, the most prudent response is not to try (almost certainly unsuccessfully and

at enormous cost) to prevent or reduce whatever slight warming might really occur. It is instead to

prepare to adapt by fostering means that will effectively protect humanity–especially the poor–not

only from whatever harms might be anticipated from global warming but also from harms that might

be fostered by other types of catastrophes, natural or manmade.

We believe the harm caused by mandated reductions in energy consumption in the quixotic quest to

reduce global warming will far exceed its benefits. Reducing energy consumption will require

significantly increasing the costs of energy–whether through taxation or by restricting supplies. Because

energy is a vital component in producing all goods and services people need, raising its costs means

raising other prices, too. For wealthy people, this might require some adjustments in consumption

the earth–to cultivate and guard the garden (Genesis 2:15) and to fill, subdue, and rule the whole earth

(Genesis 1:28)–strongly suggests that caring for human needs is compatible with caring for the earth. As

theologian Wayne Grudem put it, “It does not seem likely to me that God would set up the world to

work in such a way that human beings would eventually destroy the earth by doing such ordinary and

morally good and necessary things as breathing, building a fire to cook or keep warm, burning fuel to

travel, or using energy for a refrigerator to preserve food.”

Whether or not global warming is largely natural, (1) human efforts to stop it are largely futile; (2)

whatever efforts we undertake to stem our small contributions to it would needlessly divert resources

from much more beneficial uses; and (3) adaptation strategies for whatever slight warming does occur

But this is indeed our understanding.

Please join us in endorsing “A Call to Truth, Prudence, and Protection of the Poor: An Evangelical

Response to Global Warming” (http://www.cornwallalliance.org/docs/Call_to_Truth.pdf). To do so,

send an e-mail with your name, degree(s) (with subject, level, and granting institution), professional title,

professional affiliation (for identification purposes only), mailing address, e-mail address, and (for

verification) phone number to Stewards@CornwallAlliance.org. If you have questions, please e-mail the

same address.

Endorsers of

“A Call to Truth, Prudence, and Protection of the Poor:

Lakeland, FL

Michael H. Albrecht, M.S., President, Sierra

Resource Management, Inc.; Registered

Professional Forester; Sonora, CA

Randy Alcorn, D.D., Director, Eternal Perspective

Ministries

Gregg R. Allison, Ph.D., Associate Professor of

Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist

Theological Seminary

William L. Anderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of

Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church, Broward

Division, Bryan College, Dayton, TN

*

Overseer, Fellowship of International Churches,

Rev. James A. Borland, Ph.D., Professor of New

Testament and Theology, Liberty University,

Mark Brandly, Ph.D., Associate Professor of

Economics, Ferris State University, Big Rapids,

D. A. Carson, Ph.D., Research Professor of New

Gary Cass, D.Min., Executive Director, Center for

Reclaiming America for Christ, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Kent A. Chambers Ph.D., Assistant Professor of

Simmons University, Abilene, TX

Richard C. Chewning, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor

Mechanical Engineering, Purdue, University, West

J. C. Keister, Ph.D., Research Specialist, 3M

Corporation, Lakeville, MN

Rev. Lane Keister, Pastor (PCA), serving

Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale,

FL; host, Truths That Transform; founder,

Evangelism Explosion, Coral Ridge Ministries,

Coral Ridge Media, D. James Kennedy Center for

Scott Kirsch, Ph.D. (Climatology), M.D.,

Rev. Sam Lamerson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of

Lauderdale, FL

Kevin Lewis, J.D., Assistant Professor of Theology

and Law, Biola University, La Mirada, CA

Stephen Livesay, Ph.D., President, Bryan College,

Dayton, TN

South Carolina

William J. Murray, Chairman, Religious Freedom

Jeffrey L. Myers, Ph.D., Associate Professor of

Communications, Bryan College, Dayton, TN

Barry Napier, Ph.D., Pastor, Manselton Church,

Swansea, UK; author, The Green Agenda:

Environmentalism–the Rebirth of Marxism-

Fascism

Michael J. Nichols, CEP, President, M.J. Nichols

and Associates, LLC (Environmental Consulting),

David Noebel, Ph.D. (cand.), President, Summit

Ministries, Manitou Springs, CO

Michael Oard, M.S., retired National Weather

Service Forecaster, Bozeman, MT

Rev. Chris O’Brien, Pastor, Third Reformed

Presbyterian Church (PCA), Philadelphia, PA

Rev. Jerry O’Neill, D.D., President, Reformed

Appropriations, House of Representatives,

Republic of the Philippines

Gretchen Passantino, M.Div., Director, Answers

in Action, Costa Mesa, CA, and Adjunct

Daryl Sas, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Geneva

College, Beaver Falls, PA

William L. Saunders, Esq., Senior Fellow and

Washington, D.C.

Joseph Schaafsma, Ph.D., Professor of Economics,

University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia,

Rev. Abdul Karim Sesay, Senior Pastor, Kings &

Priests Court International Ministries, Silver

Randy T. Simmons, Ph.D., Professor and

Rev. Cecil Siriwardene, Pastor, Evangelical Free

Church, Redondo Beach, CA

Rev. Frank J. Smith, Ph.D., Pastor, Covenant

Reformed Presbyterian Church (CRPC),

Sheboygan, WI, Editor, Presbyterian International

News Service and Presbyterian Heritage

Pennsylvania State University, University Park,