Southern Baptist Convention Takes Stance on Global Warming

Environmental Concerns and Global Warming are nothing new, but a major religious body taking a stance on them is....

A group of Southern Baptist leaders now say the denomination has been "too timid" on environmental issues.

Those leaders, including the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, signed a Resolution On Global Warming.

While the jury is still out on the theory of climate change, Southern Baptist leaders say the evidence is strong enough they can no longer sit idly by...

Pastor Tony Walliser of Silverdale Baptist Church says, "Whenever God put man on earth, Adam and Eve in the garden he said to care for it...so yeah, I think we bear a responsibility."

Silverdale is part of the Southern Baptist Convention and Pastor Walliser is part of a growing trend of people taking Environmental Issues and Global Warming seriously.

Nick Zeller of Chattanooga says, "There's disaster headed our way and we're not doing anything near what we should be doing to prevent it."

Concerned with the effects of pollution and waste Southern Baptist leaders have adopted an initiative on Environment and Climate.

Walliser says Christians have been leary of the more extreme views on environmentalism.

Thomas Mize of Flintstone, GA says, "If there wasn't as many people in the world we wouldn't have that problem."

Just last year the denomination questioned whether humans were solely responsibility for climate change.

Now leaders say the threat is too severe to wait for the smoking gun.

Pastor Walliser says, "As Christians we say 'We know our world, our lives. How can we conserve? How can we do our part in, you know, recycling or whatever it may be?'"

Convention leaders say they have a biblical duty to care for the earth.

Silverdale is playing its part to reduce energy use...switching to florescent light bulbs, turing off lights & computers when not in use, and changing thermostats.

The church has adopted an Energy Management Program including a guide for its congregation.

Many in the community support the Southern Baptist efforts...

Austin Jett is the Recycling Education Coordinator for the Orange Grove Center in Chattanooga.

He says, "In some ways we're beginning to see the effects of our actions as humans, therefore its our responsibility to take some action to remedy the situation."

Walliser says there is no one extreme answer.

He says all Christians should be environmentalists to some degree, "We have a moral obligation to care for the earth.  One, because we love God. Two, because we love people."

The Southern Baptist Convention is more than 16 Million members strong.

It is the largest Protestant group in the US.