In the past, churches and scientists rarely propagated the same message, but at least in one area, that has changed. Religious organizations across Rhode Island see damage to the planet as an offense to God's creation.
Throughout the year, congregation after congregation joined the newly established state chapter of Interfaith Power and Light, part of a national campaign to mobilize worshippers to help fight global warming.
Maybe it's the unique nature of this crisis - one that threatens economic security and the quality of life for the next generation - that brought Rhode Island's faithful into the fold, with more than 20 houses of faith statewide signing up to intensify their role as environmental stewards.
"I never thought it was a faith issue, but it fits in quite naturally," said Eric Roberts, who attends St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Kingston.
Protecting God's creation is the driving message of the campaign, while theoretical questions about the history of the Earth are not largely debated, said Roberts, who teaches biology at Rhode Island College and regularly rides the bus to work in Providence.
Nationwide, 25 states have started chapters of the interfaith campaign, including about 4,000 congregations.
Conservation is not at odds with religious beliefs, Roberts said, and congregants are more focused on human impact on the planet and what they can do to ensure a livable future for their children and grandchildren.
Full Story: http://www.projo.com/religion/content/God_and_Green_11-23-07_
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Churches Uniting to Fight Global Warming
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By Natalie Garcia
Providence Journal, November 23, 2007
Straight to the Source
