In Reply to: And another thing posted by Oldtimer on August 23, 2005 at 14:55:05:
I have been concerned by the notion that if we destroy the planet, that's OK, because Jesus is coming back soon and will transform everything into a "new heaven and new earth." That attitude is soooo irresponsible, imo. Yet I have talked with Christians who rationalize irresponsible envornmental policies this way, so I know the thinking is out there.
I have been reading reports in some of the religious journals about how evangelical Christians are starting to "get it" with regard to stewardship of the natural environment as an essential part of their witness of faith. That gives me hope that the public morals discussion will move beyond fairly parochial, personal issues to broader concerns of collective morality, like care for the environment.
As I see it, there is a certain tension for evangelicals because so much of the focus of BBC theology is concerned with personal salvation. Putting a focus on collective redemption ("saving the planet") requires a fresh look at what the scriptures say.
One of the better scripture-based discussions I've read on the subject was written by Wendell Berry in "Christianity and the Survival of Creation". See http://www.crosscurrents.org/berry.htm