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January 30, 2011

The Church in America: Adopting the Religion of Green/Environmental Activism/Social Justice

By Cheryl Smith
The phrase "social justice" is a catchword for socialism.  The green movement includes social justice as a critical pillar of its crusade.  In the world of the progressive/socialist (which demands the adoption of green environmentalism), "justice" doesn't mean what most Americans think it means.  Social justice is not, and in fact, is at odds with legal or equal justice.  Van Jones, the former Obama "Green Czar" and socialist, defined social justice in the course of his speech to students at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina:

Here's how you know if you live in a society where there's social justice: Would you be willing to take your life...write it on a card, throw it in a big pot with everybody else ... reach in at random and pull out another life with total confidence that it would be a good life? ...

Because in a socially just, as opposed to a legally just ... world, since we're all pretty much born equally ignorant[,] we should have roughly equal chances to have good lives.

What does this have to do with the church in America?

Even if the reader does not attend a Christian church, he might at least think that such a place would generally embrace the Bible and Jesus Christ as its main source for instruction, guidance, and hope for the salvation of man.  One would not expect an evangelical house of worship to go to the world at large for its agenda.  One would expect that a hungry soul, walking through church doors for the first time, might hear a point of view other than that which the secular world has already offered him.  In other words, one might hope to hear at least some reference to things beyond this material planet and all that it entails -- something not limited by space, time and matter, but instead, something transcendent and supernatural.

Intervarsity, a Christian parachurch organization, puts on a large missions conference called Urbana.  The concept of missions in the church is traditionally viewed as sharing the good news of Jesus Christ as presented in the inspired word of God, the Bible.  Urbana hosts pastors, church leaders, and Christians in general from many churches and most denominations throughout the U.S., and even the world.  Many churches in the U.S. support Intervarsity.

While looking over the Urbana 2009 website, I came across the seminars that it offered.  The following seminar is a typical representation of many that were provided.  (Note that there is no mention of Jesus Christ in these descriptions.)  (All emphases are added by the author.)

Under "Jesus and Justice Seminars":

Uniting Faith and Justice - Taking Action in Your Community

Come hear the story of how two sister grassroots movements came to be and what they are doing to organize faith communities for environmental justice. New York Faith and Justice is collaborating with several faith communities and grassroots environmental justice agencies in New York City to organize a faith-based movement for environmental justice. The Boston Faith and Justice Network is equipping a rising movement of Christians committed to raising awareness and pressing for environmental protection for the global poor."

When I clicked on the link to one of the speakers, I was taken to a church link advertising that the speaker was part of "faith leaders for environmental justice."  I looked up this group and found its website (video included):

Under "Environmental Stewardship Seminars" for Urbana:

Creation Care on Your Campus: How to Begin 

We are facing planet-sized challenges. Climate change and environmental crises can seem immobilizing, and we can fall into the temptation of thinking that our efforts don't really matter. But it's not just about what we do as isolated individuals. It's about what we do when we mobilize together as a movement and combine for community action. Come explore how to begin environmental transformation on your campus.


Organizing Faith Communities for Environmental Justice

Join us as we discuss two approaches for organizing faith communities for environmental justice. Through the collaboration of faith communities and grassroots environmental agencies, we hope to disciple leaders who are committed to raising awareness and pressing for environmental protection.


The Green Gospel: Christians Caring for Creation

Secular environmental books are built off the foundation that we are facing an environmental crisis. While we do not dispute the reality of this crisis [Really?  Why not?  A number of scientists would question the reality of this "crisis."], the foundation for Christians is that our God is the Creator and we are called to be stewards of His creation. We must take a step beyond explaining why Christians should care for creation, and also show them how to do it in caring for creation at home, with their trash, transportation, and much more.

When a child shows a desire to brainlessly follow the neighbor's kid, his mother asks, "If Johnny jumps off a bridge, does that mean you will, too?"  This disciple of Christ would encourage churches and Christians in America to answer Mom's question when looking at whom they are called to follow.
on "The Church in America: Adopting the Religion of Green/Environmental Activism/Social Justice"