Global Warming, a real issue?

by seminarian

Doug Moo has been teaching the winterim class on the book of James at The Master’s Seminary this week. One of the points upon which he launched into application is the idea of “widows and orphans” in Scripture which represents the helpless and needy. To this, he discussed global warming, and how it is our Christian response to curb it now because it will impact the poor/needy most.

I’m going to simply use the issue as an opportunity to illustrate principles of interpretation and a discussion of conviction. To do this I’ll interact with a few statistics of environmentaldefense.org:

Rank of 2006 as hottest year on record in the continental United States.

We have not been keeping reliable temperature records except for the last one hundred years, and even these don’t match the UN IPCC model which expected a much higher change in temperature. What can we reasonably deduce from the fact that temperatures are higher now? Is this a cycle that will reverse, or is it a trend?

Rank of America as top global warming polluter in the world.

Is this as compelling as it seems? We can expect one of the largest economies, even if more efficient and with higher controls, to be the top polluters. The economy of the US is the largest in the world in terms of GDP. This isn’t to say that we can’t do better and should, but the statistic is not astounding nor unexpected.

Percent increase of America’s carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels since 1990.

There has been a 20% increase over 17 years, which seems to be growing slower than the economy. Let us assume that global warming is an issue and that carbon dioxide emissions do perfectly correlate. If the percentage increase in co2 has been declining over the recent years, and as new technologies of alternate and cleaner energy become more and more accepted, then there is a reasonable expectation that despite future economic growth, the co2 emissions will eventually be on the decline.

Percent increase of America’s carbon dioxide emissions forecasted by 2020 if we do not cap pollution.

So the previous statistic was 20% over 17 years, and this is 15% over 13. This is actually a smaller year-to-year increase. Not only that, but this is assumed with no cap whatsoever. So, apparently if we do nothing about emissions, the rate of increase is on the decline.

Percent decrease in U.S. global warming pollution required by 2050 to prevent the worst consequences of global warming.

Number of days by which the US fire season has increased over the past 20 years - tied closely to increased temperatures and earlier snowmelt.

Number of people around the world who could be displaced by more intense droughts, sea level rise and flooding by 2080.

Number of U.S. mayors (representing 55 million Americans) who have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement pledging to meet or beat Kyoto goals in their communities.

Number of federal bills passed to cap America’s global warming pollution.

Number of times President Bush has mentioned “climate change” or “global warming” in his previous six State of the Union speeches.

To conclude, it has not been determined with certainty that global warming is an issue. It has also not been persuasively argued that global warming is out of control. There is a possibility, and a very good possibility at that, but at what percentage of certainty will we become convinced?

This is what I mean by interpretation. Even when approaching the Bible, which is clear, we must acknowledge a degree of uncertainty. Sometimes we forget that there is uncertainty, not in the reality of whether something exists or not, but whether we are right in concluding that on the basis of the data and evidence. There either is global warming or there isn’t. The world was either created in 6 literal days or it wasn’t. Everyone must weigh the evidence and people come to different conclusions.

However, and here the a major application, we must come to a conclusion. We must come up with convictions, especially without all of the data and certainty, for this is the nature of faith. We should spend our energies and our faculties in this endeavor. We will not be exonerated or let off by our naivete, but demonstrate by our searching the earnestness of our inquiry. We must do all things in faith, and when we decide, we must be fully convinced in our own mind (Rom 14:5).

Though the facts are not in for global warming, I don’t think it is an issue of importance, because I don’t believe it is an issue. Yet, I respect those that are campaigning for what they believe will protect and benefit those whose care has been entrusted us.

Source :http://seminarian.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/global-warming-a-real-issue/