Far-right evangelicals have killed creation care as a secular poison. Is the rise of paganism an unintended consequence?
The term creation care first appeared in the early 1990s thanks to an open letter to religious leaders signed by the late astronomer Carl Sagan and 33 other scientists. In other words, the letter urges religious communities to be like Adam, whom God commanded to “serve the garden,” by protecting and nurturing nature as designated stewards of the earth.
For a while, it seemed like this new moral call to environmental advocacy might work. After all, care for creation bridges the gap between creation and creator (a frequent criticism of environmentalism by religious leaders) and the conflict that accompanies terms such as global warming and climate change. Avoided heavy baggage.
When an interdenominational group known as the National Religious Partnership for the Environment was formed in 1993, the media took notice. There you’ll find articles on the Evangelical Environmental Network, how pollution harms unborn babies, how conservation supports farmers, and how being pro-life means being kind to the planet. It featured a series of sermons from the heartland of America, interspersed with practical examples of how to do it.
