We are Baptist leaders who recognize the moral imperative to love our neighbors— neighbors today and those across time. We love our neighbors through acts of justice, stewardship of God’s creation and advocacy for legislation related to climate change.
We understand that this summer the Senate will take up the bi-partisan legislation of Senator John Warner and Senator Joseph Lieberman (America’s Climate Security Act, S. 2191). We applaud these Senators and the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works for beginning to address this important moral issue.
We urge the Senate to pass climate change legislation that (1) shields vulnerable populations from the disproportionate dangers resulting from planet warming, (2) spreads the economic costs of changing our energy habits fairly and sustainably, and (3) limits the financial burdens that will be placed on low-income and working families.
We have a moral duty to speak up for the vulnerable in our society. Those who have contributed least to the problem of climate change stand to suffer the most. Those who are poor will likely bear the greatest burden economically from any large-scale program to reduce global warming pollution, if the legislation is not constructed correctly.
We also have a moral duty to speak up for the global poor. Global warming’s impact already falls and will continue to fall most heavily on the marginalized in developing countries. To rectify this injustice, legislation must include mechanisms that provide adaptation assistance to vulnerable communities.
Legislation needs to follow scientific recommendations and focus on the short-term goal of reducing U.S. carbon emissions by 15-20 percent by 2020 and the long-term vision of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
We recognize that significant reductions in global warming emissions require that we change our lifestyles and our energy consumption. Legislation must encourage energy conservation throughout our economy. We urge the Senate to pass the strongest possible climate legislation that recognizes the needs and burdens of low-income and working families in the United States and around the world.
Sincerely,
Robert Parham
Baptist Center for Ethics P. O. Box 150506 | Nashville, TN 37215-0506 | www.ethicsdaily.com Robert Parham, Ph.D. | executive director | 615-415-2348 | robert.parham@ethicsdaily.com
The Board of Directors, Baptist Center for Ethics
Elizabeth Fogg, former president, Baptist General Association of Virginia Kevin Heifner, chair, Baptist Center for Ethics Ed Hogan, pastor, Jersey Village Baptist Church, Houston, Texas Joseph Phelps, pastor, Highland Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky. Sara Powell, former moderator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia Bruce Powers, pastor, Westhaven Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Va. Carol Richardson, associate pastor, First Baptist Church, Memphis, Tenn. Neal Rodgers, attorney, Charlotte, N.C. Reggie Warren, pastor, Orcutt Baptist Church, Newport News, Va. Aidsand Wright-Riggins, executive director, National Ministries, American Baptist Churches-USA
National Baptist Leaders
Sumner Grant, executive director, Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board, American Baptist Churches-USA Emmanuel McCall, past moderator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Roy Medley, general secretary, American Baptist Churches-USA Tyrone Pitts, general secretary, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. Alan Stanford, general secretary, North American Baptist Fellowship Reid Trulson, executive director, International Ministries, American Baptist Churches-USA Daniel Vestal, executive coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Alabama Baptist Leaders
Ronnie Brewer, pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Madison James Evans, pastor, First Baptist Church, Auburn David Freeman, pastor, Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville Jay Kieve, pastor, Cross Creek Baptist Church, Pelham Brent McDougal, coordinator, Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Robert White, pastor, Locust Grove Baptist Church, Huntsville
Arizona Baptist Leaders
Glen Foster, pastor, Pantona Baptist Church, Tucson David Gunn, pastor, First Baptist Church, Peoria
Arkansas Baptist Leaders
Matt Cook, pastor, Second Baptist Church, Little Rock Wendell Griffen, coordinator of ministries, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Little Rock Ray Higgins, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas Randy Hyde, pastor, Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, Little Rock Carolyn Staley, minister of education, Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, Little Rock
California Baptist Leaders
Joy Yee, pastor, Nineteenth Avenue Baptist Church, San Francisco
District of Columbia Baptist Leaders
Jeffrey Haggray, executive director/minister, District of Columbia Baptist Convention Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, managing director-resource development, American Baptist Churches- USA
Florida Baptist Leaders
John Fairless, pastor, First Baptist Church, Gainesville Steve Hadden, pastor, Bayshore Baptist Church, Tampa Raymond Johnson, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida Greg Magruder, pastor, Parkview Baptist Church, Gainesville
Georgia Baptist Leaders
Frank Broome, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia Robert Browning, pastor, Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain John Finley, pastor, First Baptist Church, Savannah Jimmy Gentry, pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Carrollton Matt Rich, minister of adult spiritual formation, Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta Joel Richardson, pastor, Central Baptist Church, Newnan Michael Tutterow, pastor, Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta Robert Walker, pastor, Peachtree Baptist Church, Atlanta Bill Wilson, pastor, First Baptist Church, Dalton
Illinois Baptist Leaders
Randy Gauger, pastor, First Baptist Church of Champaign at Savoy Alice Greene, pastor, Irving Park Baptist Church, Chicago Larry Greenfield, executive minister, American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago Douglas Harris, pastor, North Shore Baptist Church, Chicago Douglas Sharp, dean of the academy, Protestants for the Common Good, Chicago
Indiana Baptist Leaders Darrell James, pastor, Culbertson Baptist Church, New Albany
Kansas Baptist Leaders
Heather Entrekin, pastor, Prairie Valley Baptist Church, Kansas City Mike McKinney, pastor, Leawood Baptist Church, Leawood
Kentucky Baptist Leaders James Byrd, pastor, Third Baptist Church, Owensboro Bob Fox, pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Georgetown David Hinson, pastor, First Baptist Church, Frankfort Jim Holladay, pastor, Lyndon Baptist Church, Louisville Mark Johnson, pastor, Central Baptist Church, Lexington Bert Montgomery, pastor, Campbellsburg Baptist Church, Campbellsburg David Platt, pastor, Deer Park Baptist Church, Louisville Don Rogers, pastor, Buechel Park Baptist Church, Louisville
Louisiana Baptist Leaders
John Henson, associate pastor, First Baptist Church, Shreveport Jay Hogewood, pastor, University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge
Maryland Baptist Leaders
Henry Green, pastor, Heritage Baptist Church, Annapolis Ed Williams, pastor, First Baptist Church, Wheaton
Missouri Baptist Leaders
John Baker, pastor, First Baptist Church, Columbia Keith Herron, pastor, Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City Jim Hill, executive director, Baptist General Convention of Missouri Doyle Sager, pastor, First Baptist Church, Jefferson City Scott Stearman, pastor, Kirkwood Baptist Church, Saint Louis
Nebraska Baptist Leaders
Paul Kondy, pastor-to-pastors, American Baptist Churches of Nebraska Tom Wiles, pastor, First Baptist Church, North Platte
New York Baptist Leaders
Tiffany Triplett Henkel, associate pastor, Metro Baptist Church, New York City
North Carolina Baptist Leaders
Roger Gilbert, pastor, First Baptist Church, Mount Airy Jack Glasgow, pastor, Zebulon Baptist Church, Zebulon Wayne Hager, pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Mount Airy Ronald Hinson, pastor, College Avenue Baptist Church, Lenoir Larry Hovis, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina Ray Howell, pastor, First Baptist Church, Lexington Bill Ireland, pastor, Ardmore Baptist Church, Winston-Salem Tommy Justus, pastor, Mars Hill Baptist Church, Mars Hill Julia Ledford, associate pastor for Christian discipleship, Hayes Barton Baptist Church, Raleigh Ken Massey, pastor First Baptist Church, Greensboro Tim Moore, pastor, Sardis Baptist Church, Charlotte Terry Peele, pastor, First Baptist Church, Burlington Glenn Phillips, pastor, First Baptist Church, Goldsboro Ron Poythress, pastor, Triangle Baptist Church, Raleigh Robert Prince, pastor, First Baptist Churches, Waynesville Mike Queen, pastor, First Baptist Church, Wilmington Guy Sayles, pastor, First Baptist Church, Asheville Layne Smith, pastor, Viewmont Baptist Church, Hickory Jeffrey Vickery, pastor, Cullowhee Baptist Church, Cullowhee Larry Wilson, pastor, First Baptist Church, Biscoe Gordon Wright, pastor, Masonboro Baptist Church, Wilmington
Oklahoma Baptist Leaders
Preston Clegg, pastor, Spring Creek Baptist Church, Oklahoma City Bruce Prescott, executive director, Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists Mitch Randall, pastor, NorthHaven Church, Norman Larry Steven, pastor, Noble Avenue Baptist Church, Guthrie Dan Williams, pastor, First Baptist Church, Shawnee
South Carolina Baptist Leaders
Marion Aldridge, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina Fred Andrea III, pastor, First Baptist Church, Aiken Don Flowers, pastor, Providence Baptist Church, Charleston Robert Guffey, pastor, First Baptist Church, Conway Kenneth Hodges, pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Beaufort Courtney Krueger, pastor, First Baptist Church, Pendleton Jeffrey Rogers, pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenville
Tennessee Baptist Leaders
Brent Beasley, pastor, Second Baptist Church, Memphis Gary Carver, pastor, First Baptist Church, Chattanooga Stan Elliott, pastor, First Baptist Church, Clinton Forrest Harris, president, American Baptist College Ircel Harrison, coordinator, Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Alan Sherouse, minister of youth, Immanuel Baptist Church, Nashville Bill Shiell, pastor, First Baptist Church, Knoxville Mike Smith, pastor, First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro Sonny Strange, pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Jefferson City Ed Sunday-Winters, pastor, Ball Camp Baptist Church, Knoxville Jim West, pastor, Petros Baptist Church, Petros Gene Wilder, pastor, First Baptist Church, Jefferson City
Texas Baptist Leaders
Javier Elizondo, vice president for academic affairs, Baptist University of the Americas James Fuller, pastor, Calder Baptist Church, Beaumont Phil Lineberger, pastor, Williams Trace Baptist Church, Sugarland Rick McClatchy, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas Mike Massar, pastor, First Baptist Church, Tyler John Petty, pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Kerrville Scott Walker, pastor, First Baptist Church, Waco Steve Wells, pastor, South Main Baptist Church, Houston
Virginia Baptist Leaders
Jim Abernathy, pastor, Westwood Baptist Church, Springfield Bert Browning, pastor, Huguenot Road Baptist Church, Richmond Daniel Carro, ambassador, Latino Ministries, Baptist General Association of Virginia Michael Cheuk, pastor, Farmville Baptist Church, Farmville Lawrence Coleman, pastor, Churchland Baptist Church, Chesapeake Floyd Irby, pastor, West End Baptist Church, Suffolk Tom Leland, pastor, University Baptist Church, Charlottesville Joseph Lewis, pastor, Second Baptist Church, Petersburg Timothy Madison, pastor, Madison Heights Baptist Church, Madison Heights William Nieporte, pastor, Patterson Avenue Baptist Church, Richmond Timothy Norman, pastor, Glen Allen Baptist Church, Glen Allen Dave Stancil, pastor, First Baptist Church, Bristol David Washburn, pastor, First Baptist Church, Waynesboro
West Virginia Baptist Leaders
Edward Fisher, pastor, First Baptist Church, Bluefield
What do you love most about Texas? The stars at night? The sage in bloom? The prairie sky?