To protect and conserve

Christians have a calling to be the true environmentalists | Gene Edward Veith

One controversy roiling the evangelical world is to what extent Bible-believing Christians should be environmentalists. Recently, a group of prominent evangelical leaders, including mega-pastor Rick Warren, launched an environmental movement, urging the National Association of Evangelicals and evangelicals at large to make saving the earth—not just saving the world—a major priority.

But other evangelical leaders, such as Charles Colson, opposed the initiative. Now the NAE has put environmentalism on the shelf. But the debate continues, often stirring up enough heat to contribute to global warming (see "Greener than thou," April 22).