Earthy Evangelist speaks in Parliament House
Dr Gordon Moyes would like to invite you to attend a public forum on Climate Change and Christianity. The guest speaker is Reverend Richard Cizik, a participant in Climate Forum 2002, at Oxford, England, which produced the “Oxford Declaration on Global Warming”.
Reverend Cizik is the Vice President for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). In 2005, the New York Times dubbed Cizik the “Earthy Evangelist” for his advocacy on climate change. In 2008, he was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for his work in this field.
Cizik is on a mission to convert millions of people to the cause of conservation, using a right-to-life framework. In Australia, he is spreading the doctrine of “creation care” to evangelical Christians. Under his leadership, NAE, one of the most politically powerful religious advocacy groups in America, released a manifesto urging its members to adopt eco-friendly living habits and exhorting the government to lighten America’s environmental footprint.
Richard Cizik wants evangelicals to reach out to Barack Obama as he takes on his new role. Reverend Cizik commented:
“I think anybody who doesn’t see the extraordinary significance of the first African American being elected the United States, they’re missing history. I think it’s an extraordinary moment in American history. I have to say, I never really believed I’d be able to see the day that I would see an African American or any minority would be elected the president of the United States. I never thought it would happen.
America is changing. The religious communities of America are changing, too. Anybody who doesn’t understand that the multi-racial nature of American politics today fails to capture what’s happening. The Republican Party has to be afraid that it’s monochromatic.
I suspect that millions upon millions of evangelicals around the world are extremely proud of America tonight. I’m confident that Barack Obama wants to unite this country. I hope the better angels of Obama’s nature triumph, and I frankly don’t agree with everything on him. I suspect there will be actions he takes I don’t agree with. I think it’s important to have the right attitude – the attitude of Christ – which is he needs our prayers and our support, even if we don’t agree with him.”
The event will be held on Thursday 13 November 2008 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm in the Jubilee Room in New South Wales Parliament, Macquarie Street. There is no cost involved in attending this event. Light refreshments will be served. To RSVP, please contact Leslie McCawley on 02 9230 3341 or leslie.mccawley@parliament.nsw.gov.au no later than 12.00pm Monday 10 November. We look forward to seeing you there.
