RW = UN Spiritual Guide, Apologist and Spokesperson.

Link to article doesn’t work but I think Rowan should stick to things about which he has some knowledge.  Caring for God’s creation is not limited to carbon footprint elimination.

For an interesting counterpoint by one of most brilliant physicists of the last centuty, and a card carrying liberal, see the recent NYT Magazine article here - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/magazine/29Dyson-t.html

Daniel, perhaps you should try again, the link worked for me.  He spoke about poverty, greed, social morality, concerns about the degredation of British society, and the dangers of cynicism, and a brief comment about the relationship of the economy to the environment…I didn’t see anything about CO2.

I don’t know.  I don’t see the problem in +Rowan urging the secular leaders of the G20 to remember their MDG commitments and to not forget the poor even at this time when many people and nations are focused solely on self-preservation. I do see a problem with +Katharine entirely conflating the Gospel with the MDGs.  This is somewhat different.

Alta Ca.,

There is nothing wrong with pointing people to Holy Scripture as a basis for how to lead their lives.  Where I take great exception is when cosseted, socialist/liberal theologians who have never done a day of manual labor in their lives to put food on the table, and have all their physical needs provided by the church/state, have the gall to tell the government how to force people to live their lives according to the liberal intellectual/theological elite’s ideas, which are based, not on good science, but what is fashionable.

Ah, so your opinion is based not on his actual comments in the interview, but on his political persuasion, his reliance on science you deem rubbish, and what type of person he is and what his background has been. 

Can I trust that you agree with his general thrust, that we should remember and have care for the poor at such a time as this, even if you thoroughly disagree with his methods for doing so?

Alta Ca.,

I absolutely agree with his general thrust; i.e., we are to be good stewards of creation, but I want it aimed squarely at the hearts of the faithful, who should always reach out to the poor through their churches and charities.  I disagree with the church trying to force people, via legislative advocacy, to adopt socialist government policies.  Let me add that I am not a libertarian.  Regulation and laws have their place.  What I want to see is a governement that places the individual and small business on an equal footing with the rich and powerful, guaranteeing that everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve the fruits of their labors.  Part of being a faithful steward is being able to use your God given talents to earn as much as you desire so you can give away as much as you can.