Texas Baptists fight coal plants
DALLAS – Texas’ largest Baptist group is taking a rare step into environmental advocacy, working to block Gov. Rick Perry’s plan to speed the approval process for 18 new coal-fired power plants.
The Christian Life Commission, the public policy arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is mobilizing Baptists against the plants and urging the convention’s 2.3 million members to voice their opposition to state lawmakers.
“A lot of people felt like our industries, our policy leaders, are going to take care of these big issues like air quality, and it’s not going to be something our local people are going to have to get up every day and worry about,” said Suzii Paynter, director of the commission. “It can’t be left to big interests to make these decisions in our behalf.”
The Baptists stress that they are not jumping into full-blown activism, but even a small move toward environmentalism is significant.
“This is cutting edge stuff for Baptists – even moderate Baptists,” said Bruce T. Gourley, associate director of The Center for Baptist Studies at Mercer University in Macon, Ga.
The commission’s action follows a resolution approved by the convention in November affirming “that we advocate for sound environmental policies in the public square.”
Their stance is not necessarily that of all, or even most, Baptists. The Baptist General Convention of Texas is a moderate congregation in a state where Baptists are mainly divided between traditionalists, who are closely tied to the national denomination and the moderates, who are far more independent.
The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the nation with more than 16 million members, adopted a resolution last summer denouncing environmental activism and warning that it was “threatening to become a wedge issue to divide the evangelical community.”
Paynter said Texas Baptists’ involvement stems from concern over how dirty air is affecting the health of church members.
TXU Corp.’s coal proposal is on a fast track under an executive order Perry issued last year to expand the production of electricity and lower its cost. The company says the plants will meet growing demand for power, boost the economy of small towns and reduce toxic emissions by replacing older plants.
Environmental organizations, a coalition of Texas cities and counties and a group of influential Dallas business executives are among the critics who contend the company is driven by profits and is rushing to beat more stringent federal restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions.
Many opponents of the coal plants will attend rallies at the state Capitol today and Monday. But Paynter said the Texas Baptists, while not opposing the demonstrations, will not be involved.