Calvin Beisner

 Credentials

• Ph.D in Scottish History, University of St. Andrews (2003). [8]

 Background

E. Calvin Beisner is a former Professor of Social Ethics at Knox Theological Seminary. He was a member of the faculty as an associate professor of historical theology and social ethics from July 2000 through December 2007, but left Knox at the end of 2007.

Beisner is known as a "leading evangelical climate-change skeptic," and was a founder of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation.

According to Beisner's personal website, he was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church in America. In May, 2007, Beisner left the PCA to help plant a new Orthodox Presbyterian Church congregation. He's currently serving on the pastoral staff of Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC).

Stance on Climate Change

According to The Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship, of which Beisner is a signatory to, "Some unfounded or undue concerns include fears of destructive manmade global warming, overpopulation, and rampant species loss."

Key Quotes

"I am convinced that policies meant to reduce alleged carbon dioxide-induced global warming will be destructive." [9]

Key Deeds

May, 2010

Beisner was a speaker at the Heartland Institute's 2010 International Conference on Climate Change. [2]

2010

The Cornwall Alliance released a campaign to combat popular views regarding global warming. The campaign is titled "Resisting the Green Dragon" and includes a video series described as a "biblical response to one of the greatest deceptions of our day."

The series, designed by Beisner, portrays those who belief in climate change as following a "false religion." [8]

March 25, 2009

At a 2009 House hearing titled "Adaption Policies on Climate Legislation," Beisner expressed his "balanced biblical view" on climate change.

A key speaker at the hearing was well known climate change denier Christopher Monckton.

March, 2008

Beisner's speech at the Heartland Institute's 2008 International Conference on Climate Change was titled, "Scientific Orthodoxies, Politicized Science, and Catastrophic Manmade Warming: Challenges to Evangelicals Navigating Rough Waters in Science and Policy." [1]

July, 2006

Beisner co-authored another ISA report refuting the work of an opposing religious organization called the Evangelical Climate Initiative. The ISA report was titled A Call to Truth, Prudence and Protection of the Poor: an Evangelical Response to Global Warming (PDF).

Along with the report was a letter of endorsement signed by numerous representatives of various organizations, including six that have received a total of $2.32 million in donations from oil-giant ExxonMobil over the last three years.

October 2006

Beisner debated the primary author of the Evangelical Climate Initiative's 'Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action.'"

2005

At the time of ISA's launch, the organization released a report (PDF) titled, "An Examination of the Scientific, Ethical and Theological Implications of Climate Change Policy." The purpose of the report was to "examine the scientific questions surrounding global warming, carbon reductions, and puts forth Biblical principles that can guide Christians in making policy decisions on the environment." The report was written by Calvin Beisner, Roy Spencer and Paul Driessen.

 Affiliations

• The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation — Founder and National Spokesperson. [7]

• Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) — Advisory Board member. [6]

 Publications

Although Beisner has not written any peer-reviewed papers on the subject of climate change, he has written many articles criticizing the science of global warming in the context of the Evangelical faith, including:

• "Global Warming: Why Evangelicals Should Not Be Alarmed" and
• "Deep Ecology, Neo-paganism, and the Irrationalism of Global Warming Hysteria."

A full list of his publications is available on his website.

In 2005, Beisner wrote an article criticizing a judicial ruling barring intelligent design from a biology class curriculum. He wrote:

[t]he aggressive, extreme secularism that would reject all reference in biology studies to intelligent design of irreducibly complex structures is more patently unscientific and more obviously religious than what most people have encountered in discussing evolution and creation. Perhaps a few more will waken now to the fact that the public schools are the enemy, not the friend, and not even a neutral party to Christians, and therefore (a) remove their kids from them and (b) stop working with them" (emphasis added).

In 1990, Beisner wrote a piece criticizing the need for further federal spending on AIDS research, treatment and education. In the article Beisner asks, "…is it rational to allocate $3.5 billion dollars to fight a disease that is almost 100 percent self-inflicted by people intent on immoral and irrational behavior?" (emphasis added).

Beisner goes on to claim that the "simple fact is that militant homosexuals have a potent lobby on Capitol Hill and at the White House. They know how to get politicians' attention. Only that can explain the irrational policies that have prevailed toward AIDS…" (emphasis added).

 Resources

1. "E. Calvin Beisner," SourceWatch.

2. ExxonSecrets Factsheet: E. Calvin Beisner.

3. "Climate change debunkers take stage in US Congress," AFP, Mar 25, 2009.

4. "Press Release: Mankind Always Adapts to Climate, Barton Says," House Energy & Commerce Committee, March 25, 2009.

5. "Board of Advisors," Cornwall Alliance. Accessed November 29, 2011.

6. "CFACT Board of Advisors," CFACT. Accessed November 29, 2011.

7. "Prominent Signers of An Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming," Cornwall Alliance, January 14, 2010.

8. "E. CALVIN BEISNER, PH.D." (PDF). Biography at ecalvinbeisner.com. 

9. Testimony of Dr. E. Calvin Beisner to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the United States House of Representatives, Wednesday, March 25, 2009 (PDF).