Jots & Tittles

Walks on Water, Runs on Gas

A gas-guzzling SUV or minivan might seem like just the ticket for getting all your apostles from place to place. But a growing number of religious leaders are asking congregations to rethink their transportation choices—and asking automakers to make more Creation-friendly cars.

In a new series of print and TV spots, the Evangelical Environmental Network is posing the question: “What Would Jesus Drive?” “Too many of the cars, trucks and SUVs that are made—that we choose to drive—are polluting our air, increasing global warming, changing the weather, and endangering our health—especially the health of our children,” their TV ads run. The sentiment has long been expressed by environmental activists of all stripes, but what’s new is the evangelical spin: It’s a matter of loving your neighbor and cherishing God’s creation. “The Risen Lord Jesus is concerned about the kinds of cars we drive because they affect his people and his creation,” according to the WWJDrive Web site. “We believe He wants us to travel in ways that reduce pollution and consumption of gasoline.”

The Evangelical Environmental Network isn’t alone. In early November, the National Council of Churches teamed up with the Coalition for the Environment and Jewish Life to educate church- and synagogue-going Americans on environmental and energy issues. Their Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign provided information on the environmental and social impact of driving gas-guzzling automobiles, and in some places even gave congregants the opportunity to test-drive electric-hybrid cars.