The biblical declaration about God's lifting of darkness as part of creation is not typically thought of as a political pronouncement.

But when a congressional staffer recently expressed surprise that the faith community had anything to say about federal energy policy, Paul Gorman, executive director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment in New York, replied straight from the Old Testament: "Genesis, first chapter, third verse - 'Let there be light.' "

As the Senate this week takes up major proposals on energy generation and conservation, the leaders of major religious groups around the country are looking over congressional shoulders, hoping to generate a little political heat while spreading some theological light.

Yesterday, in a letter to every member of the US Senate, more than 1,200 religious leaders reminded lawmakers of the "moral obligations" involved in deciding energy policy initiatives. Signers include high-ranking figures in Jewish, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox denominations.

Not every denomination or member of the clergy agrees with this view. Presumably, some favor oil drilling and nuclear power plants. But the political weight of this week's message is clear.

In general, the religious leaders take a line clearly at odds with the Bush administration: They favor more conservation and renewable energy sources, plus a "substantial" increase in vehicle fuel economy; they oppose more oil drilling, especially in wilderness areas. Referring to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where President Bush wants to drill for oil, the religious leaders say, "Conservation is a morally superior alternative to drilling in such places."

When the administration was putting together its energy proposal last year, Vice President Dick Cheney seemed to dismiss energy conservation and renewables as scarcely more than "a sign of personal virtue," as he put it.

But such efforts, say the religious leaders, should be "the central strategies of our nation's energy policy."

There's an urgency to the religious message. Like Mr. Bush's own energy plan, it's tied to last September's terrorist attacks on the United States.

"We're telling the Congress that energy conservation is necessary for homeland security as well as environmental protection and justice," says the Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches. "Lives are at stake."

But this week's effort to influence the debate over national energy policy has some important context that predates Sept. 11.

Launched in 1993, the National Religious Partnership for the Environment now connects with 135,000 US congregations from Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox, and Evangelical faiths, providing everything from energy-saving tips for church sanctuaries to sermon ideas and Sunday School lessons. The organization also has arranged retreats for corporate executives and environmental group leaders.

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