christianity and climate change: understanding the range of responses

Christianity and Climate Change: Christianity and Climate Change: Understanding the Range of Understanding the Range of

ResponsesResponses

Janel Curry

Calvin College

Christian Worldviews and Christian Worldviews and the Environmentalthe Environmental

Background to the DebateBackground to the Debate

“…“…but the land for us is not as important…We but the land for us is not as important…We are just so far away from the concept (living are just so far away from the concept (living where our grandparents have lived), and I think where our grandparents have lived), and I think it has just lost its importance. it has just lost its importance. And it’s right for And it’s right for it to be that way.”it to be that way.”

--Seminarian--Seminarian

““Even though we have ownership of land…in the end Even though we have ownership of land…in the end it’s God’s, …it bothers me sometimes to have all it’s God’s, …it bothers me sometimes to have all these lines of things put into the earth. You have these lines of things put into the earth. You have water lines, you have electricity lines…I don’t like water lines, you have electricity lines…I don’t like them all up above you either, but in Des Moines…it’s them all up above you either, but in Des Moines…it’s just paved over with concrete. And it’ll never again just paved over with concrete. And it’ll never again see the light of day. I groan, I feel the earth groan; I see the light of day. I groan, I feel the earth groan; I groan with it, for being covered so…and you know groan with it, for being covered so…and you know that it’ll never be free again.”that it’ll never be free again.”

--Farmer--Farmer

How Are We to Understand How Are We to Understand This Range in Attitudes?This Range in Attitudes?

““Who are you people, and what in heaven’s Who are you people, and what in heaven’s name are you talking about?”name are you talking about?”

Hummer EmailHummer Email

The ChallengeThe Challenge

Christian Worldviews and Christian Worldviews and the Environmentalthe Environmental

GoalsGoals

Increase understanding of the Increase understanding of the complexitycomplexity

Lay a groundwork for civil dialogueLay a groundwork for civil dialogue

Factors Affecting Attitudes Factors Affecting Attitudes and Approaches to and Approaches to

Environmental ProblemsEnvironmental Problems

I.I. EschatologyEschatology

II.II. IntegrationIntegration

III.III.ResponsibilityResponsibility



I. EschatologyI. Eschatology

Conservative Christianity:Conservative Christianity:Creation, Fall, Redemption, Creation, Fall, Redemption,

ConsummationConsummation Authority of the Hebrew and Christian ScripturesAuthority of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures

God’s creation of the universeGod’s creation of the universe

Humans and nature fell from perfection with the sin Humans and nature fell from perfection with the sin of Adam and Eveof Adam and Eve

Restoration or redemption of humankind occurred Restoration or redemption of humankind occurred through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christthrough the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

God’ plan and promises will be fulfilled with the God’ plan and promises will be fulfilled with the return of Christ return of Christ

CalvinismCalvinism

““...we've begun our eternal life...the opening ...we've begun our eternal life...the opening chapter...The whole thing of stewardship, is certainly chapter...The whole thing of stewardship, is certainly part of now and, or a part of eternity. The comparison part of now and, or a part of eternity. The comparison between the seed and the full grown tree and our body between the seed and the full grown tree and our body and our resurrection body --there's a connection, but and our resurrection body --there's a connection, but still, you wouldn't believe that a huge oak tree could still, you wouldn't believe that a huge oak tree could come from a little tiny acorn. And I don't think you come from a little tiny acorn. And I don't think you can even begin to fathom what the life hereafter will can even begin to fathom what the life hereafter will be, if you think of our cells, now, as the seed.”be, if you think of our cells, now, as the seed.”

--Calvinist Farmer--Calvinist Farmer

QuakerQuakerBeliefsBeliefs

Humans are basically goodHumans are basically good Some level of perfection of society is Some level of perfection of society is

possiblepossible Grace is universalGrace is universal Here and now is the place of God’s Here and now is the place of God’s

redemptive activityredemptive activity Humankind is responsible to establish Humankind is responsible to establish

God’s kingdom on earthGod’s kingdom on earth

QuakerQuaker

ResultsResults Intense desire to improve societyIntense desire to improve society Optimistic worldview and belief in the Optimistic worldview and belief in the

forward march of progressforward march of progress Activism in the public arenaActivism in the public arena Emphasis on education Emphasis on education

Dispensational BeliefsDispensational Beliefs

No continuity between the present earth and the No continuity between the present earth and the future earth after the return of Christfuture earth after the return of Christ

Increasing violence and natural disasters are signs to Increasing violence and natural disasters are signs to mark the coming of Christmark the coming of Christ

The earth is a backdrop for the actions of God in The earth is a backdrop for the actions of God in saving humanssaving humans

DispensationalismDispensationalism

[Reported, but unsubstantiated statements][Reported, but unsubstantiated statements]

““My responsibility is to follow the Scriptures which call My responsibility is to follow the Scriptures which call upon us to occupy the land until Jesus returns.”upon us to occupy the land until Jesus returns.”

““We don't have to protect the environment, the Second We don't have to protect the environment, the Second Coming is at hand.”Coming is at hand.”

--James Watt, Secretary of--James Watt, Secretary ofthe Interior under the Interior under

ReaganReagan

Dispensational Dispensational Seminarians:Seminarians:

““The other thing is that this world is not the end. I’m The other thing is that this world is not the end. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t try to get too not saying that we shouldn’t try to get too comfortable on this land, and I am not trying to sound comfortable on this land, and I am not trying to sound like we can disregard our stewardship, but ultimately like we can disregard our stewardship, but ultimately it is going to be God who is going to redeem, and we it is going to be God who is going to redeem, and we shouldn’t look to make this world our end or eternal shouldn’t look to make this world our end or eternal home.”home.”

““(Our) relationship to God is what makes the land (Our) relationship to God is what makes the land important. It’s not the land that is important in and of important. It’s not the land that is important in and of itself.”itself.”

Seminary Student DiagramSeminary Student Diagram

American Theocracy and American Theocracy and DispensationalismDispensationalism

Christian Dispensationism/Fundamentalism is Christian Dispensationism/Fundamentalism is home-grownhome-grown

This traditions includes a strong anti-This traditions includes a strong anti-communist/socialist ideologycommunist/socialist ideology

This tradition both shapes and reflects the This tradition both shapes and reflects the larger American individualistic ideologylarger American individualistic ideology

Dominant Social Dominant Social Paradigm*Paradigm*

The package includes: The package includes: 1) utilitarian views of nature1) utilitarian views of nature

2) support for individual property rights2) support for individual property rights3) anti-government sentiments3) anti-government sentiments

4) belief in the free market4) belief in the free market

*Defined by Dunlap and Van Liere as the dominant “American” worldview*Defined by Dunlap and Van Liere as the dominant “American” worldview

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Western Calvin GR Baptist McCormick

Co-Equal

Stewardship

Dominion

Utilitarian

Composite: Views of Composite: Views of NatureNature

Reformed Christian Reformed Baptist PresbyterianReformed Christian Reformed Baptist Presbyterian

Is this Religion or American Is this Religion or American Culture?Culture?

Both Supporters of the Cornwall DeclarationBoth Supporters of the Cornwall Declaration

Worldview: Interfaith Worldview: Interfaith Stewardship Alliance (ISA) Stewardship Alliance (ISA)

and Acton Instituteand Acton Institute The world is soaring in health and wealth The world is soaring in health and wealth

toward perfectiontoward perfection

God’s design of creation minimizes or quickly God’s design of creation minimizes or quickly repair environmental damagerepair environmental damage

Christians will rise to power and Christians will rise to power and compassionately use free-market capitalism compassionately use free-market capitalism to create an earth fit for Christto create an earth fit for Christ

Critique of ISA and Acton by Critique of ISA and Acton by Creation-Care Community Creation-Care Community

(Sider-Ohlman)(Sider-Ohlman) Eschatology is a free-market eschatologyEschatology is a free-market eschatology

Assumption is that the free-market system will solve Assumption is that the free-market system will solve all economic and social illsall economic and social ills

Undying faith is in amoral capitalism and the Undying faith is in amoral capitalism and the unfettered market. unfettered market.

If the world is indeed on the threshold of this biblical If the world is indeed on the threshold of this biblical “millennium,” the suffering we see must be an “millennium,” the suffering we see must be an illusionillusion

Worldview: Creation-Care Worldview: Creation-Care CommunityCommunity

Mainstream evangelicals believes that “we and our Mainstream evangelicals believes that “we and our worldview will likely become even more out of sync worldview will likely become even more out of sync with the predominant materialistic worldview.”with the predominant materialistic worldview.”

Mainstream evangelicals believe that a theocracy will Mainstream evangelicals believe that a theocracy will come, but it will be at Christ’s making, not ours. come, but it will be at Christ’s making, not ours.

Being wise and compassionate stewards of God’s Being wise and compassionate stewards of God’s creation involves living the Gospel before the creation involves living the Gospel before the watching world and preparing us for our future roles watching world and preparing us for our future roles in the coming Kingdom.in the coming Kingdom.

Eschatology ImplicationsEschatology Implications



II. II. Human/Nature/God Human/Nature/God

IntegrationIntegration

The Houma Tribe of The Houma Tribe of Southern LouisianaSouthern Louisiana

Impacts of Oil Industry on Impacts of Oil Industry on Environment and MythologyEnvironment and Mythology

Northwest Iowa FarmerNorthwest Iowa Farmer

God is Sustaining People and NatureGod is Sustaining People and Nature

People and Nature are Part of God’s People and Nature are Part of God’s Plan for ShalomPlan for Shalom

Reformed Seminary Reformed Seminary Student DiagramStudent Diagram

Baptist Baptist Seminary Seminary Student Student

DiagramsDiagrams

The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is a The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is a membership organization grounded in a spiritual membership organization grounded in a spiritual tradition that brings together the Church, care of tradition that brings together the Church, care of community and care of creationcommunity and care of creation..

The National The National Catholic Rural Life Catholic Rural Life ConferenceConference

Established in 1923Established in 1923

NCRLC Principles Related to NCRLC Principles Related to Economic, Social and Environmental Economic, Social and Environmental

Policies that affect Rural Policies that affect Rural CommunitiesCommunities

Human DignityHuman Dignity

The Common GoodThe Common Good

Preferential Option for the PoorPreferential Option for the Poor

Universal Destination of GoodsUniversal Destination of Goods

Integrity of CreationIntegrity of Creation

SubsidiaritySubsidiarity

SolidaritySolidarity

Human/Nature/God IntegrationHuman/Nature/God IntegrationImplicationsImplications



III.III. Responsibility:Responsibility:

Routes to Social ChangeRoutes to Social Change

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Seminaries

Communitarian

Individualistic

The Individual and Society: The Individual and Society:

The Route to Social ChangeThe Route to Social Change


Problem Analysis Scale

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Structural Analysis

Individual Morality

Structural Sin vs. Individual MoralityStructural Sin vs. Individual Morality


Draw on Christians Draw on Christians Traditions that:Traditions that:

Are grounded in a covenantal Are grounded in a covenantal theologytheology

Recognize “structural” sinRecognize “structural” sin

Recovering what it means for Recovering what it means for humans to be made in the humans to be made in the

“Image of God”“Image of God”

Church History and StructureChurch History and Structure

Evangelical Climate InitiativeEvangelical Climate InitiativeClimate Change: An Evangelical Call to ActionClimate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action

Evangelical Environmental NetworkEvangelical Environmental Network

Church History and StructureChurch History and Structure



I.I. EschatologyEschatology

II.II. IntegrationIntegration

III.III. ResponsibilityResponsibility

GoalsGoals

To convince you that: “Every complex To convince you that: “Every complex problem has a simple solution, and it is problem has a simple solution, and it is wrong.” wrong.”

Suggest directions to encourage civil Suggest directions to encourage civil dialogue and coalition-building amongst dialogue and coalition-building amongst groups across the political and religious groups across the political and religious spectrum in order to address climate spectrum in order to address climate changechange

SuggestionsSuggestionsTo be effective in engaging the Christian community on the To be effective in engaging the Christian community on the

issue of Climate Changeissue of Climate Change

Understand the range of basic assumptions that the different Understand the range of basic assumptions that the different groups bring to the discussionsgroups bring to the discussions

Discern the difference between religious beliefs and Discern the difference between religious beliefs and dominant cultural beliefsdominant cultural beliefs

ListenListen

Find arguments that resonate with the various traditionsFind arguments that resonate with the various traditions

Build a diversity of on-the-ground strategies to match the Build a diversity of on-the-ground strategies to match the range of church structures and culturesrange of church structures and cultures

The Challenge of Global Climate The Challenge of Global Climate ChangeChange

We Need All Parties at the TableWe Need All Parties at the Table

Thank youThank you

christianity and climate change: understanding the range of responses

Documents

present earth

future earth

coming of christthe

environmental goalsincrease

environmental background

environmental problemsi

gods kingdom

resurrection body