Friday, September 28, 2012

Christians and Climate Change


In recent months I have been reading with deep concern about the acceleration of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change.  Many Christian denominations, driven by their understanding of stewardship and care of creation, are now turning their attention to what is happening to our planet.  Some are engaged in advocacy to curb the human activities which are rapidly changing the make-up of our atmosphere.  Others are focused more on ministering with those – many of them in poor, developing countries – who are most likely to suffer from the effects of climate change.  Still others are participating in preparations, such as the Transition Towns movement, which will assist communities in adapting to a changed world.

Opposed to these efforts, however, are other Christian groups which not only deny the reality of climate change but are also actively opposing any efforts to prepare communities or to make the necessary alterations in our lives which may help to slow its acceleration and mitigate its effects.  In my reading, then, I have been trying to understand the reasoning and the theology behind these oppositional forces.  There seems to be a number of underlying causes involved.