Title

Why Conservative Christians Don’t Believe in Climate Change

Description

"American Christians have become increasingly polarized on issues of climate change and environmental regulation. In recent years, mainline Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church have made explicit declarations of support for global climate action. Prominent Southern Baptists and other evangelical Protestants, on the other hand, have issued statements that are strikingly similar to the talking points of secular climate skeptics, and have attempted to stamp out 'green' efforts within their own ranks. An analysis of resolutions and campaigns by evangelicals over the past 40 years shows that anti-environmentalism within conservative Christianity stems from fears that 'stewardship' of God's creation is drifting toward
neo-pagan nature worship, and from apocalyptic beliefs about 'end times' that make it pointless to worry about global warming. As the climate crisis deepens, the moral authority of Christian leaders and organizations may play a decisive role in swaying public policy toward (or away from) action to mitigate global warming."

Date

2015

Creator(s)

Bernard Daley Zaleha and Andrew Szasz

Denomination

Christian

Sub-Tradition

Conservative

Audience

All audiences/General public

Rights

This information and image were accessed at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0096340215599789 on February 12, 2024.

Issues

Climate

Restoration