Evangelical environmentalism is an

environmental movement The environmental movement (sometimes referred to as the ecology movement) is a social movement that aims to protect the natural world from harmful environmental practices in order to create sustainable living. In its recognition of humanity a ...

in which some Evangelical Christian organizations have emphasized biblical mandates concerning humanity's role as steward and subsequent responsibility for the care taking of Creation. While the movement has focused on different

environmental issue Environmental issues are disruptions in the usual function of ecosystems. Further, these issues can be caused by humans (human impact on the environment) or they can be natural. These issues are considered serious when the ecosystem cannot recov ...

s, it is best known for its focus of addressing climate action from a biblically-grounded theological perspective. Some Evangelical groups have allied with environmentalists in teaching knowledge and developing awareness of

global warming Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes ...

Overview

Evangelical environmentalists are based on the Bible, particularly on Genesis 2:15, to take care of God's Creation: "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." From an Evangelical environmentalist perspective, the response to the ecological crisis involves the restoration of correct doctrine, the restoration of Christianity as guide, and a balancing of the Bible and

biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

. It is important to Evangelical environmentalists that they are not seen as worshiping nature; they feel obligated to the stewardship of creation because of their focus on the creator of nature. In ''Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet'' Merritt states the '' Noah Covenant'' is God entering a Covenant with all the

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

by citing Gen 9:9-10. Merritt continues from Gen 2:15 ... * "Cultivate it and keep it" New American Standard Bible * "Tend it and watch over it" New Living Translation * "Work it and keep it" English Standard Version * "Take care of it and to look after it" Holman Christian Standard Bible * "Till it and watch keep it" Revised Standard Version * "Work the ground and keep it in order" The Message (Bible)

Evangelical organizations

International Evangelical Environmental Network

The International Evangelical Environmental Network was founded in 1992 by the World Evangelical Alliance. In 2021, the Network has engaged in a number of candlelight vigils throughout the United States. Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA) was founded as youth ministry by the Evangelical Environmental Network. Members of Young Evangelicals for Climate Action participated in the September 2019 climate strikes at about a dozen colleges and universities, with a message of creation care and a faith-based approach to "speaking up for people's right to clean air and water and a stable climate."

Evangelical Climate Initiative

The Evangelical Climate Initiative was launched in February 2006 by the National Association of Evangelicals in the United States. The initiative aims to campaign for environmental reform, calling on all Christians to push for federal legislation that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions in an effort to stem global warming.

Creation Care Task Force

The Creation Care Task Force was founded in 2012 by the World Evangelical Alliance. In 2019, it established a Sustainability Center in Bonn, Germany.

Criticism

In January 2006, a group of evangelicals opposed the Evangelical Climate Initiative's stance and issued a letter to the NAE which stated that "global warming is not a consensus issue, and our love for the Creator and respect for His Creation does not require us to take a position cap and trade tax increase">Emissions_trading.html" ;"title="upporting a Emissions trading">cap and trade tax increase. In 2007 the ''New York Times'' reported, "leaders of the conservative Christian wing of the Republican Party, including James Dobson, Gary Bauer and Paul Weyrich, told the policy director of the NAE, the Rev. Richard Cizik, to shut up already about global warming". Ann Coulter focuses on Genesis 1:27-28 which gives dominion to humanity over nature. Ann Coulter claims: "God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, 'Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It's yours.'" Lynn White (1967) implies that this is a common view among Christians, but the accuracy of this statement is debatable. In November 2022, a survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, found that evangelicals were the most skeptical religious group regarding global warming.Becka A. Alper
Religious groups’ views on climate change
pewresearch.org, USA, consulté le November 17, 2022 17% of Evangelical did not believe that there is solid evidence showing that the Earth is warming. 32% of Evangelical did believe that there was evidence because of human activity, but 36% did believe that warming was due to natural patterns. 53% of the total U.S. population does believe that the Earth is warming because of human influences and 66% of unaffiliated Americans believe that global warming due to human impacts is real.

References

*Allen, R. S., E. Castano, and P. D. Allen. 2007. "Conservatism and concern for the environment". ''Quarterly Journal of Ideology'' 30(3/4):1–25. *Brown, Edward R. 2008. ''Our Father's World: Mobilizing the Church to Care for Creation'' ( InterVarsity Press). *Guth, J. L., J. C. Green, L. A. Kellstedt, and C. E. Smidt. 1995. "Faith and the environment: religious beliefs and attitudes on environmental policy". '' American Journal of Political Science'' 39:364–382. *Konisky, D. M., J. Milyo, and L. E. Richardson, Jr. 2008. "Environmental policy attitudes: issues, geographic scale, and political trust". '' Social Science Quarterly'' 89:1066–1085. *McCright, A. M., and R. E. Dunlap. 2003. "Defeating Kyoto: the conservative movement's impact on U.S. climate change policy". ''Social Problems'' 50:348–373. *Merritt, Jonathan (2010) ''Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet'' *Peterson, M. N., and J. Liu. 2008. "Impacts of religion on environmental worldviews: the Teton Valley case". ''Society and Natural Resources'' 21:704–718. *Schultz, P. W., L. Zelezny, and N. J. Dalrymple. 2000. "A multinational perspective on the relation between Judeo-Christian religious beliefs and attitudes of environmental concern". '' Environment and Behavior'' 32:576–591. *Sherkat, D. E., and C. G. Ellison. 2007. "Structuring the religion-environment connection: identifying religious influences on environmental concern and activism". '' Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'' 46:71–85. *Snyder, Howard A., and Joel Scandrett. 2011. ''Salvation Means Creation Healed: The Ecology of Sin and Grace'' (Cascade Books). *Wilkinson, Katharine K. 2012. ''Between God & Green: How Evangelicals Are Cultivating a Middle Ground on Climate Change'' (Oxford University Press).

External links

Katharine Hayhoe: Climate Change, Christianity, and Evangelicals
{{DEFAULTSORT:Evangelical Environmentalism Environmentalism in the United States Evangelicalism Christianity and environmentalism Christian terminology Environmental movements