Research shows that a majority of Christian religious leaders accept the reality of climate change but have never mentioned it to their congregations.
A
Kenya-based theologian is suggesting that religious leaders around the world
need to take interest climate Sciences if they are to reshape the climate discourse
in places of worship.
Diphus Chemorion , a professor of the Old Testament
says climate change is a topic of great concern because it has become the biggest
danger to the earth today.
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“It should be in church.
It should be part of the concerns. Right now, there are churches that are doing
so well. They already have projects on climate change. But there others that have
not studied or conceptualized the problem” said Chemorion who doubles as
Vice Chancellor at Pan Africa Christian
University based in Kenya.
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He observes that though it looks like a scientific
concept, climate change appears in the bible but implicitly. “So when you read
the bible, you will not find the word climate, weather or those scientific
terms. But the concept is significantly implied” said Chemorion.
He was addressing seminarians, pastors and
scientist at in-person and online seminar focusing on religion and science.
“Educating the consequences of climate change
must take a participatory approach. Every Christian needs to be sensitized and be
empowered with sufficient knowledge in order to take part in the global effort
to find a solution” he urged.
Religious
leaders, often viewed as moral guides, have the ability to reshape climate
discourse within faith communities. Religious leaders shape the attitudes and
beliefs of their congregations.
They are expected to vocalize
their acceptance of human-made climate change, we believe they can correct
widespread misperceptions, foster dialogue and encourage action in ways that
secular authorities may struggle to achieve.
A research paper in the U.S.
recently found that nearly 90% of U.S. Christian religious leaders believe in
anthropogenic climate change, with most believing human activity is a major
contributor.
Scientists use the word “anthropogenic” in
referring to environmental change caused
or influenced by people, either directly or indirectly.
The survey
found that while the overwhelming majority of Christian religious leaders
accept the human-driven reality of climate change, nearly half have never
mentioned climate change or humans' role in it to their congregations. Further,
only a quarter have spoken about it more than once or twice.
The
findings were
published
in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
It
examined examined data collected in 2023 and 2024 from a
nationwide
survey of 1,600 religious leaders in the United States.
The sample included
religious leaders from fundamentalist and evangelical churches, Baptists,
Methodists, Black Protestants, Roman Catholic denominations and more — all
recruited to match the proportions of churches across the country.
The survey
assessed religious leaders' beliefs about climate change and whether they
discuss climate change with their congregations.
According to Professor
Diphus Chemorion[WU2] , most of the conversations
about climate change have not gone where people are.
Critically,
when it comes to climate change,
faith communities are often seen as divided. There is an
assumption that religious conservatism and
climate
skepticism go hand in hand.
This assumption is based on religious beliefs
such as that the Earth was created by God and therefore humans cannot and
should not alter it, along with rejection of climate science and diminished
concern about climate change.
In Kenya,
it is was reported that some pastors have told their congregants that events
like severe floods or drought are punishments from God.
Professor
Chemorion observes that the greatest impediment to propagating the rights
message about climate change is the language.
“As biblical
scholar, there is no doubt in my mind that God created the whole universe and
speaks about it. And climate features there. But we who facilitate the uptake
of God’s word need to go a notch higher in unpacking not only climate change but
other concepts that are related to climate change”
What
is so difficult for pastors to explicate climate change?
Professor Chemorion said many
pastors don’t have the correct understanding of the universe.
“I think they are ready to engage
but all they know is just plant trees. But not so much beyond that. Even the
question why plant trees. What is happening in this world is not clearly
explained”
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Dr. Joshua Rutere,
a lecturer in the School of Theology at PAC University said in the bible God mad
the heavens and the earth. He said while God is in charge, he delegates
authority to mankind.
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Rutere said the
bible contains and alludes to history as well as science.
“But any attempt to
argue for the bible as scientific book with definitely hit a pothole because it
not necessarily written as a historical book, and neither was it written as a scientific
text. But there are allusions," said Rutere, who also has background in
Geography.
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He said a lot of
Jesus’ parables are very engaging agriculturally and environmentally.
