In memory of Eric Rohr, whose faith never wavered for one second. Rest in peace, my friend.
Are you a person of faith? If so, have you ever thought about our changing climate through that lens? I have been doing some reading about the intersection of faith and climate change and here’s what I found.
Common threads
A common thread throughout all religions is the concept of loving and caring for our neighbors. Another is protecting the Earth and all its creatures. The Bible and Quran both have numerous passages about humans’ responsibility to protect the land and everything God has created. Religious leaders have a lot to say as well.
What faith leaders have to say
- The National Association of Evangelical Christians recently published an updated report called Loving the Least of These, about how climate change impacts the most vulnerable people, and that Christians are called to help.
- Leaders of the Catholic Church have a long history of speaking out about protecting the environment. Pope John Paul II called the ecological crisis a moral crisis, and Pope Francis said “let us heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation.”
- Islamic leaders call on Muslims to actively fight climate change, and they urge the world to transition to renewable energy as soon as possible.
- Jewish leaders teach about protecting the world for future generations. The Coalition of the Environment and Jewish Life is a network of Jewish leaders and institutions committed to stewardship and protection of the Earth.
- Hindu leaders released a Hindu Declaration on Climate Change, urging “strong, meaningful action be taken, at both the international and national level, to slow and prevent climate change”.
- The Dalai Lama said “new challenges, like the climate crisis, that affects us all, as well as our participation in the global economy, mean that we must take the whole of humanity into account”.
Climate change and poverty
The poor and people of color are disproportionately affected by the changing climate. In the US, families who lose their homes because of flooding, tornados, or wildfires often don’t have the means to rebuild or relocate. Meanwhile, in many countries in the Global South, the situation is even more dire. People are being forced to migrate because of weather disasters and food or water scarcity. Climate migration is expected to be a growing humanitarian crisis.
I’m not aware of a religion or denomination that doesn’t ask us to care for people in need. As extreme weather events become more frequent, the people who will feel the worst effects are those living in poverty. Maybe faith can help bring people together to find solutions that will help reduce future suffering.
Beyond the data
Katharine Hayhoe, a prominent climate scientist and Evangelical Christian, says she chose her career because of her faith. She encourages us to go beyond the data and consider what our faith and our hearts are telling us.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.