The Frozen Faithful: Understanding and Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial

1. The Frozen Faithful: Understanding and Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial Brian Webb Houghton College

2. Understanding Evangelical Climate Denial What are key arguments unique to evangelicals?

3. Understanding Evangelical Climate Denial: #1 God’s Sovereignty Brian Webb “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” - Isaiah 55:9 “Religiously unenlightened hubris” to believe humans can influence climate system “It does not seem likely to me that God would set up the world to work in such a way that human beings would eventually destroy the earth by doing such ordinary and morally good and necessary things as breathing, building a fire to cook or keep warm, burning fuel to travel, or using energy for a refrigerator to preserve food.” - Wayne Grudem, Cornwall Alliance (2006) Argument: Climate change is simply not possible

4. Understanding Evangelical Climate Denial: #2 Our Special Status Brian Webb • Imago Dei • “So God created humankind in his own image…” Gen 1:27 • “Dominion” theology • “God blessed them and said to them, ‘be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” Genesis 1:28 • Anthropocentrism – our needs/wants trump ecological considerations • Argument: If real, climate change doesn’t matter because we are more important than trees.

5. Understanding Evangelical Climate Denial: #3 End-Times Thinking (Eschatology) Brian Webb Premillenial dispensationalism “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed with fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” – 2 Peter 3:10 Temporality of the earth Argument: Climate change is of no concern since the earth will be destroyed anyway

6. Understanding Evangelical Climate Denial: #4 Fear of Pantheism Brian Webb Christian exceptionalism – unique and extraordinary “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me” - John 14:6 Environmental movement can have strong religious overtones (ex. Avatar) Argument: Climate change is a tool to get us to worship nature

7. Understanding Evangelical Climate Denial: #5 Distrust Scientists Brian Webb • Climate change is a matter of trust • Politicized atmosphere between faith and science communities, largely on account of the creation-evolution debate • “But perhaps no result of the creation-evolution stalemate is as potentially disastrous as the way it has stymied courageous action on climate change.” – Andy Crouch, Christianity Today (2005) • Evangelicals segment out (disbelieve) scientific claims that are perceived to conflict with religious beliefs (Evans, 2011; Carr 2012) • Argument: Scientists are not trustworthy, so I can’t believe what they say about climate change.

8. Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial How can we engage evangelicals on climate change?

9. Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial: #1 Seek Common Ground Brian Webb • Listen • Look for areas of agreement • Common interests/background/etc. • Faith • Shared “environmental” views • Avoid arguments (not productive) • Find allies; embrace evangelical efforts

10. Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial: #2 Consider their Worldview Brian Webb • Evangelicals are a subculture • Climate change is risky • Use language strategically • Good: creation care, stewardship • Bad: mother earth, spirituality, Gaia • Share your environmental “testimony”

11. Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial: #3 Make it a Moral Issue Brian Webb Focus on people and poverty Highlight humanitarian impacts Use specific examples/stories (narrative is powerful)

12. Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial: #4 Talk about the Science Brian Webb Promote dialogue (not debate) Explain why science is convincing to you and refer to experts (scientific consensus, NOAA, NASA, etc.) Initiate Faith-Science partnerships/forums/etc. Remember, evangelicals are not anti-science, but they are skeptical/hostile when there is a perceived conflict

13. Responding to Evangelical Climate Denial: #5 Engage the Theology Brian Webb When conversations turn political, divert back to theology or ethics Gain a basic understanding of key evangelical theological barriers & responses

14. Theological Responses to Evangelical Climate Denial Brian Webb • Our Special Status counterargument: • Biblical model of leadership (Phil 2:5-8) • Earth belongs to God (Psalm 24:1); We are stewards (Gen 2:15) • God called earth “good” (Gen 1); Do we want to destroy something he called good?

15. Theological Responses to Evangelical Climate Denial Brian Webb • God’s Sovereignty counterargument: • Does God control everything? Or are there decisions we can make on our own? And if so, might those decisions have consequences? • Isn’t it possible that God might allow us to suffer the consequences of our own addictive patterns of consumption? • Fear of Pantheism counterargument: • This represents a tiny minority of those concerned with environmental issues

16. Theological Responses to Evangelical Climate Denial Brian Webb • End-Times counterargument: • Many theological interpretations that do not hold to a belief in a destroyed earth • Even if the earth is destroyed, would it be our place to destroy it? Or should we leave it to God’s timing and methods? • With extremists you may just have to concede this argument • Distrust of Scientists: • Where is the theological conflict with the scientific evidence of climate change?

17. Thank you Brian Webb Brian Webb: brian.webb@houghton.edu • Resources: • Young Evangelicals for Climate Action • Evangelical Environmental Network • A Climate for Change by Katherine Hayhoe • Between God & Green by Katharine Wilkinson • Global Warming & the Risen Lord by Jim Ball • Resisting the Green Dragon • Cornwall Alliance