The Religion-Environment (Climate Change) Connection

Abstract

Following Lynn White’s thesis of 1967 which indicted some Christian values for the current ecological crisis, many studies have been conducted on the connection between religion and environment/ecological crisis. These studies have sought to know whether religious beliefs and values influence environmental/climate change perceptions of people. However, while these studies have been geographically biased, their results have remained inconclusive. This study therefore examined this age-long debate with evidence from Nigeria. The study involved 30 church leaders drawn from Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches in five geographical zones in Nigeria. The data was analyzed using descriptive analytical method. Findings show that religious values/schemas in forms of Eschatological/End-Time beliefs, Dominion beliefs, Theological fatalism, Pessimism etc. influenced climate change perceptions among the church leaders. The study also found that religious affiliation and theology mattered with respect to the influence of some religious beliefs. The implications of findings for the research on religion-environmental/climate change connection are discussed.

The Church Climate Action: Identifying the Barriers and the Bridges

“…In fact, a recent research on climate action among church leaders in Nigeria showed that climate action is generally poor both on church and individual levels among the participants in the study (see Nche, 2020a). More so, studies have shown that Pentecostal churches are generally lagging behind or silent on the issue of climate change and the need for mitigation and adaptation (see Nche, 2020b; Clifton, 2006; Pepper and Powell, 2013a, b; Swoboda, 2014, 2011). The barriers to effective church-based climate action are therefore the focus of the next section of this study.…”

“…Many studies have found this belief to discourage pro-environmental concerns and actions among many participants across many Christian denominations especially the Pentecostals, the Anglicans and the conservative Evangelicals (e.g. Barker and Bearce, 2012; Carr, 2010; Hendrickx and Nicolaij, 2004; Hope and Jones, 2014; Nche, 2020b; Routhe, 2013; Zaleha and Szasz, 2015 etc.). Eschatological/end-time-belief refers to the belief about last things (Landes, 2016).…”

“…Eschatological/end time beliefs discourage pro-environmental behaviours (Rosenau, 2015; Taylor et al, 2016b) in a sense that people who hold these beliefs see climate change alongside its impacts as a sign or fulfillment of end-time prophecies. To these people, therefore, there is no basis to worry or address it, they rather focus on improving their spiritual lives in preparation for the second coming ( parousia ) of Christ (Dowd and Hayhoe, 2015; Nche, 2020b).…”

“…Although criticisms came from the likes of Hiers (1984) and Nash (1991), who questioned White’s theological interpretation of the Genesis creation narrative as well as his historical interpretation of the relationship between religion and science, this belief stills emerges in some studies as one of the barriers to pro-environmental concern and action (see Brehm and Eisenhauer, 2006; Hand and Van Liere, 1984; Gladstone, 2014). For instance, in a study among church leaders in Nigeria, Nche (2020b) reported of a Catholic participant who insisted that the dominion mandate is clear about humans’ superiority and control of other creatures of the earth. Even though this participant, according to Nche, eventually expressed the desire to address climate change in the future, he generally performed poorly when told to report on his past and present climate actions.…”

“…Therefore, theological fatalism is a religio-philosophical doctrine that emphasises the subjugation of all events or actions to divinely orchestrated destiny. This doctrine stresses human helplessness or resignation in the face of some future events which are thought to be inevitable (Nche, 2020b; Silvestre, 2016). This theological disposition has been emerging in many studies among Christians of different denominations in different societies (see Nche, 2020b; Shehu and Molyneux-Hodgson, 2014; Shehu, 2015; Schuman et al, 2018; Meyer and Smith, 2019; Taylor et al, 2016a, b).…”