Why Churches Should Be Talking About the Environment

Sermons about the environment are not common in American churches. At a time when companies are increasingly concerned about sustainability, individuals are more and more engaged in conversations about climate change, and members of the younger generation express feelings of “climate anxiety,” some may say the church’s approach could be characterized as avoidant.

The reasons why some churches are disengaged with the environmental conversation are numerous, and not difficult to guess. For starters, in the United States, environmental dialogue is often characterized as political or controversial. Furthermore, some pastors or church leaders might question whether this topic is relevant or of spiritual significance. However, these reasons are more closely related to how our relationship with creation has been framed in American culture, rather than God’s design for creation. Read More

My university's Baptist campus ministry found that it was making little headway with students concerned about the environment until it began to take an active interest in their concerns, allow them to use its facilities for their meetings, and participate in their environmental clean-up and recycling projects.