Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, author and climate activist, discusses the importance of integrating climate action into faith. He shares his journey from skepticism to curiosity about climate change rooted in Christianity. The work of Evangelical Environmental Network and Young Evangelicals for Climate Action in addressing climate change is explored. The link between the planet's health and the church's health is discussed, along with the hope for a new creation. The role of imagination in building hope and motivating action is emphasized.
Imagination plays a crucial role in motivating climate action and offers hope for a sustainable future.
By combining faith and climate action, Christians can inspire others and invite them to create a more just and sustainable future.
Deep dives
The Power of Imagination in Addressing Climate Change
Imagination is a vital tool in addressing climate change and integrating climate action into our lives. It allows us to envision the kind of world we want to live in and create. This requires moving beyond technical discussions and statistics and exercising our imagination muscles. By asking questions like 'What kind of world do you want to live in?' and 'What kind of world do you want to create?', we can tap into our creativity and envision a more sustainable and inclusive future. Imagination plays a crucial role in motivating action and offering hope in the face of the climate crisis.
The Role of Pastors in Addressing Climate Change
Pastors have a responsibility to challenge their congregations on climate change and the gospel. While this task can be challenging, they need to find ways to communicate the message of climate action in a way that connects with their congregants' values and concerns. It is important to meet people where they are and find connections between climate change and the things that already matter to them. By emphasizing the values of the congregation and showing how climate action aligns with those values, pastors can inspire their congregants to live more deeply into their faith and make a difference in the world.
Advocacy as Evangelism
Engaging in advocacy and climate action can be a form of evangelism. When Christians advocate for environmental policies or engage in activities like gardening with the hope of God's coming kingdom and the name of Jesus, their actions become proclamations of good news for the whole creation. By demonstrating care for the poor, vulnerable, and the environment, Christians embody the teachings of Jesus and bring hope and transformation to the world. Combining faith and climate action in this way can inspire others and invite them to participate in creating a more just and sustainable future.
Building Imagination and Hope Through Community
Imagination and hope thrive within the context of community. Coming together in community allows for the practice of imagination and the sharing of stories and experiences. By creating spaces where individuals can explore their stories, values, and concerns, it becomes easier to cultivate imagination and envision a better future. Sharing stories and experiences, whether through activities like marching or gardening, can be a form of evangelism, communicating the good news of the kingdom of God to all creation. Community offers support, connection, and the opportunity for collective action, making imagination and hope more accessible and sustainable.
When Kyle Meyaard-Schaap joins a climate march or calls a senator to talk about his concerns about climate change, he sees it as an act of evangelism. His new book Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action tells the story of how he came to understand that acting on climate is necessary and urgent and that it fits within the call to follow Jesus. He tells some of his story here and also talks about parenting, imagination, and the role a pastor can play in bringing about the change we hope to see.