Communicate with prophetic urgency the need to respond faithfully to the climate emergency with a clear, relatable, and compassionate proclamation.
To understand and respond faithfully to the challenge of climate change, our members must hear a message grounded in both theology and science, informed by the Wesleyan/Methodist tradition’s integration of theological, scientific, and practical wisdoms that unite knowledge and vital piety for the sake of the holistic transformation of hearts, minds, and bodies.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt 9:36). Amid today’s multiple interrelated global crises (which include climate change), many in our churches and communities feel confused, afraid, in conflict with those who think differently, angry, or in despair. False shepherds abound. It is essential in this context for church leaders to preach and teach the core message of the gospel in a way that meets distress with comfort, falsehood with truth, and suffering with compassion.
Although climate scientist and evangelical Christian Katherine Hayhoe has said that the most important thing we can do about climate change is to talk about it, even people who are concerned about it may avoid the topic in church rather than bring up something that could seem controversial or political. It is imperative that the message they hear from their spiritual leaders helps them understand that climate change is also a moral and spiritual problem by preaching and talking about creation and threats to creation in new ways by emphasizing faithful relationships with God and neighbor in the context of the whole community of life rather than solely on technological problems or solutions. Then our churches could become a refuge where people can learn within a supportive community and draw on resources of faith in this time of ecological unravelling.
When church leaders facilitate this process by preaching about it and initiating intentional conversations in a framework of faith, they will enable people to face, learn, discuss, process, and discern God’s call to respond to climate change and other challenges. As United Methodists, we have just such a framework in the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, which offers the perspectives of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience through which to explore the issues, seek truth, and discern a response. This tool of discernment is a means of spiritual formation that fosters a path to discipleship for the transformation of the world.
If the people are to face the urgency and extent of harm, hard truths will have to be spoken clearly and prophetically. This could include drawing on conference members with scientific or other expertise to contribute their knowledge and share the message. Church leaders, through their preaching and teaching, have the opportunity to challenge the underlying values, ideology, and worldview of the global system that perpetuate climate change and other harms. This is possible because we have alternative values and another worldview to proclaim that is shaped by Jesus’ example of Beloved Community and his vision of the Reign of God, the world as God intends for it to be.
FossilFreeUMC 