With anthropogenic climate change remaining at the forefront of global debate, it is important to understand the influence on opinions of certain key demographics, such as those of Christians in the United States. In Christianity, there are conflicting doctrines – one suggesting humans’ dominion or ruling over nature and another suggesting humans are servants, stewards to nature. In order to sufficiently address this demographic, one must first determine the ways in which the relationship between Christianity and nature is framed throughout the Bible, thus allowing for conclusions to be drawn regarding humans’ true positionality regarding anthropogenic climate change. This paper uses critical and contextual analysis of religious text, specifically translations of keywords related to environmental and climate change from the Bible commonly used by Protestant Christians as well as the use of original Hebrew and Greek translations. Additionally, religious leaders from Catholic, Methodist, and Baptist backgrounds were interviewed regarding this paper’s topic. In a holistic context, results from this analysis found that the relationship between humans and nature throughout the Bible indicates that dominion and stewardship are not mutually exclusive and that evidence exists for humans’ responsibility to care for creation. According to the findings of this research, if newly framed doctrines are harnessed and taught correctly by Christian leaders, a larger portion of the U.S. Christian population may be more willing to take affirmative action in mitigating anthropogenic climate change.
Corinne Rogers, Geography and Environmental Science Major
Advisor(s): Marcia England, Department of Geography
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