Climate Change
Disclaimer:
“These papers are made available on this website for the purpose of helping to ripen mature Christian opinion but the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria or its Church and Nation Committee.”
a) A Christian Response to Climate Change
Author: David Palmer
14th February 2007
Abstract:
This paper (35 pages) sets out to develop a Christian response to the claims of climate change, in particular global warming with feared knock on effects for weather patterns, ice caps and ocean sea levels.
We do so recognising that a variety of Christian responses are feasible.
It is acknowledged that climate change and possible responses to it, is more properly the domain of scientists, technologists, economists, corporations and governments. The Christian cannot claim a privileged position though the Bible does assist in the assessment of the issue, including possible remedial actions.
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b) Keep Cool
Author: David Palmer
5th February 2007
Published in March 2007 edition of Australian Presbyterian
Abstract:
The predictions of coming doom and climate-change calamity intoned almost nightly on our television news these days bears at least a superficial resemblance to the warnings of the prophets to errant Israel. Rarely has so much airtime been given to news that hasn’t actually happened yet.
The threat of climate changed seems to have given many people in the prosperous West a cause to live, or even crusade for, while other pressing problems such as poverty, disease, lack of sanitation and clean water, etc, often of much greater concern to the world’s poor, are ignored. It is one way to attempt to meet the deep spiritual need for purpose and significance beyond the existential emptiness of life lived without God.
Many Christians are naturally and deeply sceptical of the current environmental “apocalypticism”, that bears the hallmarks of a religion that substitutes the creation for the creator, that seeks to make preservation of the environment in remembered form or at least in its current configuration as the single most important issue pressing upon humankind, that ignores other pressing issues like disease and poverty in the developing world, that takes enormous conceits to itself regarding humankind’s ability to change the environment for better or for worse.
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