The many nationally-based grassroots movements of green or eco-Christians, such as Eco-Church [6] [England & Wales] EcoCongregation Scotland, [7] and various organisations in mainland Europe and the global north would find themselves at odds with such a negative approach, preferring to see in the traditions and scriptures of mainstream Christianity a resource for discernment and spiritual resilience.
Attention to the semantic marginalisation of creation in 20th century translations leads in practice to activism based on faith, rather than Christians finding themselves constrained or limited by Enlightenment or colonial views of human relation to fellow creatures.
While some Christians favor a more biocentric approach, Catholic officials and others seek to retain an emphasis on humanity while incorporating environmental concerns within a framework of Creation Care.
(Genesis 2:15)Green Christians point out that the biblical emphasis is on safeguarding, not ownership – that the earth remains the Lord's (Psalms 24:1) and does not belong to its human inhabitants.
"[9]As a result of the teachings which emphasis relationship, partnership and safeguarding, Christian environmentalists oppose policies and practices that threaten the health or survival of the planet.
Of particular concern to such Christians are the current widespread reliance on non-renewable resources, habitat destruction, pollution, and all other factors that contribute to climate change or otherwise threaten the health of the ecosystem.
[11] The British have played a leading role in the modern environmentalist movement, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh created the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, which from 1995 to 2019 raised awareness of environmental issues and global warming in religious communities.
The late Catholicos Karekin I stated that the Armenian Apostolic Church is committed to the defense of creation because harming the gift of God is a sin when a man must care for it.
[22] Lutherans approach environmentalism with a deep-rooted theological framework that emphasizes the biblical mandate for stewardship, the interconnectedness of all creation, and the redemptive purpose of God's work in the world.
[29] Naturalist John Muir and landscape artist William Keith were raised in staunch Calvinist Presbyterian homes in Scotland during the nineteenth century.
In his Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin further taught that nature acted as the most apparent medium of God's revelation outside of scripture.
Inspired by the testimony of stewardship, Friends have sought to practice ethical economics and creation care since the earliest days of the Society's founding.
Quaker Earthcare Witness, founded in 1987 as the Friends Committee on Unity with Nature, is an organization which calls attention to the current ecological crises.
[34][35] Based on Quaker convictions, the organization argues that the deeper cause of environmental problems has resulted from a more profound spiritual crisis of human separation from the land.
[41] In his letter he also acknowledges some diversity within earlier Catholic thought: "Some committed and prayerful Christians, with the excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of concern for the environment [while others] are passive: they choose not to change their habits and thus become inconsistent".
Some prominent members of the Christian right political faction broke with the Bush administration and other conservative politicians over the issue of climate change.
According to the magazine, "Christians should make it clear to governments and businesses that we are willing to adapt our lifestyles and support steps towards changes that protect our environment.
[44] In reaction to the rise of environmentalism, many conservative evangelical Christians have embraced climate change denialism or maintained a neutral stance due to the lack of internal consensus on such issues.
The National Association of Evangelicals has stated that "global warming is not a consensus issue" and is internally divided on the Christian response to climate change.
][46] Mormon environmentalists find theological reasons for stewardship and conservationism through biblical and additional scriptural references including a passage from the Doctrine and Covenants: "And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion".
[52] A 2023 survey found that less than half of LDS Church members believe that climate change is caused by human activity and only one in ten view it as a crisis.
[54] Other initiatives include establishing Presbyterian Earth Care Congregations and Green Leaf Seal camps, which involve many member churches and conference centers across the United States.
It calls for a "lifestyle reformation ... based on respect for nature, restraint in using the world's resources, reevaluating one's needs, and reaffirming the dignity of created life.
"[60] In 2010, the Loma Linda University Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies was introduced to address the comparative lack of environmental concern among Christians in education, scientific research, and general awareness.