Christian views on environmentalism vary greatly amongst different Christians and Christian denominations.
Green Christianity is a broad field that encompasses Christian theological reflection on nature, liturgy, and spiritual practices centered on environmental issues, as well as Christian-based activism in the environmental movement. Within the activism arena, green Christianity refers to a diverse group of Christians who emphasize the biblical or theological basis for protecting, celebrating and partnering with the environment. The term indicates not a particular denomination but a shared territory of concern.
In the 21st century, and in response to the crises of nature and climate, many major Christian denominations recognise the Biblical calling for responsible—even sacrificial—care of, and partnership with the rest of God's Creation, primarily interpreted as referring to life on Earth. Some branches of Christianity have become environmentally aware relatively recently and such ideas may not be followed by all members and parishioners. According to some social science research, conservative Christians and members of the Christian right are typically less concerned about issues of environmentalism than the general public, and some fundamentalist Christians deny global warming and climate change.Sherkat, D. E., and C. G. Ellison. 2007. Structuring the religion-environment connection: identifying religious influences on environmental concern and activism. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 46:71–85.Peterson, M. N., and J. Liu. 2008. Impacts of religion on environmental worldviews: the Teton Valley case. Society and Natural Resources 21:704–718.
The Christian liturgical calendar honors September 1 as the Feast of Creation and the subsequent time until October 4 as Creationtide.
Roots of modern debate The status of nature in Christianity has been hotly debated, primarily since Lynn Townsend White Jr. delivered a lecture on the subject to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1966, which was subsequently published in the journal Science. In the article, White places blame for the modern ecological crisis on Christian beliefs perpetuated from the Middle Ages. His conclusion is primarily due to the dominance of the Christian worldview in the West, which is exploitative of nature in an unsustainable manner.Gary Steiner, 2004, Descartes as a Moral Thinker: Christianity, Technology, Nihilism], Humanity Books, 219. He asserts that Judeo-Christians are anti-ecological, hostile towards nature, and imposed a division between humans and soul with an attitude to exploit nature in an unsustainable way, where people thought of themselves as separate from nature. This exploitative attitude, combined with technology in the industrial revolution, wreaked havoc on the ecology. Colonial forestry is a prime example of this destruction of ecology and native faiths.Gregory Allen Barton, 2002, Empire Forestry and the Origins of Environmentalism, Page 165. White concluded that Western Christianity bears a substantial "burden of guilt" for the contemporary environmental crisis.
The many nationally-based grassroots movements of green or eco-Christians, such as Eco-Church [England & Wales] EcoCongregation Scotland, 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. The 'rule' of humanity, historically taken to justify domination, is then interpreted after the model of Jesus 'servant leadership', of a 'good shepherd' who lays down their life for the sheep [Matthew 20]. 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.
Basic beliefs Christianity has a long historical tradition of reflection on nature and human responsibility, while historically having a strong tendency toward anthropocentrism. It should be said that the spirituality of Christians in indigenous cultures sees creation without this polarisation of human and other 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. Christian environmentalists emphasize the ecological responsibilities of all Christians as partners and guardians of all life on God's earth.
Beginning with the verse Genesis 1:26–28, God instructs humanity to manage the creation in particular ways.
Adam's early purpose was to give care to the Garden of Eden:
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. Leviticus 25:23 states:
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. Due to these positions, many Christian environmentalists have broken ties with conservative political leaders.Evangelical Environmental Network
Beliefs by Christian denomination
Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion (including the Episcopal Church) has strong beliefs about the need for environmental awareness and actions. Reducing carbon footprints and moving toward sustainable living are priorities. 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.Pepinster, Catherine. (2020). "Church should be 'bolder' on the environment". The Tablet ARC website, ARC has closed after 23 years, article dated June 27, 2019 From 2024, the Anglican Church has had an environmental programmeChurch of England website, Environment Programme which supports the Anglican Communion Environmental Network Anglican Communion website, Anglican Communion Environmental Network including initiatives such as Eco Church with network A Rocha. Eco Church website
Eastern Orthodox Churches Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, has voiced support for aspects of the environmentalist movement.Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril chapter author (editors: Kathleen Dean Moore and Michael P. Nelson) Bartholomew I author with Pope John Paul II, Trinity University Press (2010) Fr. John Chryssavgis serves as advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch, currently Bartholomew I, on environmental issues such as global warming. Bartholomew I views climate change as a spiritual and ethical issue, stating that addressing it requires global collaboration and drastic lifestyle changes, as it affects everyone and cannot be ignored.
Orthodox Christian theology is generally more mystical than the traditions which developed in the Christian West, emphasizing the renewal and transfiguration of the whole creation through Christ's redemptive work. Many Eastern Christian monastics, such as those at Mount Athos, are known for cultivating unusually close relationships with wild animals.
Oriental Orthodox Churches Armenian Apostolic Church
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. Under Catholicos Karekin II, the Armenian Church produced a seven-year ecological action plan.
Ethiopian Orthodox 'Tewahedo' Church
Traditionally, Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries and some churches have preserved small sacred forests around their buildings in memory of the Garden of Eden. This has allowed many endangered species to survive where their habitat has otherwise been lost.
Evangelical Lutheran Churches Evangelical 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. By integrating these principles into their faith practice, Lutherans strive to fulfill their calling to care for God's creation and promote sustainable living practices for the flourishing of all life on earth.
Major Lutheran Synods acknowledge that the Bible calls to care for God's creation, and that the dominion that God gave his human creatures has often been abused to the detriment of creation: loss of biodiversity, resource depletion, environmental damage, etc. Christians are called to live according to God's wisdom in creation with his other creatures and as such, sustainable living is needed.
Lutherans draw upon Genesis 2:15 and Psalm 24:1 (see above) which emphasize the importance of respecting and safeguarding God's creation. Additionally, Lutherans frequently cite passages such as Romans 8:19–22, which speaks of creation eagerly awaiting its redemption from bondage to decay. This passage underscores the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world, highlighting the shared destiny of all creation in God's redemptive plan. It prompts believers to work towards the restoration and reconciliation of all things, including the environment, in anticipation of God's ultimate renewal of creation.
In the Lutheran theology, the concept of vocation plays a significant role in shaping attitudes towards care of Creation. Martin Luther emphasized the idea that every Christian has a vocation or calling, and this includes responsibilities towards the care of creation. Thus, for Lutherans, environmental stewardship is not merely an optional virtue but an essential aspect of faithful Christian living.
Reformed (Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, and Congregationalist) Churches Care for Creation remains a deep commitment for many Presbyterians. Many mid-twentieth century progressive conservationists were Presbyterian or raised in the Presbyterian faith.
Naturalist John Muir and landscape artist William Keith were raised in staunch Calvinist Presbyterian homes in Scotland during the nineteenth century. With Presbyterian photographer Carleton Watkins, they built public support for the US national parks. Their reformed spiritual upbringing informed their ideas about nature and that humanity's role was as God's keeper of the land.
Calvinist theology, which emphasizes God's sovereignty over creation, inspired such environmentalists to see God's glory in nature. Seeing that Calvinists, like Presbyterians, believe in God's sustaining power, they consider that the Divine intimately relates to the created order through providence. 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. The Westminster Confession of Faith echoes this teaching in the first chapter on holy scripture and the fourth on creation.
Quakerism The Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, has a history of environmental concern. 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. Numerous organizations and initiatives unite Quakers in the cause of environmental sustainability.