Where does the church fit into the discussion of climate change?
How should the church approach climate change?
Jim Antal calls the church out to proclaim the Good News and the responsibility it has to care for creation. No matter what denomination you fins yourself in, the call to protect and restore creation should be the responsibility of all who claim to follow Jesus. His call for the church to redefine itself can seem overwhelming. However, younger generations are coming to a greater understanding of the environment than those who want to stick to tradition in the church. If the church is not willing to address climate change then many in the younger generations are willing to let the church slip by.
Antal writes, “A final cornerstone for a repurposed church concerns the next basic moral instruction of both the New Testament and Hebrew Scripture–a moral instruction found at the core of every world religion. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves; and on the E-a-a-r-t-h (see page 13), we must recognize that future generations are no less our neighbors than those who live next door today.” (page 58)
Antal does not only believe the church is at the point to make a difference in the way we interact with the environment, but also provides stories and actions that can be taken. Sharing a conversation he had with Bill McKibben back in 2007 is a basis for his argument. He believes the church was born for such a time as this and has a history of confronting such challenges.
This is a great resource for pastors and teams in a congregation who are hoping to make such a change and encourage others to do so. It is well written and could be a great resource for team truly looking to love their neighbors as themselves.
Thanks to Speakeasy for the copy of this book and the opportunity to review
a mysterious way 