Climate change is widely recognized as one of the most, if not the most pressing challenge facing humanity at the present time. The crisis has brought forth a variety of responses from government, business and not-for-profit organisations as well as many faith-based and political traditions.

Because of this widespread consensus it is unlikely that a Christian response to climate change will be unique, at least in its practices and to a large extent in its final objectives. However, any such response should be distinctly Christian; it should be expressed in ways which arise from and resonate with the broader theological tradition and any action should be consistent with a holistic vision of Christian discipleship and our call to engage our world with the love and truth of Jesus.

A useful starting point is the fifth mark of mission as articulated by the Anglican Communion namely, “To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.”

The fact that this mark is listed as five of five does not necessarily suggest ordering or priority. However, it does alert us that action on climate change must happen alongside and not be a substitute for other aspects of Christian life and witness including evangelism, discipleship, care and advocacy. While such action is rightly the concern of the whole body of Christ, the diversity of gifts, experience and passions within the body means that different individuals may legitimately express this common calling in different ways. All will be called to live thoughtfully and wisely in their use of resources and some will be called into particular areas such as campaigning and policy development.

By speaking of “creation” the mark of mission names something distinctive about a Christian approach to climate change. The cosmos in which we live is neither accidental nor necessary; it is the gracious gift of the God in whom we live and move and have our being. In Genesis 1 and 2 this is expressed in God speaking creation into being. God’s word both gives life and bestows on creation the power to generate life. Within the broader witness of Scripture and Christian tradition creation is understood as arising from the intra-Trinitarian life of God. Particularly when we come to the New Testament passages such as Colossians 1:15-20 and Romans 8:18-27 relate creation to the reconciling work of the Son and the renewing witness of the Spirit. In that sense the destiny of creation should not be considered apart from God’s plan to gather a people under the Lordship of Christ.

The “integrity” of creation can be understood as referring to its order, its value in and of itself. In Genesis 1 and 2 this order is expressed through the separation of the distinct parts of creation and the naming of the beasts of the field and the birds of the air by humanity. In other texts such as Genesis 8:22 and Acts 14:17 order is discerned in the regular succession of seasons. In passages such as Job 38 and 39 we encounter a wilder order that defies easy classification, and which inspires awe rather than analysis. In all these dimensions creation speaks of the One who created it. Scripture suggests that such speech goes beyond the mere conveying of information to include other speech-acts such as praise (eg. Psalm 96:11-12) and lament (Hosea 4:1-3).

In speaking of “safeguarding” the integrity of creation the mark of mission reflects the Lord’s commission in Genesis 2:15 to “till and keep” the garden. The first verb is often used for cultivating the soil but can also be used in a religious context for serving God; the second verb has the usual sense of guarding something from danger or threat. This priestly or protective vocation needs to be set alongside Genesis 1:26-28 which speaks in royal terms of humans subduing the earth and having dominion over the non-human creation. Rather than allowing one image to dominate the other Christopher Wright suggests that we have the basis for ecological ethics and action as servant-kingship – responsibility exercised for the good of all creation. It is not difficult to discern here a parallel with the ministry of Jesus Christ, who rather than using his divine status as a basis for self-advancement exercised power for the sake of others and to combat those forces which threatened their destruction.

Finally, in its reference to sustaining and renewing the life of the earth the mark of mission appears to echo Psalm 104:30. The Psalm as a whole praises God for caring for the diversity of creation in the present but in its final verse (verse 35) it looks forward to a future time of judgement when sinners will vanish from the earth and the wicked will be no more. Elsewhere in the Psalms (e.g. Psalm 96) the creation is portrayed as rejoicing in the coming judgement of God. In the New Testament the resurrection of Christ is the first fruits of a new heaven and a new earth in which the effects of human rebellion are overcome and the original purposes of creation are restored. Within the New Testament different threads emphasise either the continuity or the discontinuity between this creation and the creation that is coming. In any case there is sufficient continuity that our present acts of faithfulness and justice have lasting significance and sufficient discontinuity that what is still to come far surpasses what we could ever imagine.

So what do these foundations suggest for climate action?
First, they call us to climate action that is responsible. We acknowledge the impact that our behaviour, individually and collectively, has on the well-being of all creation. We take seriously the potential of humans to reinforce creational order or to introduce and spread disorder. Rather than blaming others or waiting for them to take action we see ourselves as accountable for what we do with the knowledge, the opportunities and the influence God has given us.

The Lambeth Call on the Environment and Sustainable Development puts it well:
“We contribute to the problem. We contribute to the solution. We are both local and global. We connect with one another, share our experiences and can leverage our networks and Anglican identity to mobilise for action. We do not speak from just one position but from many. We do not only speak to others; we speak also to ourselves. We are all part of the web of God’s creation for ‘in God all things in heaven and earth were created, things visible and invisible’ (Colossians 1:16). And we are called now to act together for the sake of all humanity, for all creation, and our shared home, planet earth.”

Second, we are called to climate action that is relational. This means first of all our relationship to God. Climate action is not a means of asserting our independence from God but of expressing our vocation before God. In some sense, it means being toward the rest of creation as God in Christ has been towards us.

Climate action is also a call to be in relationship with our neighbour. In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus reminds us that being a neighbour is not about where we choose to live but about whose needs we choose to recognise and address. Here our neighbours include our fellow Anglicans in the South Pacific, who are most at risk from rising sea levels, and future generations who will be deprived of safety and security if we fail to take action.

In their Joint Message for the Protection of Creation, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch draw on the Scriptures as follows: “The Concept of stewardship – of individual and collective responsibility for our God-given endowment – presents a vital starting point for social, economic and environmental sustainability. In the New Testament, we read of the rich and foolish man who stores great wealth of grain while forgetting about his finite end (Lk 12.13-21). We learn of the prodigal son who takes his inheritance early, only to squander it and end up hungry (Lk 15.11-32) We are cautioned against adopting short term and seemingly inexpensive options of building on sand, instead of building on rock for our common home to withstand storms (Mt 7.24-27). These stories invite us to adopt a broader outlook and recognise our place in the extended story of humanity.”

A relational approach to climate action undertakes it not only for the sake of community but in community. Collaboration and partnership within and outside the church not only maximises the effectiveness of any initiatives but also reduces the risk of polarisation that occurs when action is regarded as the prerogative or passion of any particular group or ideology.

Finally, we are called to climate action that is hopeful. This is in contrast to the despair which assumes that all action is futile or the complacency that assumes that God will somehow rescue us from the consequences of our inaction. It is grounded in the conviction that God works in and through people. It rejoices that the same Spirit who sustains the life of creation inspires believers to lives that bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, justice and generosity. It looks for the signs of new creation in the midst of this one and trusts that the Judge of all the earth will do what is right for it and all its inhabitants.