Does Christianity, and religion generally, naturally lead to skepticism and apathy towards climate change? We discuss the apocalypticism, otherworldliness, and the just-world belief of Christianity, and their effects on our priorities and beliefs. 

Blinded by Eschatological Light – William Bradford Nichols [Humanist]

Climate Change and Religion (Special Issue) – Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture [PDF]

Climate Change Skepticism and Denial – Riley Dunlap [PDF]

​​The Politics of Climate Change in the U.S. [Pew Research] 

GOP rep: If climate change is real, God will ‘take care of it’ [TheHill]

Jesus Christ’s Return to Earth [Pew Research]

Predictions and claims for the Second Coming of Christ [wiki]

Trump will start the end of the world, claim Evangelicals who support him [Newsweek] 

Charles MacKay – Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds [PDF]

Nietzsche and the Other World [YouTube] 

Philosophize This – Nietzsche and Otherworldliness [YouTube]

Potholer54 – Climate Change Playlist [YouTube]

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Though this episode focuses on the religious contribution to climate denial, that focus shouldn’t obscure the political and economic causes. My position is that Christianity, by its very nature, is fertile soil for climate denial, and that it makes the potential destruction of human life on earth seem like no big deal. The religion, by its various doctrines and dogmas, naturally leads to apathy, and to disbelief towards anything like climate change. However, I think climate change and our insane reaction to it so far is first and foremost a result of our political and economic system. You can’t disentangle religion from our political and economic system, and it deserves to be singled out because it does play a consequential role in the story that’s too often overlooked. If we weren’t so religious, I think we would be in significantly better shape regarding climate change. 

“Dark Money” Funds Climate Change Denial Effort [ScientificAmerican]

Following the Money that Undermines Climate Science [NYT]