Environmental awareness of Protestant youth in Germany: Perspectives from an empirical exploration

Climate change and environmental degradation are pressing issues in the 21st century, which have also been addressed by Christian churches. Christian congregations are expected to provide an important impetus towards a more sustainable way of life. However, in Germany, empirical data on how Christian congregations and their members relate to this issue are scarce. This article presents the first results of a quantitative study on this topic, in particular, with regard to the differences between age groups. The focus is on the perceived importance of environmental conservation, environmental awareness, and the opportunities and obstacles for the engagement of Christians in creation care. An online survey which was conducted in 2020 yielded 736 complete responses from members of the Protestant churches, 19.7% of which were from young people under 30 years. Regarding the perceived importance of environmental conservation and environmental awareness, the results were largely consistent with the data of a representative study on environmental awareness in Germany. The young generation showed slightly lower values than the older ones. Members of Protestant church seem to be more willing to behave sustainably than the general public, with the under 30 years old being in particular concerned about food consumption. Motivational and subcultural opportunities for Christian conservation efforts were identified. Obstacles were based primarily on eschatological views and the fear that other mandates of the church may be neglected. Regarding obstacles, young respondents showed a stronger approval than the older generations.Contribution: The article presents empirical evidence on the environmental awareness of Protestant Christians in Germany and identifies the opportunities and obstacles for their engagement in creation care.

Revealers, Skeptics, and Witnesses: Advancing a Witness Methodology in Ethnographic Theology and Ethics

Drawing on original ethnographic fieldwork with a Christian environmental initiative in Appalachia and Alabama, this article argues that moral theologians should conceive of ethnography as witnessing witnesses to aid and multiply witnesses. An ethnographic ‘witness methodology’ is contrasted with two other approaches that the author calls revealer and skeptic methodologies. This witness methodology is developed primarily by analyzing a creation care organization’s practice of citizen science in places devastated by coal mining and coal burning. The author develops the concept of witness by reflecting on his role in helping the organization develop a slogan to describe their work and how this slogan encapsulates their citizen science practice. Though developed primarily in conversation with the author’s fieldwork, the proposed witness methodology is also supported through dialogue with Scripture, Christian ethics, and cultural anthropology.

The God of the Covenant: Karl Barth on Creation Care

This article seeks to explore the identity of the Creator God in Karl Barth’s doctrine of creation. Attention is given to his understanding of the eternal covenant God has made with humanity and how we are cared for within a covenantal fellowship. The study also concerns itself with how Barth’s distaste for the notion of analogia entis is somewhat unsustained in his treatment of creation. I argue that, to some extent, the analogy of being vis-à-vis the cosmos is complementarily employed with analogia fides in Barth’s articulation of creation care. This is the case as he reconfigures the talk on creation rigidly in and through Jesus Christ as Creator and creature.

Reflections on Creation Care Through Critical Appropriation of Radical Orthodoxy

RésuméDeux tendances problématiques apparaissent souvent dans le discours théologique sur le soin à apporter à la création. Ou bien Dieu est considéré comme trop détaché de sa création, de sorte que la création se trouve objectifiée, ou bien Dieu est assimilé à la création, de sorte que la transcendance divine est niée. Cet article tire parti des apports de l’orthodoxie radicale, en proposant une position constructive moyenne entre ces deux tendances négatives. Je soutiendrai que la création ne doit ni être réduite à un produit de Dieu, ni considérée comme identique à Dieu. Bien plutôt, elle pointe vers Dieu et participe à la révélation de Dieu. Dieu se révèle par sa création qui présente des traces et des marques d’un créateur transcendant. Nous devons apprécier, garder et prendre soin de la création, non seulement comme des gérants responsables, mais comme ayant part au don divin qu’est la révélation.ZusammenfassungIm theologischen Diskurs über die Bewahrung der Schöpfung tauchen oft zwei problematische Trends auf: Entweder sieht man Gott als ganz und gar losgelöst von der Schöpfung, so dass die Schöpfung vergegenständlicht wird, oder man setzt Gott mit der Schöpfung gleich, so dass Gottes Transzendenz verloren geht. Dieser Aufsatz macht sich Erkenntnisse der Radical Orthodoxy zu eigen (Kritik des Säkularismus und der kantischen Metaphysik, Anm. d. Übers.) und schlägt eine vermittelnde konstruktive Position zwischen diesen beiden negativen Trends vor. Der Autor vertritt das Argument, dass die Schöpfung weder auf ein Produkt Gottes reduziert, noch als mit Gott identisch angesehen werden soll. Vielmehr weist dieselbe auf Gott hin und hat als eine Form seiner Offenbarung Anteil an ihm. Gott offenbart sich durch die Schöpfung, welche die Spuren und Kennzeichen eines transzendenten Schöpfers aufweist. Wir müssen die Schöpfung wertschätzen, bewahren und für sie Sorge tragen, und zwar nicht nur als verantwortliche Haushalter, sondern als Teilhaber am Geschenk der Offenbarung Gottes.SummaryTwo problematic tendencies often arise in theological discourse on creation care. God is either seen as too detached from creation, so that creation is objectified, or God is equated with creation itself, so that God’s transcendence is lost. This essay will appropriate insights from Radical Orthodoxy, suggesting a mediating, constructive position between these two negative tendencies. I will argue that creation should neither be reduced to a product of God nor regarded as identical to God. Rather, it points towards God and participates in God as his revelation. God discloses himself through creation, displaying the traces and markings of a transcendent Creator. We must cherish, guard and care for creation not simply as responsible stewards, but as participants of God’s gift of revelation.

Reformatie van de rentmeester. Een voorstel tot integratie van de zorg voor de schepping in gereformeerde theologie

Christians throughout the world feel the need to answer the questions arising from the climate debate. Orthodox-reformed theology in the Netherlands, however, pays these matters comparatively little attention. Three possible causes of this problem are: stewardship as discussed under the heading of creation; a certain slowness in consideration; and the suggestion that the Ten Commandments do not bear directly on this theme. This essay proposes a more integrated position. First, stewardship of the creation should be more closely linked to the image of God. Second, the Ten Commandments has the creation in view more often than assumed: ‘creation’ is also ‘your neighbour’. Third, in considering creation care as part of God’s ‘normal’ obligations towards us, the threefold function of the law must not be diminished.

Creation Care: A Call to Christian Educators and Church Leaders

Based upon the biblical mandate to care responsibly for creation, Christian educators and church pastors are in a unique position to influence their respective communities by developing and teaching values and practices that promote creation care. This article establishes the needed foundation for building ethical responsibility by addressing five primary areas that serve to advance the protection and preservation of the earth.