Christian Teenagers Believe Churches Should Do More on Climate

Thursday February 11 2021

New research has found that nine out of ten Christian teenagers surveyed are concerned about climate change, but just one in ten believe their church is doing enough to respond to the climate crisis.

The report, called Burning Down the House - How the Church Could Lose Young People Over Climate Inaction was conducted by international aid and development agency Tearfund alongside the Youthscape Centre for Research. 

A group of 630 British Christian young people aged between 14 and 19 completed the survey to share their views. Alongside the survey a group of 23 16 to 23-year-olds took part in a series of focus groups which explored the experiences of young Christian climate activists and young black Christians.

The survey also revealed that 86 per cent of the teenagers said their faith teaches them to care about injustice and 84 per cent said it's important that Christians respond to climate change.

Rebekah Wilson, 21, a medical student in Glasgow, who took part in the research, said: “By ignoring climate justice, or placing it lower on our priority lists, we are overlooking the very real concerns, livelihoods and lives of God’s children across the globe, who are currently harmed by climate change.

“We can no longer view climate change from our positions of privilege as an issue to postpone and solve for our children, but we must take urgent action to care for the people who are affected by it now.”

Dr Ruth Valerio, Director of Global Advocacy and Influencing at Tearfund, said: “This survey is clear: young people want the church to listen and act now. If it does not, it will fail the living planet that God loves and calls us to protect.

“Churches must use their platforms to listen to their young people and stand up for the most vulnerable in the world who are facing the climate crisis head-on with life threatening consequences like droughts, famines and more severe weather events.”

Post Tags: climate

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