Preach the Gospel at all times. If absolutely necessary, use carbon.mp3

If you’re an avid reader of the comments that are posted on our website each week you’ll be aware that, according to one contributor, there are: ‘Ten Top Subjects About Which Christianity Has No Contribution To Make’. Unfortunately, for some Christians, one of these subjects is combating climate change. These Christians take the view that because a day is coming when God will completely destroy this planet, there is no need for us to expend our energies in looking after it – we should simply get on with the business of what they call ‘evangelism’.

I’m glad that most British evangelicals do not see things this way. Rather, in response to God’s command to love our neighbour, there is a recognition that caring for our natural resources is precisely what we, as Christians, should be doing. This is especially the case because of the disproportionate impact of global warming on the poor. Given all this, Tearfund, the largest evangelical aid agency in the UK, launched their Carbon Fast campaign this week. The idea behind the campaign is that instead of giving up chocolate or television for Lent why not go on a carbon fast for the 40 days up to Easter? Tearfund make a range of practical suggestions on what this might mean: removing one light bulb, snubbing plastic bags, turning down your thermostat and so on.

Now, of course, many of these suggestions are what we should all be doing all the time and not just as an extra effort for the days of Lent. Tearfund are not suggesting that it is acceptable for us to go back to our previous habits after Lent. What they are hoping is that adopting these ideas for this period may lead us to make them ongoing lifestyle habits.

It would seem, then, that contrary to the views of some, Christians do at least have a contribution to make to combating climate change. Moreover, this is not a distraction from the gospel of Jesus Christ, but is precisely what proclaiming the good news of Jesus is all about. When Jesus left his disciples, the instruction he gave them, the so-called ‘Great Commission’, was not simply to persuade people to believe a different set of doctrines. Rather the instruction was to make disciples (i.e. followers) who ‘obey everything I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:20). According to Jesus, these commands were summed up in this: love God, and love your neighbour.

In other words, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ has to include both teaching and demonstrating (for that is often the best way to teach) his command to love all. Hence, turning off a light bulb in the name of Jesus, far from being a distraction from the gospel, is rather an important part of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and may turn out to be the best ‘evangelistic’ strategy we have.*

* For further exploration on the interaction of ‘social action’ and ‘evangelism’ by Justin Thacker, see here.

Justin Thacker, Head of Theology

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