- Episode AI notes
- There is a scientific consensus on the impact of fossil fuels on the environment. The convenience of relying on fossil fuels makes it difficult to accept alternative solutions. Personal biases can influence understanding and acceptance of scientific evidence. The main issue is not the science, but what actions to take. Some find religious texts like the Bible as guidance for environmental stewardship.
- Climate scientist Catherine Hejo is considered a hero in the field. Catherine Hejo is an evangelical Christian and a top climate scientist. Catherine Hejoās husband is a mega church pastor in Texas. Catherine Hejo refers to the climate crisis as a threat multiplier. The climate crisis affects various aspects of peopleās lives, including crops, water, and housing.
- Creation should be valued and loved more. Caring for the environment is important regardless of personal preferences. Conservative Christians have shown imagination in caring for the unborn. The climate crisis will affect future generations. Considering our legacy and the impact on future generations is crucial.
- These intimate issues such as daily routines and habits are connected to our lives as human beings. Responding faithfully to the climate crisis provides opportunities to put our faith into practice in various aspects of our lives. Addressing the climate crisis can help us grow in our love for Jesus in a practical way. Acknowledging the discomfort and embracing change is crucial when it comes to making a difference in addressing issues like climate change.
- The speaker wrote emails to the school board and prayed for protection of their kids. The speaker believes that making big structural changes is worth the political action. The speaker also contacted Amazon to request the use of electric delivery vehicles. The speaker believes that individual Christians have power to be involved in the political process. The speaker highlights the relevance of worldview in understanding oneās stance on global warming.
Recipes for vegetarian dishes can be enjoyable. Creating a cookbook in your church can foster a sense of community. You donāt have to fully embrace veganism to make a positive impact. Following Jesus is challenging, but change happens gradually. TimeĀ 0:00:00
Consensus on Climate Change and the Role of Belief There is a strong scientific consensus on climate change, with the evidence being clear. However, the challenge lies in the inconvenience of transitioning away from fossil fuels. The quote āItās very hard to get someone to understand something when their salary depends on them not understanding itā reflects the reluctance to accept the scientific consensus due to personal interests. The speaker emphasizes that the issue is more about what actions to take rather than the science itself. They personally view the climate issue as a matter of faith, citing the scriptures as promoting Godās creation and restoration, and inviting humans to participate in this work.
Speaker 1
Industry. And itāll seem like itās like, ah, itās 50 50. But itās the closest thing thereās thereās ever been to a scientific consensus. So I just, yeah, we donāt have any, we have any really good reason to doubt it. Okay. Itās, itās just that like our whole world is built on fossil fuels. So it is tremendously inconvenient. Right. Thereās an old quote I really like that says, um, itās very hard to get someone to understand something when their salary depends on them, not understanding it.
Speaker 2
I would even add when their comfort just depends on them understanding it, right? Exactly.
Speaker 1
And I got to be honest with ourselves, like, is this really a scientific issue for you? And for most of us, itās really not. Itās, um, I think the science is really clear. Itās a question of like, what do we do about it? Right. And, um, and so I think for me though, itās not so much about the science because I think the science is really clear, but itās really more about the Bible. For me, it is really seeing that if you, you look at the scriptures and you see from the beginning to the end, from Genesis to Revelation, itās this picture of Godās loving creation and Then restoration of creation and his invitation to us to join in that work. Right. But itās also interesting because, um, I think we need toImpact of Climate Crisis on Various Issues Climate scientist Catherine Hejo, an evangelical Christian married to a mega church pastor, refers to the climate crisis as a threat multiplier, indicating that it exacerbates various issues. The climate crisis can lead to issues such as crop failure, water scarcity, and displacement of people in low-lying areas like Bangladesh due to rising sea levels. This impacts areas such as social work with immigrants and refugees, as well as aligning with biblical principles of caring for foreigners and sojourners.
Speaker 1
Yeah. I think one of my heroes on this is a climate scientist named Catherine Hejo. Okay. And so I want to like just tell your listeners like Iām glad youāre listening to us today, but really she listened to Catherine Hejo. Sheās amazing because sheās actually an evangelical Christian and sheās one of the top climate scientists out there. And sheās married to a mega church pastor in Texas. Oh, wow.
Speaker 2
Oh, thatās really interesting.
Speaker 1
They got to talk about that in their marriage. So you can Google her last name is H-A-Y-H-O-E.
Speaker 2
Iāll put some links in the show notes.
Speaker 1
But she calls the climate crisis a threat multiplier. So basically anything you care about is going to make it worse. And so you could talk about so many different things. Iāll just talk about one thing because my wife is a social worker and she works with immigrants and refugees, which is close to Godās heart. Just read the Old Testament. The foreigner and the sojourner within your gates. Right there in the Ten Commandments. But one of the things that is very likely to happen because the climate crisis is going to mean peopleās crops stop growing properly. It means thereās not water anymore. It means that like if youāre in Bangladesh, it means your house is probably underwater.The Moral Imagination of Caring for Future Generations The speaker has come to love creation more and expresses care for the climate crisis, likening it to the conservative Christian care for the unborn. They emphasize the importance of caring for future generations, highlighting the moral imagination it takes to do so, and express concern for their own children and potential climate refugees in the future.
Speaker 1
And so thatās, you know, I have, you know, since Iāve been thinking about this, I have come to love creation more. You know, I go on prayer walks and sometimes I even hug the redwood trees on my prayer walk. You know, I do. I see your tree hugger. Iām a tree hugger for Jesus. Itās all good. But, you know, I donāt think you have to even be a tree hugger or even like hiking or whatever. You just have to actually care about those hundred million climate. Yeah. Yeah. And actually, I think thatās something that conservative Christians like me have done really well, that theyāve had the imagination to care about the unborn. Hmm.
Speaker 2
You know, think about the moral imagination that takes to care about people who arenāt even born yet, who youāre probably never going to meet.
Speaker 1
But I think Christians have really cared about that particular issue. And the climate crisis is a little bit like that because when this gets really bad, this is going to be our kids and grandkids generation, you know, speaking from someone whoās like 50 Some years old. And so, you know, I think a lot about my legacy. I think about my kids are 18 and 20 right now. Um, in 2050 when Iām 80 and if there really are these hundred million climate refugees, if there really are wars that are happening over water, if there reallyEveryday Choices as Discipleship Opportunities The small, intimate issues in life such as bathroom habits, driving, heating the house, and daily routines are seen as discipleship issues that connect us as human beings. Responding faithfully to the climate crisis provides an opportunity to practice and live out our faith in everyday activities, making a difference and growing in love for Jesus in practical ways.
Speaker 1
So, but you know, like, you know, the small things like, you know, where I met raw, we were at a conference and we were talking about silly stuff, like getting a bidet.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1
Itās the same.
Speaker 2
And I got one. It was 30. Okay. I only wanted the group that hasnāt gotten one yet. Yeah. You got to my wife yet. Yeah, you want, you wonāt go back.
Speaker 1
But you know, so itās, itās funny, these very intimate issues, like how you poop and how you drive and how you heat up your house and how you take a hot shower and what you eat for dinner. Like these are, these are discipleship issues that are ultimately created, intimately connected to us as, as human beings. So actually think this is an opportunity to grow as disciples and to meet God in, in the day to day, you know, it makes, I think thereās a lot of, you know, itās rightly the cliche that Christianity Is in a Sunday only religion, right? That we follow Jesus day to day. And so I think if we respond faithfully to the climate crisis, weāre going to see how our faith can be put into practice all the time as how we get to work, how we, you know, take a shower before Work, what we feed our kids, all of these things become discipleship issues and become opportunities to make a difference and to grow in our love for Jesus in a super practical way.
Speaker 2
Youāre hitting a chord though, right? And weāre hitting that chord of uncomfortableness, of change of, Iām comfortable living this way.Using Political Action and Corporate Influence to Address Environmental Concerns Engaging in political action by contacting school boards and big corporations, such as Amazon, is seen as essential in effecting big structural changes and addressing environmental concerns. The speaker emphasizes the power of individual Christians to influence corporate behavior and participate in the political process, in addition to dealing with personal environmental responsibilities.
Speaker 2
We wrote the emails to the school board.
Speaker 1
We prayed over those emails again, a Jesus name or Jesus. Would you just like protect our kids or would you do this? And so when you make the big structural change, thatās many, many years and miles of picking up kids. So I think the political action is worth it. The other thing we did is we we we sent emails and made phone calls to Amazon. Because you know, Iām an Amazon Prime member. Political action includes these big corporations, which are part of our lives. And we just told them like, Hey, Amazon, when you deliver my my products, could you send it in an electric delivery vehicle? Like, can you not burn carbon? And you can afford it. And actually Amazon has invested in an electric company. And so now Iām starting to see these things. And so I think we have a lot of power, even as individual Christians, to not just deal with our personal eyes. Oh, thatās important. But to even be involved in the political process too, which gets around some of the sort of nasty national polarized politics that maybe we rightfully want to avoid. Excellent.
Speaker 2
So I was prepping. I mentioned you before we got on that I discussed this a little bit in my worldview class at the university saying, how does worldview impact our understanding on what side of the Iowa We might be on on global warming?Embracing Vegetarian Options with Grace Finding enjoyable vegetarian options is possible, and it doesnāt have to be miserable or require a drastic lifestyle change. Creating and sharing recipes within a community can make the experience communal and enjoyable. Small steps towards embracing plant-based foods are helpful, and the journey of change can be taken āat the speed of graceā within a church community.
Speaker 1
I donāt even like, I donāt I donāt have good vegetarian like stuff that I actually like.
Speaker 2
Yeah, me neither. Right.
Speaker 1
So if youāre a church, Iām finding stuff that I do like, like I got these recipes now that I go to and Iām actually into like as a Taco Bell meat lover, I confess to you, Rob, that now I really Like these broccoli fritters I make. Wow. Okay. And Iām pretty good at it and I can make these for my church. So it is doable. You donāt have to like itās not it doesnāt have to be miserable. You donāt have to be a self righteous vegan or something. You can create a cookbook in your church. Okay. And these kind of personal things can not just be personal, but they can be communal as well. And what youāre saying, you can be just as tasty and fun. Okay.
Speaker 2
And what youāre saying is you donāt have to go all the way. You just may come, you donāt have to become a vegan. Just every little bit is helpful.
Speaker 1
Thatās right. And what we say in our church is we we try to move at the speed of grace. Okay. You know, it is true. Take up your cross and follow me following Jesus is hard. But you know, we also God changes us step by step.
