The Methodist Church in Britain hosts an Environment and Climate Change webpage. It supports the Church's target of becoming a new zero carbon emissions Church by 2030. Find out more about this commitment at Action for Hope.
In addition, the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) hopes for "a planet where our environment is renewed". The team regularly updates its page focusing on the environment.
Hope in God's Future
A core report from the Methodist Church calling for a deep theological engagement with the climate and environmental crises
Praying for Our Planet
An excellent series of talks given by seven scientists who talk about their science, their faith and the climate and ecological emergency. Hosted by Bramhall Methodist Church.
Perspectives from across the globe
Methodist Church in Britain partners in the Pacific offer many resources and wisdom. Read a reflection from the Revd James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, and access a webinar.
Climate justice blogs
The Revd Simon Topping has written a series of six blogs looking at the theology of climate justice.
The new paradigm - A call for a new way of thinking about climate justice.
From subduing to tilling and keeping - How we might develop a healthy theology of climate justice.
End of the world or a harvest for all? How the way we see the relationship between earth and heaven guides our understanding of climate justice.
A common treasury - A warning that the actions of some are threatening the benefit of our last remaining commons for all.
A fair balance - How our present relationship with the land, sea and air (and fellow human beings) is unbalanced and that the call for rebalancing in favour of sustainability that can be found in the Bible, offers a guide for climate justice.
Sufficiency - In his final blog, Simon encourages us to model the spirit of sufficiency or “enoughness” in our daily living and to actively challenge the “rich fool” economics which is leading to climate disaster.
Issues in depth: The John Ray Initiative
The John Ray Initiative (JRI) is an educational charity with a vision to bring together scientific and Christian understandings of the environment in a way that can be widely communicated and lead to effective action.
A wide range of Briefing papers are available from the JRI website. These cover important early statements by Sir John Houghton on the 'Christian challenge of caring for the earth', and 'Global pollution and climate change' to more recent statements e.g. 'Is fracking good for us?', 'Extending the right to roam' and “The ecological crisis and the Mission of the Church”.
Other papers explore environmental issues as expressed in the biblical books of Exodus, Micah and Revelation.
Useful for small groups are Bible studies and group resources which include:
- Mission and Creation Care for Christian Disciples: five studies with accompanying leaders’ notes, designed “to mobilise congregations and churches in living out the mission of God and to see individual lives, communities, and the environment flourish”
- A Christian Look at the Environment; five Bible studies by Dena Burne
Further reading
‘Our Father’s World’ by Edward R Brown
‘Creation Care and the Gospel’, ed. Colin Bell & Robert S White
‘Creation Care’ by Douglas J Moo & Jonathan A Moo
‘Creation Care’ by John Stott
‘Is God Green?’ by Lionel Windsor
‘Stewards of Eden’ by Sandra L Richter
‘Living with Other Creatures’ by Richard Bauckham
‘An Ethics of Biodiversity: Christianity, Ecology, and the Variety of Life’ by Kevin J O’Brien
‘Creation Care in Christian Mission', ed. Kapya J Kaoma
‘The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job, and the Scale of Creation’ by Bill McKibben