*Sightings* 12/17/07
On Global Warming
-- Martin E. Marty
The images and prophecies connected with the Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse
in the biblical book of Revelation seem horrifying enough. But in a
"you-ain't-seen-nothing-yet" spirit, Philip Jenkins in December 10th's
*New
Republic *warns of disastrous implications for religious conflict after
studying the results of climate-modeling by the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change.
More than anyone else we read, Jenkins regularly writes about global
Christianity for broad publics. He combines experiences of travel,
research, and dialogues on Christianity "north" and "south." In "Burning
at the Stake: How global warming will increase religious strife,"
Professor
Jenkins ties projections of Christian growth to what the IPCC foresees.
If
you'd like to sleep easily tonight, don't read it at bedtime. Rather than
occupying a mere four columns upfront in a magazine, it might merit a
billboard. Jenkins, fortunately, does not waste readers' time debating
whether or when or how global warming is coming about. Instead he
anticipates the consequences and notices some new Christian addresses to
the
situation.
The case? Take only the instance of changes in the water supplies and who
will control what's left. In Nigeria, where Christians and Muslims are
self-segregated, they might "erupt in a violent tug-of-war over limited
water supplies." Coptic Christians in Egypt might be sacrificed to ethnic
cleansing as resources dwindle. Uganda and Kenya could reproduce scenes
made vivid in Rwanda massacres. "The ramifications for the global
warming-driven destruction of equatorial nations are frightening for
everyone—but they should be especially frightening for Christians," whose
numbers grow explosively, precisely there.
Historian Jenkins reaches back to the "Little Ice Age" between the ninth
and
thirteenth centuries to show the human devastations caused by climate
changes. He may be a bit speculative here, but with creative guesses and
some evidence he compares foreseen changes to those that helped bring on
the
Great Famine (after 1315) and the Black Death (1340s), when one-third of
Eurasia's population was killed. Witchcraft trials became a murderous
obsession. Bigots of all religions were sure that their God was
legitimating their aggressive roles. Christians in revenge against Muslim
advances turned murderous. Jenkins thinks that we are heading toward a
future alike in violence and horror to centuries in our past.
He sees a glimmer of light and recognition in the West among "morally
conservative churches in America [which] form relation****ps with
like-minded
churches in the South," and are growing more sensitive to the world's
needs.
Skipping past Roman Catholic and "World Council type" Protestant and
Orthodox involvements, he turns to these conservatives, as in the National
Association of Evangelicals, who are mobilizing people, forces, energies,
and resources to begin to address the situation and call attention to
it. He
expects even greater involvement soon by such conservative Christians, who
are "combining the themes of world steward****p and protecting Christian
minorities," which could lead to new political action. But in the
absence
of such action, might global warming lead to "medieval levels of misery
and
doom for the majority of Christians worldwide?" We've been warned.
Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, upcoming events,
publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com.
----------
This month's Religion and Culture Web Forum features James K. A. Smith of
Calvin College on "The Gospel of Freedom, or Another Gospel? Augustinian
Reflections on American Foreign Policy." Throughout the month, commentary
by Eric Gregory ( Princeton University ), David Schindler (Villanova
University), and Paul Williams (Regent College) will be posted on the
forum's discussion board.
Access this month's forum at:
http://marty-center.uchicago.edu/webforum/index.shtml
.
Access the discussion board at:
https://cforum.uchicago.edu/viewforum.php?f=1
*Attribution *
Columns may be quoted or republished in full, with attribution to the
author
of the column, *Sightings*, and the Martin Marty Center at the University
of
Chicago Divinity School.
--
Shalom/Salaam/Pax! Rowland Croucher
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/
(20,000 articles 4000 humor)
Blogs - http://rowlandsblogs.blogspot.com/
Justice for Dawn Rowan - http://dawnrowansaga.blogspot.com/
Funny Jokes and Pics - http://funnyjokesnpics.blogspot.com/
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