12 Climate Change: Science, People, Religion—Cord of Three Strands
233
Linkages Between Climate Change and Religion
Now, although State and the affected community make a remarkably good team in
fighting against climate change and disasters, the vital question here is that if these
two pillars fall, who else can help. In the view of God’s knot principle, this is where
God and the Church come in. They both enter into support the State and the affected
communities emotionally and spiritually. In the Bible, there are incidences where
God seemingly reverses climate change and disasters. In the Old Testament, the
story of Noah shows God controlling heavy rainfall and flooding, and in the New
Testament, Jesus Christ commands a strong storm and calms the turbulent sea (Bible
Society of the South Pacific 1966; The Bible Society in Australia 1988; Fair 2018).
Adding to the above state of affairs, the literature also discusses three linkages
relating climate change to religion. First is the principle of environmental care (Sonya
2016; Schuman et al. 2018; Goldberg et al. 2019). This teaching is based on the
principle that God created this universe and, as a result, humans as his children
should be responsible for taking care of this planet and everything in it.
Second, are the impacts of climate change on spirituality. In the literature, there are
suggestions that climate change may affect people’s spiritual well-being (Havea et al.
2018b; Luetz et al. 2018; Luetz and Nun 2020). For example, when heavy rainfalls
and cyclones affected people by demolishing their homes and killing somebody close
to them, it affected them spiritually (Havea et al. 2018b).
Third, climate change has been viewed as a punishment from God for their sin
(Cox et al. 2018). So, by considering the God factor, the application of the cord of
three strands approach can be helpful. Significantly, it is because most people rely
on God for safety and security. People do this because God as the third cord cannot
be torn or broken from the ‘God-knot’. From a climate change perspective, He is the
only one who can reverse climate change once and for all.
Linkages Between Climate Change, Resilience
and Sustainability
The last linkages are between climate change, resilience and sustainability in communities. In order to achieve better outcomes, the State, Church, affected villages and
cities must realise and address the concept of climate change and science, people
and religion, accordingly. This cosmological framework is expressed in the form of
a ‘God-knot’ approach and is discussed in details below.
Therefore, by taking all this background into account, this chapter aims to achieve
two objectives. The first one is to provide a better understanding of the nexus
between climate change, science, people and religion in the form of the cord of
three strands state-of-the-art idea. Second, to develop a framework or model to guide
the community-based implementation of resilience and sustainability by 2030 and
beyond.
233
Linkages Between Climate Change and Religion
Now, although State and the affected community make a remarkably good team in
fighting against climate change and disasters, the vital question here is that if these
two pillars fall, who else can help. In the view of God’s knot principle, this is where
God and the Church come in. They both enter into support the State and the affected
communities emotionally and spiritually. In the Bible, there are incidences where
God seemingly reverses climate change and disasters. In the Old Testament, the
story of Noah shows God controlling heavy rainfall and flooding, and in the New
Testament, Jesus Christ commands a strong storm and calms the turbulent sea (Bible
Society of the South Pacific 1966; The Bible Society in Australia 1988; Fair 2018).
Adding to the above state of affairs, the literature also discusses three linkages
relating climate change to religion. First is the principle of environmental care (Sonya
2016; Schuman et al. 2018; Goldberg et al. 2019). This teaching is based on the
principle that God created this universe and, as a result, humans as his children
should be responsible for taking care of this planet and everything in it.
Second, are the impacts of climate change on spirituality. In the literature, there are
suggestions that climate change may affect people’s spiritual well-being (Havea et al.
2018b; Luetz et al. 2018; Luetz and Nun 2020). For example, when heavy rainfalls
and cyclones affected people by demolishing their homes and killing somebody close
to them, it affected them spiritually (Havea et al. 2018b).
Third, climate change has been viewed as a punishment from God for their sin
(Cox et al. 2018). So, by considering the God factor, the application of the cord of
three strands approach can be helpful. Significantly, it is because most people rely
on God for safety and security. People do this because God as the third cord cannot
be torn or broken from the ‘God-knot’. From a climate change perspective, He is the
only one who can reverse climate change once and for all.
Linkages Between Climate Change, Resilience
and Sustainability
The last linkages are between climate change, resilience and sustainability in communities. In order to achieve better outcomes, the State, Church, affected villages and
cities must realise and address the concept of climate change and science, people
and religion, accordingly. This cosmological framework is expressed in the form of
a ‘God-knot’ approach and is discussed in details below.
Therefore, by taking all this background into account, this chapter aims to achieve
two objectives. The first one is to provide a better understanding of the nexus
between climate change, science, people and religion in the form of the cord of
three strands state-of-the-art idea. Second, to develop a framework or model to guide
the community-based implementation of resilience and sustainability by 2030 and
beyond.