360
J. M. Luetz and R. G. Leo
system is unequivocal, and … unprecedented over decades to millennia” (IPCC 2014,
p. 2). Incidentally, a study of 11,994 peer reviewed scientific articles concluded that
the scientific consensus surrounding climate change is robust: “97.1% endorsed the
consensus position that humans are causing global warming” (Cook et al. 2013,
p. 1). If the best peer-reviewed published science available today overwhelmingly
concludes that humans are primarily responsible for the growing climate crisis, in
other words, if it is actually and factually ‘true’, then those who claim to be followers
of a God of truth must also stand on the side of ‘truth’ and not be counted among
the liars or deniers (Orr 2005; Oreskes and Conway 2011; Björnberg et al. 2017;
Maslin 2019). In other words, this truth about the world can then simply be accepted,
esteemed and believed, rather than feared, suppressed, resisted or denied. Importantly, only where the truth is known and accepted can its liberating properties be
expected to operate effectively as posited in scripture: “Then you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8: 32). Accepting the scientific ‘truth’
about anthropogenic climate change thereby becomes the rationale for addressing its
adverse consequences through robust action on mitigation and adaptation.
Furthermore, an understanding of the truth as belonging to God also implies that
consilience is possible between the domains of science and faith, for the faithful
may lean comfortably and confidently on the realm of science for the generation
of knowledge, facts and truth. According to the bible, such truth-informed living
seemingly pleases God who reportedly desires ‘truth’ as the basis for honest worship:
“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:
24). Furthermore, according to the biblical account, God is committed to propagating
‘the truth’ by means of the Holy Spirit, whom scripture refers to as the ‘Spirit of truth’:
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John
16: 13). There is therefore a strong case to view God as the primordial propagator,
promoter and protector of truth, who according to scripture stands opposed by the
primeval enemy of truth, whom the bible simply refers to as
the devil [who] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no
truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of
lies (John 8: 44).
It is therefore incumbent upon bible-abiding Christians to face the truth because it
comes from God, the fountain of truth. Furthermore, standing on the ‘side of truth’
12
also implies a tacit duty to counter misinformation, lies, deceit and untruth, including
in the area of climate science denialism (Björnberg et al. 2017; Cook et al. 2018;
Oreskes and Conway 2011; Maslin 2019). If all truth is indeed God’s truth, then it
can (and should be) stridently pursued in multiple arenas. Knight (2006) comments,
12 This understanding of being on the ‘side of truth’ is reminiscent of scripture where the Apostle
John reports the following conversation about ‘truth’ between Jesus Christ and the Roman governor
Pontius Pilate who presided over his trial and ultimately ordered his crucifixion: ‘“You are a king,
then!” said Pilate.—Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and
came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”—“What
is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no
basis for a charge against him.”’ (John 18: 37–38).
J. M. Luetz and R. G. Leo
system is unequivocal, and … unprecedented over decades to millennia” (IPCC 2014,
p. 2). Incidentally, a study of 11,994 peer reviewed scientific articles concluded that
the scientific consensus surrounding climate change is robust: “97.1% endorsed the
consensus position that humans are causing global warming” (Cook et al. 2013,
p. 1). If the best peer-reviewed published science available today overwhelmingly
concludes that humans are primarily responsible for the growing climate crisis, in
other words, if it is actually and factually ‘true’, then those who claim to be followers
of a God of truth must also stand on the side of ‘truth’ and not be counted among
the liars or deniers (Orr 2005; Oreskes and Conway 2011; Björnberg et al. 2017;
Maslin 2019). In other words, this truth about the world can then simply be accepted,
esteemed and believed, rather than feared, suppressed, resisted or denied. Importantly, only where the truth is known and accepted can its liberating properties be
expected to operate effectively as posited in scripture: “Then you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8: 32). Accepting the scientific ‘truth’
about anthropogenic climate change thereby becomes the rationale for addressing its
adverse consequences through robust action on mitigation and adaptation.
Furthermore, an understanding of the truth as belonging to God also implies that
consilience is possible between the domains of science and faith, for the faithful
may lean comfortably and confidently on the realm of science for the generation
of knowledge, facts and truth. According to the bible, such truth-informed living
seemingly pleases God who reportedly desires ‘truth’ as the basis for honest worship:
“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:
24). Furthermore, according to the biblical account, God is committed to propagating
‘the truth’ by means of the Holy Spirit, whom scripture refers to as the ‘Spirit of truth’:
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John
16: 13). There is therefore a strong case to view God as the primordial propagator,
promoter and protector of truth, who according to scripture stands opposed by the
primeval enemy of truth, whom the bible simply refers to as
the devil [who] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no
truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of
lies (John 8: 44).
It is therefore incumbent upon bible-abiding Christians to face the truth because it
comes from God, the fountain of truth. Furthermore, standing on the ‘side of truth’
12
also implies a tacit duty to counter misinformation, lies, deceit and untruth, including
in the area of climate science denialism (Björnberg et al. 2017; Cook et al. 2018;
Oreskes and Conway 2011; Maslin 2019). If all truth is indeed God’s truth, then it
can (and should be) stridently pursued in multiple arenas. Knight (2006) comments,
12 This understanding of being on the ‘side of truth’ is reminiscent of scripture where the Apostle
John reports the following conversation about ‘truth’ between Jesus Christ and the Roman governor
Pontius Pilate who presided over his trial and ultimately ordered his crucifixion: ‘“You are a king,
then!” said Pilate.—Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and
came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”—“What
is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no
basis for a charge against him.”’ (John 18: 37–38).