Why religion is needed in discussions about the climate

“Being able to convey hope is central when working in education. Students need to be able to look ahead and dare to act. Religious education is more or less the only subject in primary school where issues of morality and ethics are discussed,” according to Aldrin. 

He is an Associate Professor in Theology with a focus on practical theology/religious education and leads, together with Ola Svensson, the research group SONOMA, which focuses on subject didactics for social studies, science, and mathematics. Earlier this year, the Collaborative Network for Climate Change in Religious Education (CORE) launched a network that now has forty members from around the world. He notes that the link between religion and climate science is prominent internationally. In Sweden, on the other hand, such issues are mostly discussed in religious media and can sometimes be met with raised eyebrows in other parts of society. 
“In my view, there is no conflict between science and religion on the climate issue. Almost all major religions and their leaders have signed climate petitions. For example, the Pope published a book on climate change some time ago. Virtually everyone is saying the same thing: the situation is serious and we must do what we can. Today, it is almost only right-wing atheists in Europe and right-wing Christians in the US who do not think the climate is important.” 

Viktor Aldrin has conducted a systematic literature review to examine what has been written about the climate issue in connection with religious studies. After first looking at European journals, he has moved on to look at the rest of the world. Scholars writing on religion and climate are mainly from Europe and the United States but also from parts of Asia. Even less is written by authors from the part of the world sometimes referred to as the Global South, which is the most affected when temperatures rise.  

When he reviewed the content of what was written, three different tracks emerged. Theory and methodology studies were the largest group, with many good examples of how to accomplish particular goals. The empirical part included examples from primary school and university classrooms. The third track was quantitative studies of climate change, such as how young people relate to it. There are results showing, for example, that school is more impactful than students’ religious affiliation when it comes to their views on climate change. The material provides many examples of what is already being done. 

“Various Jewish and Christian groups discuss these issues to a large degree. In Muslim countries such as Turkey, the Philippines, and Indonesia, there are ideas on how to work systematically in schools and reduce emissions, while in Europe we have seen some campaigns for green ‘iftar’ – for example, not using plastic cutlery during Ramadan.
Viktor Aldrin wants these issues to become a part of religious education in schools and believes that the subject can make a unique contribution when it comes to climate anxiety. 

“Studies in the US and the UK suggest that up to half of schoolchildren have such severe climate anxiety that it affects them negatively, and studies also suggest that some adults have so much anxiety that they do not want to bring children into the world, for example. Anxiety causes people to give up their efforts or deny what needs to change. Just giving up or consuming more is tragic.  We live in a democracy and it is up to us to take responsibility for our society. We need to talk about how we and our children can dream about the future.”

Can religious groups also have a purpose for atheists in Sweden?
“Yes, when it comes to hope and finding role models. We rarely talk about it in Sweden, but Martin Luther King, Fredrika Bremer, and Mahatma Gandhi were all religious figures. They fought against immense problems but found strength in community and their faith. The feeling of being part of something bigger can be meaningful to atheists. There’s something wonderful about being part of something as amazing as our Earth, with all its animals and plants. Perhaps other people's faith can also be an inspiration, so that even if you don't believe in a future yourself, others dare to believe – and there’s hope in that.”

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Viktor Aldrin’s Researcher Profile

Read the article ‘Climate Change in Religious Education and the Importance of Hope : A Systematic Review of International Journal Articles 2000–2022’ by Viktor Aldrin 2024 in Religious education, 119(3)