Katharine Hayhoe: Talking About Christian Climate Action Is a Gospel Issue

Good Faith

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

5 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 8 January 2026

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From Pews to Planet: Faith-Based Steps to Better Creation Stewardship

In this episode of the Good Faith Podcast, host Curtis Chang and guest Dr. Katherine Hayhoe—Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy and a committed evangelical Christian—explore why Christians and churches should care about climate change as a biblical "love your neighbor" issue rooted in justice for the poor and vulnerable. Hayhoe explains how political polarization and "solution aversion" fuel climate skepticism. She introduces the "Six Americas" framework and offers practical guidance for having hopeful, effective conversations that connect climate action to what people already care about. Dr. Hayhoe offers actionable next steps for individuals and congregations—like sharing solutions, starting church initiatives, and leading with hope instead of doom—so Christians can faithfully steward God's creation.

05:23 - Dr. Hayhoe's Faith Journey and Science

07:12 - Experiencing Creation's Vulnerability

09:17 - Is Climate Change a Justice Issue?

10:42 - Encountering Christian Climate Skepticism

18:06 - Christian Organizations and Climate Action

24:35 - Connecting Climate to Personal Values A

28:23 - Navigating Difficult Conversations

33:31 - What Are the "Six Americas" of Climate Attitudes?

43:02 - Scientific Evidence and Human Impact

48:15 - Focusing on Solutions, Not Just Science

50:03 - What Is One Action Step for the Unsure Christian?

53:00 - What Is One Action Step for the Committed Christian

55:00 - Are There Practical Church-Based Climate Actions?

Episode Companion:

Christians and Climate Change Guide 1

Mentioned In This Episode:

Organizations and Networks

Websites, Tools, Books, and Newsletters

Skeptical Science
Global Weirding (Video podcast)
Colby May's Energy For Purpose (ministry Energy Management)
Mark Noll's The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
Dr. John Cook's Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change: How to Understand and Respond to Climate Science Deniers
Bill McKibben's website

Studies and Surveys

National Academy of Sciences Survey Results (2023-2024)
Belief in divine (versus human) control of earth affects perceived threat of climate change (npj)
Pew Research: The pope is concerned about climate change. How do U.S. Catholics feel about it? (2023)
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication: Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes (2025)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Good Faith wishes to thank our production partner on this series of episodes,
0:05.7	the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, supporting inclusive higher education and health care,
0:11.9	vibrant spiritual communities, and a clean environment.
0:15.3	The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, investing in our common future.
0:21.2	The root issue that causes people to reject the reality of this has nothing to do with
0:27.1	science, has nothing to do with education, it has nothing to do with intelligence.
0:32.6	It has everything to do with solution aversion.
0:37.2	They've been told that the solutions are communist,
0:42.2	or they'll take away their freedom. You can't eat this, you can't do this, you can't have this.
0:47.2	That's what they've been told. And so no wonder they don't want to say this is real because they
0:51.8	think all the solutions are bad. But when we see ourselves in the solutions and we see solutions that give people more food and water who need it,
0:59.3	who are hungry, who improve people's health who are currently suffering, who give people safer places
1:04.6	to live, who help us share the love of God with others, then often our objections to the issue evaporate.
1:27.3	Welcome to the Good Faith podcast.
1:29.5	We are friends who follow Jesus, help each other make sense of the world.
1:34.7	I'm your host, Curtis Chang.
1:36.3	The podcast is produced by a nonpartisan 501c3 organization.
1:43.2	Good Faith is doing three episodes and a series on the topic of Christians
1:48.9	and climate change. Spread over a couple of months, these episodes will examine what it means
1:55.1	for followers of Jesus to care for God's creation at this particular historic moment.
2:02.1	Now, a key partner in our series is Ben Lowe, executive director of A. Rocha, USA.
2:08.7	A. Rocha is a leading organization helping Christians and churches engage in caring for
	...

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