Why Christians Should Be the Loudest Voices for Climate Justice and Creation Care
Voxology
Voxology
4.8 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 28 November 2016
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Unpacking the theological and cultural roots of why many Christians have ignored or resisted environmental issues, Mike and Andy answer a listener's question from a post-Thanksgiving Facebook group that's diving into faith, science, and the planet. Drawing on the Genesis creation narrative and the biblical theme of heaven and earth, they explore why the church should lead the charge in caring for creation, and what's at stake when we don't.
This episode takes a deep dive into the biblical framework that supports environmental stewardship, challenges the theology that says "the Earth doesn't matter because it's all going to burn," and offers hope that strikes at the heart of climate apathy.
Key Takeaways: • Biblical Mandate to Steward the Earth – Genesis 1 positions humanity as image-bearers of God tasked with ruling and caring for creation as co-regents and priests.
• Why We've Failed – How bad theology, political polarization, and capitalism have led many Christians to ignore or oppose environmental movements, wrongly labeling them "liberal."
• The Real Endgame – The true biblical narrative isn't about escaping earth for heaven, but heaven and earth being reunited through a purification and renewal of creation.
• Climate Justice as a Discipleship Issue – Taking care of the planet isn't just a trendy concern; it's central to following Jesus and participating in God's redemptive mission.
• Jesus and the Scope of Salvation – Jesus didn't talk about "souls going to heaven." Instead, he announced the arrival of God's kingdom and invited people to align with it now—which includes caring for creation.
Resources Mentioned: • Genesis 1 & 2 – For foundational theology on humans as image-bearers. • Romans 8 – Creation groaning and awaiting redemption. • Revelation 21 – Vision of a New Heaven and New Earth. • 2 Peter 3 – Understanding "purified by fire" as renewal rather than annihilation. • Teaching on Heaven and Earth from Vox Community – November 27 • Visual Diagrams of Heaven and Earth (via show notes)
Join the conversation and challenge the narrative. Let's be the church that reflects Jesus's love—not just for people, but for all of God's good creation. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on social media to stay connected and take part in this mission of restoration.
As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV Our Merch Store! ETsy Learn more about the Voxology Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon The Voxology Spotify channel: Voxology Radio Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.
Our Merch Store! ETSY
Learn more about the Voxology Podcast
Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify
Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon
The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio
Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook
Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre
Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford
Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | All right, Internet, hello. |
| 0:16.0 | Happy day after, or week after Thanksgiving. |
| 0:20.0 | Andy looks like he gained about four pounds of Filipino |
| 0:22.5 | Turkey. And Andy, where did you go? Where did you go last week? I went up to the East Bay Area |
| 0:29.3 | of San Francisco. Beautiful. I was in Sacramento. And so that lovely drive up the 99. It's so, |
| 0:36.2 | so fun. If you don't, if you're not familiar with California, |
| 0:39.4 | it's, it's pretty much three states, uh, in one. |
| 0:42.7 | There's Southern California. |
| 0:44.2 | There's Northern California. |
| 0:45.5 | And then Central California is just big, flat agriculture. |
| 0:50.1 | Um, it, it could be the Midwest. |
| 0:52.1 | Oh, yeah. |
| 0:52.6 | It's, it is. |
| 0:53.8 | And it's just this 250 mile grind, it, it could be the Midwest. Oh, yeah. It's, it is. And it's just this 250 mile grind of like crops and cows. |
| 1:00.3 | And it's like being back home. |
| 1:01.6 | And there's like three options. |
| 1:02.9 | Or no, there's four options. |
| 1:04.2 | You take the 101 of the coast or the five of the 99 through the middle of the state or the, |
| 1:08.2 | we're all about the 99. |
| 1:10.3 | Yep. |
| 1:12.1 | So happy Thanksgiving, everybody. hope you survived we we want to say a couple things number one just to get all |
| 1:18.8 | the business out of the way reminder we have this podcast we have and this podcast is housed |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Voxology, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Voxology and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.