Most of you are too young, you aren’t going to get this title. So, let me explain. The words are a lyric from the World War I song “Over There” by George M. Cohan. “Over There” is a really peppy, flag-waving, nationalistic marching song. But, that’s not why I’m using it. What caught my ear was the undertone that Cohan suppressed—There’s a world defining battle going on; it’s going to be costly, interminable, and of uncertain outcome. To my ear, that sounds like a frame for the climate change debate. What follows are my thoughts.
Katherine Hayhoe, the Youtube host of Global Weirding, is a climate scientist, professor at Texas Tech, and evangelical Christian. For many people, she is the go-to authority on climate change. Her scientific expertise notwithstanding, she reduces the threat to a simple synopsis: It’s real – It’s us – It’s bad – It’s getting worse – Our actions do make a difference – Start now.
If you find yourself being nostalgic for a good old-fashioned case of depression, consider a study of climate change. Why? Let me count the ways: Glacial ice is being exhausted at an unexpectedly rapid rate and billions of people depend on glacial melt for their daily needs. Sea level rise is threatening coastal cities. Oceans are absorbing 93% of global heat gain and the oceanic ecosystem is collapsing. The five hottest years on record are the last five. Pollinating insects are disappearing. Expect unnaturally intense rain fall—which leads to accelerated soil erosion—which leads to crop failure. The global rate of erosion suggests that there may be only enough top soil left for 30-70 years of production. And we haven’t even begun to discuss mass migration as island states and costal areas disappear.
Still, against this background, Hayhoe says our actions will make a difference. We need to reduce our consumption and travel, revamp land use patterns, modernize buildings, and minimize the use of energy resources. Woven through all this is a plea for social justice. The United States, with less than 5% of world population, uses 25% of world energy; and the worst effects of climate change fall on the poorest peoples. So, is Hayhoe naive? Can our actions really make a difference? Should we listen to someone like this? I feel like Abraham, called to leave the familiar for a land I know not.
Abraham, of course, did answer the call and it was counted to him as faith. His actions did set in motion the great divine arc of restoration and salvation. I’m going to suggest that faith for us is no different than faith for Abraham. We too are called to move toward a future we can not see and may never experience. We too are being called to let go of the familiar things that entangle and to move toward the good future that God intends. Our actions can set in motion the renewing arc of restoration for all of creation.
So, start now.
~Peter Boogaart, Caring for Creation Co-coordinator