A Christian's Advocacy by Angel

A Christian's Advocacy by Angel - March 2024 Scholarship Essay

Christianity is perceived to conflict with science. One discovery that causes conflict is climate change. I know many Christians who believe climate change is inevitable and we cannot do anything to stop it and others who believe it is nonexistent. When this conversation arose in my youth group, I listened to my peers and understood where they came from. But I also think that the effects of climate change are too significant to ignore. So at a round table discussion, we broke out our Bibles and phones and began researching the matter.
In that conversation, I learned climate change is naturally occurring but at a faster rate than before. Climate change affects people experiencing poverty disproportionately, contradicting the laws of a just world. I pointed out we are to take care of the Earth we believe God gave us dominion over; exploiting its resources to satisfy our greed is a deadly sin. One of my peers described her belief that our mission on Earth was to save others from it, not the other way around. I gave merit to her argument, explaining how I believed that was true, but we ought to work to better the lives of those living now because we have an immediate timeframe in which the effects of climate change would be felt. I went on to explain my long-held belief that science doesn’t inherently contradict the bible; we should be more knowledgeable of it. Through these discussions, we traded thoughts, backing up our stances with verses and other evidence. I realized the importance of listening to understand, not just to respond. Ultimately, the other teens and I had a common understanding, which continued to build our friendship.
Leaving that night, I realized that advocating a cause isn’t necessarily making big political statements. Regarding advocacy, standing by my values and having thoughtful conversations to show respect for others elicits that same respect back, even if opinions don’t change. I did not change my stance on climate change or our obligation to find it. In exchanging data and bible verses, I became more steadfast in the idea that we must protect what we were gifted, our Earth. But I did learn how to effectively communicate my thoughts with people I am building relationships with.