Evangelical Environmental Network

Opportunities for Christians to advocate elected officials for effective environmental policy.

“What is at play in our human activity, namely the emission of a chemical called carbon dioxide, which is a heat-trapping gas. The emission of that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into our atmosphere act as essentially a blanket that lets the sun’s rays in, but doesn’t let them back out.”

Yes, climate change really is that simple. And yes, climate change is real. Jessica Moerman can use science to prove climate change. As Senior Director for Science and Policy at the Evangelical Environmental Network, she relies on science to make the case that we should be more conscious in shepherding the abundances of God’s garden.

“For me, studying science is simply studying God’s creation,” she says. “It’s actually led me to enhance my faith in Christ, instead of being a barrier or threatening it. I’ve come to understand science is great for answering some very specific questions, and it actually limits itself to some very specific questions – questions about how, what, when. [Science] is not designed to answer questions that are more in our faith realm – questions of who and why and what we should do.

“For anyone who is concerned about science and faith, I find it very compatible with our Christian faith – studying the work of God’s creation and the clues that we find there.”

However, the ah-ha moment for Jessica was less epiphany and more of an I-did-not-know-that realization.

“I didn’t know how I could be in full-time ministry, serve God, serve people through geology,” she says. “It was really confusing, but at that time, God put the right person in my path. It was at one of our church youth leaders, and we were on a mission trip. I was sharing with him this dilemma. I felt God was calling me to study geology. And it didn’t make sense, especially growing up in a conservative community. I didn’t even know if I could study science and be a Christian.

“I was pouring my heart out, and he just looks at me, and he says, ‘Jessica didn’t you know that I’m a geologist?’

“My jaw hit the floor. I had no idea. I didn’t even know there was a scientist, let alone a geologist in our church community, let alone a leader in our church community.”

For Jessica, that pivotal moment allowed her to see that when we align ourselves with God and submit to the Lord’s way, He puts desires on our hearts that we can trust. With newfound confidence, Jessica took the plunge and became a geology major.

I didn’t know how I could be in full-time ministry,
serve God, serve people through geology. It was really confusing,
but at that time, God put the right person in my path.

Jessica notes there is a biblical mandate “to be good stewards of God’s creation. [The EEN] has a vision of making sure that every child has a hope and expectation of a stable climate and a healthy, pollution-free world.

“I grew up in East Tennessee, outside of Knoxville and the foothills of the Smoky Mountains,” she adds. “I grew up going to church and was spoiled with opportunities to get out into God’s creation and just see the magnificence through what He has made.”

Working toward a better tomorrow by fighting climate change today is not as simple as flipping a switch. Still, Jessica says now is the time to make significant changes.

“Today’s climate change isn’t just part of Earth’s natural cycle,” she adds. “For all of human history, our relationship with the climate is that it’s impacted us when the climate changed. We had to adapt because it was out of our control. But now, we flip the script and, because of our human activities, we are now impacting the climate.

“We’ve got the technology and the tools and the know-how to get rid of those harmful carbon dioxide emissions. … We can change the way we get our energy and switch to cleaner sources of energy. And we can still have that same prosperity, that same convenience in our modern lives that we’re used to, but without those harmful emissions. That’s why I see such good news in the fact that it is us and not just part of a natural cycle.”

And reducing pollution is paramount to building a better, cleaner world for future generations.

“Creation care truly is a matter of life,” Jessica says. “Pollution is not a problem of the past. Nearly half of Americans live in areas of unhealthy air.

“As Christians, we have that moral responsibility to do something about it because it fits with our pro-life ethics. … What medical research shows is that essentially unborn babies and children aren’t just tiny adults. Even small levels of pollution can have impacts on their health and development that lasts a lifetime.”

creationcare.org