Green Conservatism, Green Christianity

The First Discourseman

Conservatives, Christians, and most of all conservative Christians are unenthusiastic about the environment. Largely it’s an issue that goes unmentioned; few would say it doesn’t matter, but the more radical calls for environmental justice or stewardship are met with indifference at best.

At worst, to demonstrate environmental care through any means more tangible than lip service draws a litany of criticisms: an over-realised eschatology, a misplaced faith in government, or supporting a broader liberal agenda. For Christians, the general ambiguity over the environment is an oddity when compared to their treatment of political issues deemed more significant, which suggests there is either a mismatch between belief and practice, or a scepticism that it is a ‘Christian’ issue.

A further issue is that, politically, climate change is almost entirely the territory of the left. One would think crises transcend politics, but instead it has become politicised by both right and left. In the milieu of intersectionality and the ever-widening definition of politics, climate change has been used as a vehicle for broader progressive values: now climate justice is bound up in economic, racial or gender justice, and there is a general consensus that the state is the primary vehicle to address the challenge. Because conservatives never demonstrated concern for the climate in the first place, the discourse is one-sided, which in turn reinforces the conservative suspicion of the topic. Laughably, proposed solutions to the climate crisis are dismissed by conservatives as a Trojan Horse for socialism. If conservatives want to avoid left-wing solutions, it’s necessary to make it more than a left-wing issue.

Fortunately there is an extensive synergy between green politics and a conservative, communitarian, Christian philosophy. Embracing and advocating a green agenda firstly shows that Christians and conservatives care about the world now, beyond a select number of ‘Christian’ political issues, but more importantly it is a positive vision for the future that could influence policy now. For the sake of constructive debate, realistic policies and cross-party support, there ought to be a green Christianity appealing to conservatives, Christians and most of all conservative Christians.

First it is worth highlighting the overlap between conservative and socialist environmentalism. Both ideologies ought to resist neoliberalism and all that comes with it- the displacement of cultures, communities, jobs and money. Globalisation has been calamitous in its environmental, social and economic consequences and conservatives should take socialist critiques of capitalism seriously. But more than that, conservatism can buttress those critiques. The solution is not to downplay nation states or assume government is the only answer, but to nurture an ethic of self-sacrifice through the message of the gospel and through institutions like marriage and the family. Local bonds are infinitely tighter and deeper than global; a love for neighbour and home can better galvanise radical climate action.

Then there is the obvious but overlooked point that conservatism and conservation mean almost the same thing. Preserving the natural landscape and wildlife demonstrates the same concern for the familiar and natural that defines the conservative disposition. In Orwell’s character study of England, he fondly describes the “smoky towns and winding roads, green fields and red-pillar boxes” that help form the distinctive English spirit. To love one’s home or nation encompasses its geography as much as its institutions and culture, making conservatism naturally situated to care for the environment. Conservatives are at odds with their own convictions when they neglect the physical world around them.

Just as importantly, radical climate action looks Christian. Jesus’ teachings on money and possessions are hard-hitting yet largely neglected. Taking action to combat climate change might have the benign side effect of reminding the Church of what the gospel has always taught. To forego holidays halfway around the globe, or to shop with local and ethical considerations in mind, or to avoid the temptations of fast fashion, are things Christians can do readily because they are Christians. There is no need to milk this life for all it’s worth when there is the present joy of the gospel and the hope of a world to come. Simple living, in spurning the temptation of materialism, would bring Christians closer in line with Jesus’ teachings and cultivate a desire for the coming kingdom. Conservative communitarianism shares similar values in emphasising social reality: humans are not isolated individuals free to perform actions without repercussions. Living within one’s means, community and nature cuts against much of modernity.

Finally, a green Christianity is a reminder of the Creator-creature distinction and the concern God has for creation as a whole. Jesus teaches that the rocks would cry out to praise him if people didn’t. Similarly the Psalms are filled with the various ways creation praises its Creator. The salvation of humanity is at the epitome and forefront of the gospel, but green Christianity should situate Christians as one part of creation, along with animals, rocks, rivers, mountains and oceans, all of whom praise God. As creatures, fulfilment is in joining that wondrous chorus, glorifying the Creator God.

Climate change will always be political, because bound up in any proposed solution there will be assumptions and agendas. Rather than staying silent on the issue then, conservatives and Christians should be active participants in the public sphere, proving the synergy between the environment and a conservative disposition, or between the actions required and the Christian ethic that makes them possible. A conservative, communitarian social vision distanced from materialism, where humanity is de-centred in relation to the rest of creation, is a unique way to address the climate crisis profoundly Christian in nature.