Is the Earth Sacred? Hearing from Young, Religious Americans on Environmental Issues

Watch the Recorded Web Event

A recent survey by Pew Research Center finds that, in general, highly religious Americans are less likely than other U.S. adults to express concern about climate change. But the research also shows that young religious adults, including evangelical Protestants under 30, are much more likely than older people in those same religious groups to see global climate change as a serious problem.

This nuanced picture begs many questions, including:

• Why do some religious people embrace the issue of climate change, while others remain skeptical that it’s a real problem or that humans are the cause?
• At bottom, is the difference in these views theological? Or political? Or a matter of education and sources of information?
• Can young adults persuade older people in their churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship to take global climate change seriously?
• Will disagreements over climate change prompt more young people to leave religion and join the growing ranks of the “nones”?

Pew Research Center invites you to join a virtual discussion tackling these and other questions about how religion shapes young Americans' views about environmental issues.

When: Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET

Presentation:

“How Religion Intersects With Young Americans’ Views on the Environment”
Becka A. Alper, Pew Research Center

A discussion with:

• Tori Goebel, Young Evangelicals for Climate Action
• Raphaela Gold, Princeton University student
• Other speakers TBA

Moderated by:
Leah Schade, Lexington Theological Seminary

Followed by:
Q&A and discussion with the audience

This event is made possible by support from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.