“If we can’t talk about this [together] in a godly, Christ-like manner, then how can you expect the broader culture to be having that conversation?”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

Five ministries have banded together to host a video screening and evening discussion exploring the topic “Christians, Climate Science, and Our Culture: Can we Agree?”

“What we are trying to do is create a conversation within the broader Church in Ottawa. As a chaplain at the University [of Ottawa], I’m always trying to help connect students with the conversation of how Christ is a part of every area of life,” says Sid Ypma, one of the event organizers. “That includes thinking about how we care for God’s creation.”

In the public sphere, Evangelical Christians and climate activists are increasingly presented at opposing ends of debates about climate issues. The ministries sponsoring the event hope to spark a healthier dialogue of the issues and explore where there is common ground.

“Christ called us to be leaders in the sub-culture and to be active participants in His kingdom.”

“Part of [the conflict] is that we often don’t focus on what we have in common,” says Kris Nanda, a local member of A Rocha, one of the event sponsors. “We have a lot in common—most Christians care about the future generations—but I think a lot of it is not having an understanding of where people come from. This event is an opportunity to build bridges and reach out within the Christian community.”

Ypma adds, “Christ called us to be leaders in the sub-culture and to be active participants in His kingdom. If we can’t talk about this [together] in a godly, Christ-like manner, then how can you expect the broader culture to be having that conversation?”

While Christians may disagree widely about climate science and the political implications, Ypma says they generally agree that God called humanity to be good stewards of the Earth. Right from the creation account in Genesis, he says “We are called to be God’s image bearers. We are royal representatives of God’s creation. In the past, dominion has been treated as a call to take—somehow creation is there to serve us—but a healthy reading of the account says the opposite. We are here to serve creation, because that’s the role God gave us.”

“This is where I think social media gets in the way, we hold up caricatures and use them as strawmen that we can knock down.”

The event takes place Saturday, January 25, at the Laurentian Leadership Centre, in downtown Ottawa. The evening will begin with a free pizza dinner and fellowship time, at 5:30. At 7:00 participants will watch a video presentation from Katherine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist known for her Evangelical faith. Following the video organizers have arranged a panel discussion with three local Christian scientists and activists who have differing perspectives of the topic. The night will end with a question and answer time.

Ypma believes Christians can stand as models for how to have healthy dialogue on contentious subjects.

“Humans always tend to disagree with one another, but from a Christ-standpoint, I am called to love the other person. I truly need to hear people to enter into a conversation. I can’t just give my opinion.

“I think we try to work at these things in far too much of a large public scale.”

“I think we try to work at these things in far too much of a large public scale. I can’t caricaturize someone. I have to take the time to see who they are. This is where I think social media gets in the way, we hold up caricatures and use them as strawmen that we can knock down.”

Whether the topic is the environment or something else, Ypma says the short answer to how to have contentious conversations is to approach them with humility.

“We need to try to get off the defensive, love each other, and have this conversation.”

The event’s sponsors are the Laurentian Leadership Centre (part of Trinity Western University), A Rocha (a Christian organization that does research and environmental education), a fellowship of Canadian scientists called the Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation, the Ottawa Christian Reformed Campus Chaplaincy, and the Graduate and Faculty Christian Fellowship at the University of Ottawa.