After years of decline, the number of Christians in the United States has stabilized. But, as they file into church on Sunday mornings, only a few will hear about the state of the planet that the Bible calls on them to steward.
According to a 2025 study, although almost 90% of US faith leaders across all major Christian denominations believe in at least some degree of human-caused climate change, only about half have ever discussed it with their congregations.
Styliano Syropoulos, one of the paper's researchers and an assistant professor at Arizona State University's School of Sustainability, said there were many factors that help create the disconnect.
"Just because they care about it doesn't mean they feel obligated to talk about it," Syropoulos said, adding that pastors may feel ill-equipped to bring it up. "Or some might feel it's not their role. Climate change, at least in the US, is a heavily politicized issue."'Second Coming capitalism'
That is not lost on Reverend Bradley Mattson of the Hope Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania, who sees divided views on climate change in the United States as a reason to discuss the issue rather than stay quiet.
