Compiled by Lewis Loflin
Progressive churches, facing declining membership and a loss of traditional faith, are increasingly adopting environmentalism as a pseudo-religious doctrine to fill empty seats. This shift replaces God with a deified Nature, often fusing pantheistic beliefs with left-wing political activism. By remapping modern socialist and New Age themes into their theology, these churches are not only abandoning traditional Christianity but also using their platforms to push political agendas, often in violation of the separation of religion and state. As a Deist, I reject this eco-doomsday theology, advocating for reason and verifiable scientific proof over dogmatic ideologies.
Many progressive churches, struggling with a crisis of faith, have turned to environmentalism to replace traditional theology. A 2008 Pew poll revealed that up to one-third of members in liberal denominations believe the Bible is a human invention, reflecting a broader loss of faith in traditional doctrine. To fill this spiritual void, these churches have embraced a form of pantheism—a belief system where Nature is spiritualized and deified, often described as a type of atheism due to its lack of a personal, transcendent God.
Al Gore, a leading voice in the environmental movement, encapsulates this shift in his statements, which prioritize spiritual and moral narratives over science or reason:
“When we rise, we will experience an epiphany as we discover that this crisis is not really about politics at all, it is a moral and spiritual challenge… The climate crisis also offers us the chance to experience what very few generations in history have had the privilege of knowing: a generational mission; the exhilaration of a compelling moral purpose; a shared and unifying cause; the thrill of being forced by circumstances to put aside the pettiness and conflict that so often stifle the restless human need for transcendence; the opportunity to rise… When we do rise, it will fill our spirits and bind us together. Those who are now suffocating in cynicism and despair will be able to breathe freely. Those who are now suffering from a loss of meaning in their lives will find hope.”
Gore’s language is not scientific but religious, framing environmentalism as a “moral and spiritual challenge” that offers “transcendence” and a “generational mission.” This rhetoric mirrors the evangelical fervor of a crusade, not a policy debate, and it has been eagerly adopted by progressive churches seeking to reconnect with a disillusioned congregation.
The integration of environmentalism into church dogma is deeply tied to political activism, often with a left-wing bent. A 2006 article in Nature titled “Special Report: Church Joins Crusade Over Climate Change” highlights this trend:
“Evangelical leaders have called on the United States to step up its efforts to control greenhouse-gas emissions… ‘The time has come… for destroying those who destroy the Earth,’ says Calvin DeWitt, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, quoting from the Scriptures.” (Nature 440, 136-137, 9 March 2006, link)
DeWitt’s invocation of Scripture to justify environmental activism illustrates how churches are repurposing religious texts to support political causes, often aligning with socialist and anti-consumerist agendas. This is further evidenced in a 2007 sermon by Peter Laarman at the First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles, as reported by Progressive Christians Uniting:
“When I chaired the Natural Resources Committee in the California Senate, I noticed that the clergy never testified against the destruction of species, forests, clean air and water, the wellsprings of life itself… The environment thus is valued as a utilitarian resource, a giant storehouse of raw materials for the use of humankind. Right-wing Christians… have argued against preservation of the environment in light of the Second Coming. Liberals have argued for environmental stewardship… I agree with Al Gore who wrote that ‘when we rise, we will experience an epiphany as we discover that this crisis is not really about politics at all, it is a moral and spiritual challenge.’… I believe we can rediscover a Lost Gospel of the Earth, an indigenous and mystical sense of the cosmos buried within all our religious traditions.” (Progressive Christians Uniting, February 2007, link)
Laarman’s sermon explicitly ties environmentalism to a “Lost Gospel of the Earth,” blending New Age mysticism with political activism. His critique of “right-wing Christians” and call for a “mystical sense of the cosmos” reveal a hostility toward traditional theology, replacing it with a pseudo-religious environmentalism that aligns with progressive political goals, such as opposing consumerism and advocating for government-led environmental policies.
Josie Appleton, in a 2007 analysis on Religion News Blog, provides a cultural perspective on this phenomenon:
“Concern with global warming has become a functional pseudo-religion, driven by a fear and dislike of the modern world… Global warming has become a religious crusade, full of a righteous call-to-arms, and of moral lessons for humanity. Global warming has become a foil for a whole series of political and moral agendas, a way of discussing everything from the sins of consumerism to human arrogance… The solution to global warming involves a sense of guilt, a sense of repentance, and a sense of the moral failure of the modern lifestyle… Global warming is not so much a problem to solve, as an issue around which to reorganize society. This is a religious story like Noah’s flood, and the lesson is in the sins of hubris, selfishness, and consumerism.” (Religion News Blog, 2007, link)
Appleton’s analysis underscores how environmentalism in churches is less about solving ecological problems and more about advancing a moral and political agenda. By framing climate change as a “religious crusade,” progressive churches use guilt and repentance to push anti-modern, anti-consumerist ideologies, often advocating for a “quieter, slower, calmer life” that aligns with socialist principles. This crusade provides a sense of moral superiority for progressive Christians, who see themselves as enlightened compared to traditional believers, further fueling their rejection of conventional theology.
The influence of this eco-religion extends beyond churches into public institutions, particularly schools, raising serious concerns about the separation of religion and state. Frank Furedi, a Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, notes:
“Many religions are now more likely to preach about saving the planet than saving souls… These days, moralizers find it easier to make people feel guilty about their impact on the environment than about committing one of the seven deadly sins… The appeal of eco-spirituality to so many different religions is a testimony to the powerful influence that environmentalism exercises over contemporary culture… The authors of children’s books and school officials also use environmentalism as a vehicle for socializing youngsters.” (Frank Furedi, 2007, link)
I’ve witnessed this myself in public schools, where environmentalism is taught not as a scientific subject but as a moral imperative, complete with lessons on “eco-sins” and the need for repentance through lifestyle changes. This indoctrination mirrors religious education, using guilt to enforce a worldview that aligns with progressive political goals. By promoting eco-spirituality in public institutions, these efforts violate the separation of religion and state, a principle designed to prevent the government from endorsing any religious ideology—whether theistic or secular.
As a Deist, I reject eco-doomsday theology that replaces reason with dogma, whether it comes from progressive churches or public institutions. Deism emphasizes a belief in a Creator who does not intervene in human affairs, leaving us to solve our problems through rational inquiry and empirical science. Environmentalism, as adopted by these churches, has little to do with science—it’s a pseudo-religious movement driven by political activism, using guilt and moral superiority to reorganize society. I demand verifiable scientific proof, not computer models that act as “prophecies” of catastrophic change, nor a secular-religious remapping of the Bible to fit modern anxieties.
Furedi further explains this shift:
“Only in the 2000s have scientists been pumping out models (computer prophecy) that predict catastrophic change. The cause for this shift in mentality: social shifts that predispose us to a more dangerous view of the world and a discontent with our current situation. Our social anxieties today—a fear of change, a sense of the fragility of things—guide the questions that scientists ask, and the kinds of theories that ring true to the people who hear them.” (Frank Furedi, 2007)
This reliance on fear-driven narratives, rather than evidence, mirrors the tactics of religious crusades, not scientific inquiry. Progressive churches and their political allies exploit these anxieties to push their agenda, but this approach undermines both reason and the separation of religion and state.
Progressive churches’ adoption of environmentalism as a pseudo-religious doctrine, tied to political activism, represents a form of religious coercion that threatens both traditional faith and individual liberty. By replacing theology with eco-spirituality, these churches advance a moral crusade that aligns with socialist and anti-consumerist agendas, often using public institutions to enforce their beliefs. This violates the separation of religion and state, a principle the Founders established to prevent government from promoting any religious ideology. As a Deist, I advocate for a return to reason and empirical science in addressing environmental issues, rejecting fear-driven narratives and ideological overreach. We must protect the separation of religion and state, ensuring that neither churches nor governments use pseudo-religious doctrines to coerce society into compliance.
Compiled by Lewis Loflin, March 29, 2025.
