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Prophets With Enchantment: Framing Christian Climate Activism
Gemma Edwards1, Finlay Malcolm2
1Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
The British Journal of Sociology
|November 5, 2025
Summary
Christian climate activists are reinterpreting beliefs to mobilize communities. "Prophetic" framings, distinct from "stewardship," justify climate protest and bridge to activist groups.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Religion
- Environmental Social Movements
- Climate Change Activism
Background:
- Contemporary climate change activism lacks engagement with religious dimensions.
- Christian communities possess significant potential for environmental mobilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how Christian climate activists in the UK reinterpret theological beliefs to mobilize religious communities.
- To analyze the 'interpretative work' of Christian climate activism through a social movement framing perspective.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a social movement framing perspective.
- Collected data from a survey (n=319) and in-depth interviews (n=62) with Anglicans and Catholics.
- Included participants from church dioceses, a Christian aid agency, and Christian social movement groups.
Main Results:
- 'Stewardship' framings dominate institutional Christian climate activism.
- 'Prophetic' framings are prevalent in Christian social movements, offering theological justification and emotional impetus for protest.
- Prophetic framings connect to broader environmental movements like Extinction Rebellion but remain anthropocentric.
Conclusions:
- Reinterpreting Christian beliefs can mobilize diverse denominations for climate action.
- Mobilization occurs through both 'climate stewards' and 'climate prophets' engaged in political protest.
- The shift towards 'prophetic' framings holds global significance for the environmental movement.
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