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yanom writes:

Chris Mooney writes from Slate about Katharine Hayoe, a climatologist who is also a conservative evangelical Christian, about her efforts to reach out to fellow religious conservatives on the issue of dealing with climate change.

"Simply put, millions of Americans are evangelical Christians, and their belief in the science of global warming is well below the national average. And if anyone has a chance of reaching this vast and important audience, Hayhoe does. "

In this article, Hayoe outlines five arguments she believes resonate with conservative Christians, who have often come under fire for their perceived rejection of science. These arguments include "Conservation is conservative", "The Bible does not approve of letting the world burn", and "Even if you believe in a young Earth, it's still warming"

From the article:

Hayhoe's approach to science - and to religion - was heavily influenced by her father, a former Toronto science educator and also, at one time, a missionary. "For him, there was never any conflict between the idea that there is a God, and the idea that science explains the world that we see around us," says Hayhoe. When she was 9, her family moved to Colombia, where her parents worked as missionaries and educators, and where Hayhoe saw what environmental vulnerability really looks like. "Some of my friends lived in houses that were made out of cardboard Tide boxes, or corrugated metal," she says. "And realizing that you don't really need that much to be happy, but at the same time, you're very vulnerable to the environment around you, the less that you have."

"In terms of addressing the climate issue," says Hayhoe, "we don't have time for everybody to get on the same page regarding the age of the universe."

Her research today, on the impacts of climate change, flows from those early experiences. And of course, it is inspired by her faith, which for Hayhoe puts a strong emphasis on caring for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. "That gives us even more reason to care about climate change," says Hayhoe, "because it is affecting people, and is disproportionately affecting the poor, and the vulnerable, and those who cannot care for themselves."