Climate Change in Religious Education and the Importance of Hope: A Systematic Review of International Journal Articles 2000–2022

Abstract

The aim of this article is to conduct a systematic review of articles on climate change in religious education found through scholarly databases. Five database searches have been conducted, resulting in 49 academic journal articles. The results are categorized into studies that focus on theory and methodology, observations of existing practices, and quantitative studies on climate change. The key findings include the recognition of an environmental crisis and the cultivation of hope regarding climate change. It demonstrates that religious education can play a crucial role in schools by addressing climate anxiety and fostering hope for a brighter future.

Keywords:

• Religious education
• climate change
• environmental sustainability
• systematic review

Introduction

The consequences of rapid climate change are omnipresent in both media and public awareness today. Significant progress has been made toward achieving an ecologically sustainable human society in recent decades, but it has in recent years been criticized for being either insufficient to stop the upcoming climate catastrophe or too ambitious in challenging prosperity (Schoenefeld et al. 2022). At the 27^th United Nations Climate Meeting (COP27), held in 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, UN Secretary-General António Guterres used religious vocabulary in a tweet about the climate crisis, urging higher ambitions:

I have just warned global leaders at #COP27:

We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.

Our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible.

We need urgent #ClimateAction. (Guterres 2022, emphasis added)

Despite the UN Secretary-General’s use of religious language depicting doom and destruction, religious perspectives are seldom heard in public debates on climate change (see Gärtner 2020; McCarroll 2020). Nevertheless, the climate crisis has profound existential implications for humanity, influencing how we live on the planet and where we can reside in the future due to rising temperatures and sea levels (Ayres 2019a; Gärtner 2020; Miller-McLemore 2022). Since the 1970s, ecological perspectives in theology and religion have evolved into a distinct field known as ecotheology (cf. Andrianos & Tomren 2021; Conradie 2006; Deane-Drummond 2018; Gärtner 2020; Gottlieb 2006; Hufnagel 2023). While initially rooted in Christian contexts, ecological issues are now a topic of theological research, often labeled as ecotheology, within various world religions, including Islam (see Kowanda-Yassin 2018; Mayer 2023; Schwencke 2012), Judaism (Bernstein 2022; Dorff & Willson 2008), and Sikhism (Prill 2023), among others. However, the majority of these studies do not tend to focus on the practical aspects of religious education or practical theology (see McCarroll 2020).

In a thematic research report published in 2022 on practical theology from the 1950s onward, Miller-McLemore concludes that practical theology, with religious education, has failed to fully embrace environmental issues over the years, and practical theologians need to contribute to the general scientific knowledge production of climate studies and its impact (Miller-McLemore 2022). The report by Miller-McLemore (2022) specifically addresses religious education within the field of practical theology as a context where environmental issues receive limited attention, mostly from a few scholars such as Ayres (2013, 2014, 2019b), Martin (2010, 2015a, 2015b), Mercer (2014, 2017) and Van Meter (2009, 2013).

The aim of this article is to conduct a broad systematic review of articles obtained through scholarly databases on climate change in Religious Education. In contrast to themed reviews like Miller-McLemore’s (2022), which subjectively select a variety of studies, systematic literature reviews utilize database searches to conduct qualitative and quantitative meta-analyses (Petticrew & Roberts 2006; Newman & Gough 2019; Mangas-Vega et al. 2018). While thematic reviews offer depth, they risk missing studies beyond the researcher’s knowledge and lack quantitative analysis. Systematic reviews, akin to knowledgeable fishers, strategically cast nets for a targeted catch, though they may not capture all dimensions. However, this method allows for broader analysis and comparison with other systematic reviews, evolving from medicine to various fields like theology, humanities, and social sciences, enabling new analytical possibilities through inter-review comparisons (Mangas-Vega et al. 2018).

The article begins with a description of the research design process, followed by a thematic presentation of the results. It concludes with a broader reflection on the findings, not only employing a scholarly perspective but also highlighting the necessity of making existing research accessible to students through research databases.

Research design

Systematic literature reviews need to be very precise about how the selection process and database searches are conducted, often including figures detailing the searches. At the end of a study, all included studies are typically marked with an asterisk (see Petticrew & Roberts 2006; Newman & Gough, 2019). This article focuses solely on journal articles in the systematic literature review, omitting other types of studies. While excluding a large body of knowledge may seem unwise, including diverse materials could compromise comparative aspects due to variations in length and form (see Petticrew and Roberts 2006; Newman & Gough 2019). To address this issue, I have incorporated additional materials in the discussion to enhance the final analysis.

The review began with the presupposition that a systematic review would yield a large number of studies (cf. Trott et al. 2023). To reduce the number of articles, the initial approach involved focusing on high-impact journals in religious studies, based on the Scopus CiteScore list of 2023.¹ However, this presupposition turned out to be flawed, as it appeared that climate-related issues were nearly invisible in these journals. Only 6% of the high-impact journals included articles for which the word climate appeared in the title, keywords, or abstracts.

The systematic review searches (see Figure 1), conducted in April 2023, began with a list of Scopus CiteScore first-quartile high-impact journals in religious studies (a coded subject in CiteScore). There was a total of 589 included journals in religious studies, of which 148 were listed within the first quartile. These 148 journals were manually searched using the EBSCOHost ERIC database with the term climate and limited to articles in English. Only nine journals contained articles meeting these criteria. From the 2000 to 2022,² 58 articles were found, but, upon closer examination, only five articles were related to environmental issues.

Figure 1. PRISMA flow chart for the selection of the studies in the systematic review.

To supplement the search, a second search was performed using the research database ProQuest Central with the search term climate in connection with the subject “religious education” and limited to peer-reviewed journal articles. This search yielded 55 articles, but after reviewing titles, keywords, and abstracts, only 5 articles were selected, as they addressed climate as part of the environment. To include studies on environmental sustainability, a third search was conducted on ProQuest Central using the terms sustainab* in connection with the subject “religious education.” This search retrieved 79 articles, but most of them focused on aspects of sustainability other than the environment. In the end, ten articles were selected from this search. Since only 20 articles were found this way, I broadened with a fourth search on ProQuest Central using the term ecology in connection with the subject “religious education,” resulting in 50 articles, leading to an addition of 14 articles when studies on, for example, ecology of learning were excluded. Finally, a fifth search was made on ProQuest Central using the term environmental* in connection with the subject “religious education,” resulting in 41 articles, adding 15 more articles after an exclusion of studies focusing on other environmental aspects. After conducting four different searches in popular research databases, resulting in a total of 49 articles, I decided to conclude the search and utilize the articles that were found. Searching for additional studies, such as those often referenced in the articles, would compromise the systematic nature of the review.

A systematic review of international research articles

The results will be analyzed in two ways: first, a quantitative overview of trends and statistics among the articles, and second, a qualitative themed analysis based on the individual articles. Among the empirical data of the reviewed research articles, three relatively distinctive themes emerged, namely theory building, method making, and the construction of hope; observations of existing practices; and quantitative studies on climate change and religious education.

Trends on climate change in religious education

The data set comprises 49 articles published between 2000 and 2022, offering insights into trends. Paralleling these trends, Trott et al. (2023) have examined climate-change education articles from 2007 to 2020. Similar to their study, most articles in this review emerged between 2011 and 2022 (see Figure 2), mirroring Trott et al.’s data. The increase in climate change in religious education articles, suggesting a growing interest in climate change issues over the past decade, aligns with broader climate-change education trends, as illustrated by Trott et al. (2023, Figure 3).

Figure 2. Number of publications over time (number and percent).

The number on top of the percentage shows the number of published articles. N = 49.

Figure 3. Journals with two or more articles (percentage and number).

Percentage is counted on the total number of articles (N = 49), whereas the number shows the number of individual articles for each journal. In total, the selected articles came from 28 academic journals, but only 9 journals had two or more articles.

Of the journals with articles found in the searches, only 9 of the 28 hosted 2 or more articles (see Figure 3).³ Three journals contributed significantly: Journal of Religious Education (four articles/4%),⁴ Teaching Theology and Religion (five articles/10%), and Religious Education (eight articles/16%). Initially, CiteScore ranking, often used to externally rank a journal’s impact, yielded limited results, but, considering the entire data set, only two journals had a CiteScore: Journal of Moral Education (3.6/99%, ranked number 5) and Religious Education (0.7/81%, ranked number 131). Clarivate’s Journal Impact Factor for 2022, another common external measurement (based on Web of Science data) to state the impact of a journal, identified more journals with multiple articles, but only Journal of Moral Education ranked as high-impact.⁵ This suggests that journals focusing on climate change in religious education may not achieve high-ranking status.

The geographic distribution of authors’ affiliations reveals broad representation across continents (Figure 4 and Table 1). The Americas dominate at 55%, followed by Europe at 25%, and Asia at 13%. Notably, Indonesia ranks second after the United States. This parallels findings from Trott et al. (2023), emphasizing minimal African representation. While the Americas’ dominance is expected due to its publication volume, criticism arises for neglecting non-Western climate issues. Additionally, Asia’s better representation in climate change in religious education contrasts with its underrepresentation in climate-change education, reflecting complex global dynamics in climate-related research focus and representation.

Figure 4. Geographic location of author institutional affiliations (map and number).

Number of authors (N = 67) calculated for each time an author is named in an article. If an author stands as writer of several articles, each occurrence is counted as one. An author’s geographical location is fetched from the stated university affiliation of the individual authors.

Table 1. Geographic location of author institutional affiliations (number and percentage).

Continent/country	Affiliation
Africa	2 (3%)
South Africa	1
Zimbabwe	1
Asia	9 (13%)
Indonesia	5
Malaysia	3
Turkey	1
Americas	37 (55%)
Canada	2
United States of America	35
Australia and Oceania	2 (3%)
Australia	2
Europe	17 (25%)
Belgium	1
Germany	4
Norway	2
Poland	1
Spain	2
Sweden	3
The Netherlands	1
The United Kingdom	3
Total	67

Note: Number of authors (N = 67) calculated for each time an author is named in an article. If an author stands as writer of several articles, each occurrence is counted as one. The An author’s geographical location is fetched from the stated university affiliation of the individual authors. Percent is only counted for each continent.

Most of the 49 articles use keywords, aiding frequency comparison and word cloud creation with Nvivo 14 software (Figure 5 and Table 2). Education dominates, while religious terms like ecotheology and justice are common. However, specific religious mentions such as “Christian,” “Buddhism,” and “Rastafari” appear only once, and thus were omitted from the word cloud. Emotions like “anxiety,” “hope,” and “grief” are prevalent, illustrating the interconnectedness between education, religion, and emotions in climate change in religious education. In contrast, Trott et al. (2023) focus more on “climate change” and “justice,” and educational terms like pedagogy and curriculum. Climate change in religious education highlights emotions, framing discussions within religion, theology, and ethics, with “hope” notably prominent in the word cloud.

Figure 5. Word cloud of key words.

In total, 156 keywords were mentioned in the articles, where similar words were counted by Nvivo 14 as one (e.g. ecological, ecology). Only keywords with two or more occurrences are used in the word cloud (N = 35) generated by Nvivo 14. A small minority of the articles did not use keywords and are therefore omitted.

Table 2. Keywords used, with two or more occurrences.

Word	Length	Count	Weighted %	Similar words
education	9	22	8.30%	education
ecological	10	11	4.15%	ecological, ecology
environmental	13	11	4.15%	environmental
religious	9	9	3.40%	religious
climate	7	8	3.02%	climate
development	11	5	1.89%	development
sustainable	11	5	1.89%	sustainability, sustainable
curriculum	10	4	1.51%	curriculum
environment	11	4	1.51%	environment
theology	8	4	1.51%	theological, theology
change	6	3	1.13%	change
conversion	10	3	1.13%	conversion
ethics	6	3	1.13%	ethics
grief	5	3	1.13%	grief
hope	4	3	1.13%	hope
human	5	3	1.13%	human, humanism
Islamic	7	3	1.13%	Islamic
moral	5	3	1.13%	moral
practical	9	3	1.13%	practical, practice, practices
religion	8	3	1.13%	religion
science	7	3	1.13%	science

Note: In total, 156 keywords were mentioned in the articles, where similar words were counted by Nvivo as one (e.g. ecological, ecology). Only keywords with three or more occurrences are listed here (N = 21), but percent is counted for all the material. A small minority of the articles did not use keywords and are omitted.

Theme one: Theory building, method making, and the construction of hope

The first theme, which addresses ideas and concepts of religious education in relation to climate change and environmental sustainability, constitutes 21 of the 49 articles. The articles in this theme predominantly rely on theoretical perspectives rather than empirical data. Four key aspects emerge from these articles: reconnecting to physical nature, crisis as a foundation for reorientation, the alienation of nature, and environmental ethics.

The first aspect, reconnecting to the physical nature, particularly in the education of children, is explored by Hess (2022), Christopher (2022), Kahn (2022), Postma & Smeyers (2012), and Chamberlain (2000). Hess (2022) advocates for embodying theology and constructing counternarratives to combat nature commodification. Religious education is viewed as pivotal for conveying the significance of interconnectedness and fostering theory and practice development. Christopher (2022) explores how the liberal arts can mend human-nature connections, emphasizing the need to acknowledge historical mistreatment of resources. Educating future generations with innovative analytical approaches is essential for fostering reshaped relationships with the planet. Kahn (2022) suggests a similar attitude of reengagement with the physical nature and advocates for a moral relationship between human beings and nature. The author believes that by instilling new attitudes toward nature and all living beings, children can contribute to creating a more ecologically sustainable future. Postma & Smeyers (2012) promote the fostering of empathetic human-nature relations by embracing the concept of homo ludens, encouraging reflection and seeking alternative perspectives. They believe this playfulness and curiosity can inspire more careful relationships with the environment, nurturing environmental care through education. Chamberlain (2000) criticizes traditional religious education for secularizing nature, indirectly endorsing planet destruction. Instead, he advocates recognizing the fundamental bond between humans and nature, proposing a new religious education framework where spiritual restoration extends to the entire planet and its inhabitants, not just humans.

The second aspect, crisis as a foundation for reorientation, is discussed by Doak (2021), Mercer (2022), Ayres (2021), Procario-Foley (2022), Sosnowska & Zańko (2022), Keesmaat (2022), Sideris (2020), Ahn (2017), Fleischer & DeMoor (2015), O’Brien (2014), and Tucker (2001). Doak (2021) emphasizes that religious education has the potential to find hope in such situations by drawing on historical examples of individuals who fought against oppression using religious language. These examples have had significant impacts on societal development. Mercer (2022) discusses children’s climate anxiety to emphasize the often overlooked child perspective in climate issues within religious education. Therefore, the author argues that adopting a deliberative ecofeminist perspective would represent a fresh approach to addressing children’s mental health within an ecological transformation. Ayres (2021) explores the sometimes-assumed concept of religion as an escape from reality, fostering a distance leading to environmental disaster and human suffering. Instead, the author argues that, through acknowledging human existence in suffering, hope and resistance can be forged through shared storytelling and the embodiment of vulnerability. Procario-Foley (2022) takes a stance informed by Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato sí’, which urgently calls for necessary changes. However, Procario-Foley goes further by focusing on how this “ecological conversion” can be achieved and emphasizes the need for faith communities to incorporate ecological perspectives for religious education to change. Sosnowska & Zańko (2022) also see the current era as a catastrophe but draw parallels with historical catastrophes such as the two world wars, emphasizing that humanity has managed to find ways toward brighter futures before. They propose utilizing Tillich’s theology of radical hope as a foundation for reorientation and argue that a religious foundation for hope can be a starting point for broader change. Keesmaat (2022) refers to biblical catastrophes as times of lament but also as opportunities for new perspectives. By examining the colonial perspectives embedded in the Bible and Christian history, Keesmaat argues for a hopeful and active role in the reformation of environmental care. Sideris (2020) goes further by introducing the concepts of grief and lament to address the complexities of the present times. The author suggests that, through the recognition of the climate crisis and grief, new models and ways of living can be developed. Ahn (2017) criticizes Christian eschatology for often focusing on otherworldly issues while neglecting the climate crisis and the ecological aspects of human existence. Instead, the author argues for a pedagogical use of “settling accounts” in religious education to introduce ecological justice as a key aspect of eschatology. Fleischer & DeMoor (2015) find that the overuse of catastrophic terms in religious education can lead to feelings of helplessness among children. However, through religious literature and its manifold examples of finding courage to act in times of hopelessness, a new hope for peaceful coexistence of humans and the environment can be fostered. O’Brien (2014) argues for a new synthesis of critical reflection and agency in teaching religion and the environment, achieved through a combination of normative and descriptive analysis. Tucker (2001) advocates for Seventh-day Adventist educational perspectives on the environment through ecological stewardship in contrast to consumption. However, the author suggests that this ambition can only be fully realized if children with special needs are also included in this educational endeavor.

The third aspect, the alienation of nature and the constitutive relation between human beings and the environment, is explored by Hearlson (2021) and Hanchin & Hearlson (2020). Hearlson (2021) emphasizes the necessity for humans to cease destroying nature and advocates for an “ecological conversion.” Instead of viewing nature as an external resource to be consumed, the author suggests visual images as resources to reshape the relationship between humans and nature: motivation through authentication, critique of embedded narratives, alternative perspectives, and the construction of new visions. Hanchin & Hearlson (2020) focus on the social foundation of equality in environmental issues. Drawing from Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato sí’ (2015), they argue for a psycho-theological “ecological conversion” from consumers to caretakers, considering nature as a gift by God to the entire creation.

The fourth and final aspect, ecological ethics, is discussed by Tomlinson (2019), Franck (2017), Mohamed (2013), and Sibanda (2012). Tomlinson (2019) discusses an ecological approach in religious education through virtue ethics. It is through the embodiment of ecological ethics that students can reestablish a healthy connection with nature. Franck (2017) highlights religious motivation in ethics as a means to develop sustainable didactics. According to the author, religious perspectives can contribute to the construction of “agnostic communication” in post-secular society, connecting democracy with sustainability. Mohamed (2013) argues for a Muslim contribution to global environmental ethics, specifically eco-Islam. However, Muslim religious education needs to be readjusted to incorporate environmental ethics to address the contemporary ecological crisis. Sibanda (2012) argues for religious perspectives in ecological ethics, presenting Rastafari ecological ethics. The author concludes that only through a combined effort of different religious leaders and communities can the environment be reclaimed.

The articles of theory building and method making in religious education concerning climate change highlight key aspects: reconnecting with nature, crisis-driven reorientation, perceiving nature as familiar, and promoting ecological ethics, often with a focus on fostering hope among children/students/pupils. They discuss crises as opportunities for reorientation, integrating grief and hope into educational frameworks to inspire action. Nature is portrayed as essential for human existence, urging an ecological conversion toward caretaking rather than consumption, offering hope for a sustainable future.

Theme two: Observations of existing practices

Next to the theoretical articles, 19 studies, of the total 49, focus on existing practices. The majority of these studies focused on educational practices—either within higher education or education for children, with only two studies examining educational faith practices.

Higher educational practices are examined by Turan (2019), Ulrich (2018), Fakhruddin et al. (2018), Ayres (2014), Benton (2012), Herlihy & Dufrene (2011) and Butkus & Kolmes (2008). Turan (2019) has studied Turkish teacher candidates and their awareness and sensitivity regarding the environment. The author found that religious education students had a greater focus on environmental issues than others. Generally, students tended to prioritize physical aspects like clean water or plant protection over media-specific environmental concerns. Ulrich (2018) constructs and evaluates a course on Hinduism, relocated to India in order to contextualize the students’ experiences. The aim was initially to retain a purely theoretical stance, but being abroad in a living, practiced religious community, both teacher and students experienced the juxtaposition of Hindu theology situated into local social and natural contexts, broadening the understanding of environmental aspects in religious education. Fakhruddin et al. (2018) examine how climate issues have reshaped Islamic religious education in Indonesia, introducing the concept of environmental conservation into the curriculum. The authors find that the climate aspects of theology were no longer a potentiality but practiced as one of several key foundations in contemporary Indonesia. Ayres (2014) explores what kinds of educational structures are necessary for future American religious leaders to handle issues concerning the environment. By bringing the students out of the campus and into the community and nature, students experienced the interdependence of social and environmental aspects of everyday life. Benton (2012) introduces environmental ethics into an American business-education class and studied its effects on students. The ethics course not only made students aware of cultural aspects of society but also enhanced their capability to see the world from perspectives different from their own. Herlihy & Dufrene (2011) study counseling practices in the United States, emphasizing climate anxiety in youth. A Delphi study with expert counselors highlighted mental health and social injustice concerns, worsened by societal and climate changes due to population density, but paving the way for changes in counseling. Butkus & Kolmes (2008) elaborate on interdisciplinary perspectives within American theological education being traditionally single-disciplinary. They aimed to create an interdisciplinary course with equal focus on each research field, resulting in the pedagogical concept of an “ecological plunge,” where students formed new interdisciplinary fundamentals for theological studies.

Practices in education for children are studied by Wakhidah & Erman (2022), Guilfoyle et al. (2021), Winkler & Scholz (2021), Ayres (2020), Sandberg (2020), Robina-Ramírez & Cotano-Olivera (2020), Sunhaji (2018), Kvamme (2017), Byron (2015) and Clingerman (2014). Wakhidah & Erman (2022) examine Indonesian religious education through the lens of environmental education and find that climate plays a crucial role in higher education curricula. By incorporating environmental perspectives using social theory and natural sciences, students undergo character development within Islamic teachings. Guilfoyle et al. (2021) survey American secondary teachers on climate change education, finding that both science and religious teachers emphasized argumentation. Science focused on data, while religious education stressed ethical interpretation. Despite differences, the study reveals more similarities than disparities, especially concerning climate change. Winkler & Scholz (2021) analyze German textbooks, finding minimal coverage of human environmental impacts and ethical issues. The authors urge religious education textbooks to prioritize environmental awareness and address climate change, aligning with children and teenagers’ heightened awareness. Ayres (2020) investigates how themes of embodiment and ecological affection have been implemented in American religious education. Through the connection with contemporary religious ecological practices, the subject can be expanded to acknowledge suffering and vulnerability as key components. Sandberg (2020) examines how older pupils in Australia and the United States relate to environmental issues in religious education. The pupils share an understanding of fighting climate change as both an individual and mainly digital effort, and argue for a stronger focus on social interaction and engaged practice outside the digital landscape. Robina-Ramírez & Cotano-Olivera (2020) study sustainability teaching in religious education at Italian and Spanish private religious schools. They find these schools emphasized critical thinking through climate change discussions, using moral models for teaching, aligning with corporate efforts of greenwashing. Sunhaji (2018) examines the integration of STEM subjects with Islamic religious education in Indonesia, a topic gaining popularity but lacking scholarly study. The research highlights that religious education often maintains a static understanding of nature and is unable to address current climate changes, and it calls for reshaping the curriculum into an interdisciplinary subject. Kvamme (2017) employs moral education within Norwegian religious education to educate students about sustainable development. Through this approach, students become aware that the environmental crisis is also an existential crisis, and religious education plays an important role in teaching about a sustainable future. Byron (2015) delves into American Catholic schools to examine the infrequent discussion of world hunger. However, emphasizing the theological basis for addressing environmental crises, such as climate injustice, through student engagement offers a valuable resource in combating global famines that should not be overlooked. Clingerman (2014) analyzes religious education practices through an ecological perspective and concludes that the subject needs to address the environment both socially and theologically in every aspect of education in order to make a difference.

Two studies in this collection, conducted by Stahl (2022) and Hitzhusen (2012), differ from the others as they examine educational faith practices. Stahl (2022) examines the Wild Church Network, an American community merging Christian worship with outdoor pedagogy. By reconnecting with nature, participants gain a profound understanding of climate change and forge personal ties to ideals often viewed as abstract in the Anthropocene. Hitzhusen (2012) explores American Catholic faith communities and their educational efforts of adult education on the environment. The author finds that successful pedagogical examples showed a combination of both natural sciences with up-to-date facts and theories combined with religious education focusing on theological argumentation.

The articles focusing on existing practices exhibit more variation compared to the conceptual articles but share a common objective of either seeking new ideas from all over the world for change during challenging times or acknowledging that the foundation for such change is already in place. Collectively, they shed light on the current implementation of using religious education as a platform for societal environmental reformulations.

Theme three: Quantitative studies on climate change and religious education

Eight of the 49 articles are large-scale studies on climate change and religious education, namely Altmeyer (2021), Jaya (2020), Tom (2018), Majzub et al. (2017), Thanissaro (2016), Shao et al. (2016), Zhou (2015), and Kay & Ziebertz (2006). In a study of more than 1,100 pupils in Austria and Germany, Altmeyer (2021) finds that religious perspectives tend to play a minor role in ecological issues. Still, the author argues that religious education has an important role to play in training for stewardship and responsible action, according to the survey. Jaya (2020) surveys Malaysian Islamic universities and their efforts to implement environmental issues in their courses. The findings show that, in contrast to prejudices of an environmentally negative attitude in Islam, all investigated universities have a focus on climate change in their policies and a majority of teachers show a great concern for environmental issues in their lectures. Tom (2018) explores the Pew Religion and Public Life Survey of 2006, examining how religious affiliation correlates with perceptions of the scientific consensus on climate change, finding that consensus is pivotal for religious groups to prioritize climate change. The author suggests educational institutions emphasize consensus-based climate change education, while religious communities themselves should actively promote environmental awareness. Majzub et al. (2017) survey 529 preschool children (ages 5–6) in Malaysia and their thoughts on climate change to raise their engagement in environmental issues. The study found that preschool children are indeed aware of climate change, but it needs to be incorporated into the curriculum. Thanissaro (2016) surveys 417 teenage Buddhists in Wales and England and finds that self-esteem, although considered important among the religious minority, cannot be linked to environmental concerns. These findings question the necessity of self-esteem-focused climate-change education in religious education, bringing forward new methods for teaching focusing on fostering Buddhist self-images of sustainability. Shao et al. (2016) examine the influence of religious communities on attitudes toward global warming, noting differences especially among Christian denominations. Evangelical Christians are less inclined to prioritize environmental issues compared to mainline Protestants. Surprisingly, church attendance, regardless of denomination, doesn’t significantly impact attitudes toward global warming. Zhou (2015) draws conclusions from the International Social Survey Program of 2010, with over 45,000 respondents from 32 countries surveyed on issues concerning environmental skepticism. The author finds that environmental skepticism arises from limited education; self-assessed knowledge; religious, conservative values; and societal distrust. Still, education mitigates skepticism more among less religious and left-leaning individuals. Kay & Ziebertz (2006) survey over 8,900 teenagers from nine Western countries and find that environmental and human rights groups hold high esteem among the participants. Similarly, religion is often connected with humanitarian aspects of climate change.

The quantitative studies on climate change and religious education reveal diverse and interesting contributions. Findings range from the minor role of religious perspectives in ecological issues to the importance of consensus-based education and the influence of religious communities on attitudes toward global warming. Overall, these studies underscore the need for quantitative interreligious approaches to environmental education within religious contexts, aiming to foster awareness, responsibility, and action among individuals of all ages and beliefs.

Conclusions

This article has aimed to conduct a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles obtained from scholarly databases, focusing on climate change in religious education. The conclusions will first reflect on the methodology used for the study, specifically discussing the application of systematic reviews within the field of religious education. Following that, the section will present the key findings derived from the review. Lastly, the conclusions will offer suggestions for future research in the area of climate change within the field of religious education.

Problems with systematic reviews in religious education

The initial intention of conducting a systematic review of current research on climate change and environmental sustainability in religious education led to some unexpected outcomes. This finding raises concerns about the limited representation of studies in such database searches. It is noteworthy that several valuable academic books and articles published in local journals, which may not have been intended for an international audience or written in English, were not included in the review. Examples of such publications include Hufnagel (2023), Marlow and Harris (2022), Andrianos and Tomren (2021), Aarnio-Linnanvuori (2013), Gärtner (2020), Ayres (2019a), Conradie (2006), and Gottlieb (2006). Incorporating these sources could have enriched the review.

The trend of relying on general research databases for accessing research articles, particularly among students, has gained popularity. However, this approach may overlook valuable studies published outside the extent of these databases or in languages other than English. It is important for researchers and students to consider broader sources, such as academic books and local journals, to ensure a comprehensive overview of the research landscape. These limitations underscore the need for researchers to adopt a more inclusive approach to literature searches and to consider alternative sources beyond traditional scholarly databases.

Key findings

These articles have been examined in the review article, and, to my surprise, they were fairly consistent in some respects and, less surprisingly, disparate in methods, foci, and practices of investigation. The two main findings are the acknowledgement of crisis and the construction of hope.

The first aspect, the ecological crisis as such, is the foundation for the articles. Without a crisis, there would be no need for change. However, the articles go beyond describing the crisis. Instead, a shared perspective is the acknowledgment of climate anxiety and the problems faced by individuals and communities due to the environmental changes of the Anthropocene. In religious education, the description and understanding of how climate change affects all people on Earth, and the fact that children in school show climate anxiety (or climate apathy), should be at the core of the subject, as they affect the very foundation of human existence (see Mercer 2022). The review by Miller-McLemore (2022) and the study by McCarroll (2020) point in this direction but go even further—if the field does not protest and highlight the problems, it fails to participate in the necessary change of human existence into a sustainable future.

The second aspect, the construction of hope, surprised me during this review. It is, in my understanding, an obligation to bring hope through education to children in a democratic society. This is why I began as a schoolteacher, and it has continued to be central to me as a university teacher. However, much of the public media concerning climate change focuses on despair, catastrophe, and human decline (Gärtner 2020). Great leaders attempt to bring about change but seem unable or unwilling to make real changes for the sake of the climate. The almost desperate acclamation by the UN Secretary-General of “climate hell” at the beginning of this article points in this direction. The reviewed articles, however, did not focus on cynical statements but shared a search for and a construction of hope for change into a better world. This hope is not understood as naïve in the sense of ignoring the problems but as hope against an increasing environmental catastrophe. The theoretical articles especially speak of hope. One of the examined articles (Sosnowska & Zańko 2022) draws from postwar theologian Tillich’s concept of radical hope in times of despair. It is not reasonable to hope, but one cannot cease to hope. Another of the articles (Keesmaat 2022) speaks of biblical prophets as examples of hope in times of difficulties. Several of these articles source their hope in religious terms, not longing for days in heaven, but hoping to change the present Earth into a fully habitable planet. This perspective goes against a traditional critique of religion as ignorant of earthly troubles in favor of celestial salvation. Religious argumentation is a striking feature of many of the articles, drawing hope and suggestions from a theological context. Perhaps it is time for religious education to acknowledge that people all over the world, from a wide range of worldviews and religions, find hope for a better future within their own theological contexts, and that religious differences can be seen as constructive.

Suggestions for further research

In light of the systematic review on climate change in religious education, two suggestions for the field of research are made:

The first suggestion revolves around future research. Although this review found studies other than those examined by Miller-McLemore (2022) in her review, the low number of published studies on climate issues in religious education continues to be a concern. So many studies are being published in the field of religious education, yet so few of them address such a crucial aspect of human existence as the climate. This is something that needs to be addressed by scholars in the field. While I am aware that such research is underway among my colleagues, the ongoing necessity of conducting such studies cannot be understated.

The second suggestion focuses on the role that religious education can play in shaping a better future, one that moves beyond apocalyptic visions of earthly damnation. An emerging key task for religious education, both confessional and non-confessional, as evident in the examined articles, is to teach about hope for the climate and provide examples of how change is already being made. These changes may not always be on a large scale, transforming entire nations, but often consist of small steps. It is through awareness of these efforts that others can develop belief in a hopeful future (see Ayres 2019a). Religious education has an important didactic role to play in shaping our shared human future.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

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Viktor Aldrin

Viktor Aldrin is an Associate Professor of Practical Theology with Religious Education and an Excellent Teaching Practitioner (ETP) at the Department of Educational Work, University of Borås. In his research, he focuses on climate change issues and the relations between the secular state and religious minorities in contemporary Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]

Notes

1 https://www.scopus.com/sources.uri.

2 The starting year for the search results is the oldest date available in the data set.

3 Trott et al. 2023 have not made a similar analysis and will not be used as a comparison for this section.

4 A short disclaimer: Although my article is published in Religious Education, the journal has not been favored in any way in the searches.

5 https://jcr.clarivate.com/jcr/home.