Global Warming & Sunday School

Recently I was teaching a group of second and third graders during our congregation’s Sunday school. I call my class “Science and the Bible,” although it should probably be renamed to “Biblical Science” because the goal of the class is to teach the children to interpret the world around them in the light of scripture rather than superimposing worldly beliefs upon the scripture.

The Church, at least in my experience, does a good job of teaching its members to interpret social and moral issues in light of scriptures. We often hear of this referred to as a “Biblical Worldview.” Unfortunately, the Church has done a poor job of teaching and equipping its members to interpret science in the same light. The consequences of this deficiency became evident to me in the class I was teaching.

We were examining the planets of our solar system, highlighting the features that make Earth ideal for life and the features of the other planets that make them completely uninhabitable. During the discussion, one of the students commented that he knew what was going to bring about the end of the earth. I had not intended to discuss eschatology, but I thought this might lead to an opportunity to discuss sin, judgment and salvation. The bait was in front of me, and I took it! The student, sensing my excitement, exclaimed, “Global Warming!” I must have sounded like a balloon deflating!

The student had probably heard the prophetical words of Peter: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” It would be my hope that my students would read this passage that clearly refers to the coming judgment, and be reminded of the global judgment in Noah’s day. The Lord judged all of mankind, and destruction was complete. Our world bears the scars of that tragedy to this day. Peter’s words remind us that another judgment is coming. Unfortunately, this student was more familiar with the apocalyptic tale of “Global Warming” than he was with the “Global Judgment” that God’s Word warns us about.

It is my prayer that the church takes its responsibility to equip its members to answer the questions and challenges to their faith that they may face. These challenges will not always be in the form of moral or social issues, as they have predominantly been in the past. Christians will be challenged to answer questions dealing with many other topics such as science. If we learn to answer wisely and truthfully, the faith of all will be strengthened.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” I Peter 3:15