U.S. Christians’ concerns about the environment and climate change haven’t shifted much in the past two decades, despite a push by some religious leaders to increase attention on the issue, a new study finds.

In fact, Christians’ views may be reversing course since the 1990s, according to David Konisky, an associate professor at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the study’s author.

“Not only has there not been an amplification of concern among Christians about the environment, there’s seemingly been a decline, at least over the time period I’ve been studying,” he said.

Konisky’s work is part of a decades long debate both in academia and among religious leaders about the degree that Christianity is a positive or negative influence on people’s attitudes on climate change. His study comes as some researchers have suggested there has been a “greening of Christianity” in recent years, as high-profile religious leaders like Pope Francis have made climate change a higher priority within the faith. Konisky wanted to find out whether this “organizational-level” emphasis on caring for the planet was having an impact […]