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Climate Change and Eschatology

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Beyond Belief

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

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Abstract

Global Warming and other environmental hazards have conjured up among Bible readers an impending end-time apocalypse. Based on a previous paper offering three biblical eschatological scenarios (the Rainbow Model, the Nineveh Model and the Apocalypse Model), this paper expands on the three scenarios, giving more theological and, if any, historical background. While the Rainbow Model (Noah’s flood story) assumes that another worldwide destruction will never again take place and the Apocalypse Model (Jesus’ end-time expectation) assumes the ultimate end-time world annihilation, the Nineveh Model (Jonah’s doomsday message) assumes that the prospect of an envisioned end-time annihilation can be avoided through repentance and a change of behavior. For each scenario, this paper looks at possible historical roots and the theological intent. The result of the study suggests that each of the three narratives (Noah, Jesus, Jonah) is characterized by an inherent component of contingency, explicit or not, and that none of them is unequivocally unconditional. Each narrative assumes the basic tenet of God’s compassion and mercy in light of man’s willingness to change heart. Explicit or not, all biblical predictions entail contingencies that make it impossible for man to exactly predict the future. While the biblical covenants put man into a special relationship with God, God remains at all times sovereign and supreme to extend His mercy and compassion to whomever He wishes if and whenever man confesses his sins and changes his ways.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The dictum is an adaptation of the Native American saying: “When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, you will realize that you cannot eat money.” J. Simpson and J. Speake (Eds): The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, 5th edition, Oxford University Press: Oxford 2009.

  2. 2.

    For a fuller discussion of my understanding of myth, see my chapter „Schöpfungsmythen” in: Kurt Bangert, Und sie dreht sich doch! 50 Antworten auf die Frage, wie alles begann, Theiss: Darmstadt 2015, S. 14–41. For further discussion on the concept of myth see also: Norbert Bischof: Das Kraftfeld der Mythen. Signale aus der Zeit, in der wir die Welt erschaffen haben, Piper: München 1996/32004; Christian Danz and Werner Schuessler: Die Macht des Mythos. Das Mythosverständnis Paul Tillichs im Kontext, de Gruyter/ Kindle Edition 2014; Mircea Eliade: Myth and Reality, Waveland Press/HarperRow: Prospect Hights, Ill. 1963.

  3. 3.

    Original German: “Die wichtigste Differenz zwischen dem frühchristlichen Kerygma und der jüdischen Apokalyptik besteht nämlich in der christlichen Annahme des Wirkens Gottes in der Welt und in der Geschichte.”.

  4. 4.

    Original German: “Das Entscheidungsgericht über alle Menschen vollzieht sich vielmehr bereits aktuell in ihrer Begegnung mit dem irdischen Jesus …”.

  5. 5.

    A „Kairos-Moment“ (from Greek καιρός implying a moment in time, in contrast to chronos/ χρόνος which stands for a period of time) connotes a crucial time requiring decisions of vital consequences.

  6. 6.

    Dts News Service, May 2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Kurt Bangert

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  1. Kurt Bangert
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Correspondence to Kurt Bangert .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, Christian Heritage College (CHC), Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Johannes M. Luetz

  2. School of Law and Society / Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia

    Patrick D. Nunn

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Bangert, K. (2021). Climate Change and Eschatology. In: Luetz, J.M., Nunn, P.D. (eds) Beyond Belief. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67602-5_9

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