With the recent hot issue of global warming, Iowa State will bring a new perspective to the discussion with a lecture Tuesday evening.

Janel Curry, dean for Research and Scholarship and professor of geography at Calvin College, will discuss the relationship between Christians and the environment.

“I’m going to be talking about the issue of climate change and how different Christian groups end up falling on the issue,” Curry said. “I will try to give a framework on understanding why they have different positions.”

Curry said she aims to reach two goals with her lecture.

“The first is to show that things are more complex than are often portrayed in the media,” she said. “My second goal is to help people understand the range better so it can increase the dialogue amongst groups that often fall on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Everyone needs to be onboard for the issue of climate change.”

The lecture is partially funded by the Religious Leaders Association, the Committee on Lectures and the student-run religious group, Areopagus.

Randy Gabrielse, ministry director for Areopagus, said the group seeks to bring Christian professors and artists to campus to speak about the work they do as well as share the perspective of how they see that as part of their Christian vocation.

“I think the lecture will bring up an important issue in that it will help the wider community understand that Christians have a variety of perspectives on the issue, and to understand that Christians and other religions also bring perspectives to bear,” Gabrielse said.

Gabrielse encourages students to get involved in groups and lectures such as these that involve students with important issues.

“It is important for students to engage in these activities because it shows the way that Christians believe their faith commitments affect all areas of their life,” Gabrielse said. “This includes the work they do in the university and beyond the university. It’s not just a personal commitment, but a commitment that ought to effect all aspects of life.” Gabrielse feels this lecture in particular is important for students to get involved with and attend.

“In this country, evangelical Christians have a lot of numbers and a lot of power. They have traditionally supported Republican party policies and this is an area where some evangelicals are beginning to take a perspective that’s neither at odds or in agreement with those policies,” Gabrielse said. “More importantly, they tend to be very active once they get behind a policy. This is significant because, to see environmentalists and Christians working together, or people of any faith background, produces an opportunity for cooperation and understanding as well as getting important work and advocacy done.”

Curry currently teaches at Calvin College in Michigan. Her current primary research focus involves environmental attitudes among seminaries. Her work has been published in the Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Society & Natural Resources and The Geographical Review. She is also involved in the Calvin Environmental Assessment Program.

“I’m really talking about effective ways of engaging the different Christian groups,” Curry said. “I offer some suggestions on how to engage the Christian community in the issue of climate change.”