For every complex problem there is usually a simple answer. According to Janel Curry, this simple answer is most likely wrong.

In Tuesday night’s lecture, “Christianity and Climate Change: Understanding the Range of Responses” lecturer Curry, dean of research and scholarship and professor of geography at Calvin College, emphasized that there is no simple solution to the wide range of Christian ideologies addressing climate change today.

“[Christian] groups are not that simple to classify,” Curry said. “I would like to build a framework to understand the range [of Christian perspectives.]”

Curry explained her goal to increase understanding of the complexity of religion and environmental attitudes, which has the potential to build cohesion and civil dialogue motivated toward change.

“There are three factors influencing attitudes toward nature and [Christian] approaches toward environmental problems: eschatology, integration and responsibility,” Curry said.

Eschatology, or a groups’ view of the future, is useful in understanding different Christian views about the environment, Curry said.

“Eschatology impacts our views of whether or not the world needs saving,” Curry said.

Some Christian views advocate the importance of being wise and compassionate stewards of God’s creation, as an example for others, whereas others see the environment as disconnected from religion, Curry said.

“Climate change, along with religion, take a lot of integrative thinking,” Curry said.

She emphasized that environmental change often accompanies spiritual disciplines; for example, the belief that living within limits does not decrease freedom, but opens the door to new style of living.

Finally, Curry explained the importance of recognizing different patterns of responsibility in environmental change.

“For climate change, there is a need to draw on Calvinism, and thinking about the whole more than the individual,” Curry said.

Lecture organizers expressed enthusiasm in Curry’s topic.

“With the recent interest in climate change, we’re very happy to have [Curry speak],” said Randy Gabrielse, ministry director of Areopagus, a campus group sponsoring the lecture. “[Climate change] is a major problem, and I’m glad to see a significant number of evangelical Christians seeing it as a problem because it’s worth advocating in a political arena.”

Students attending the lecture emphasized the need for environmental consideration.

“It’s definitely important that people become more energy efficient,” said Matthew Palmer, junior in marketing.