The Environmental Impact of the Church: Two Thousand Years of Influence

The main focus of this dissertation was to research the influence that the organized Church has had upon the natural environment since its inception. Research encompassed Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant church history collectively and their respective relationships with monarchs and world powers. Results revealed several formative events throughout Church history that did, in fact, have an influence upon the earth, the environment and our climate. Of the twelve case studies that were explored, six demonstrated positive influence, five were negative, and one was determined to be neutral. Within both the positive and negative results, some were minor and localized effects, while others were major and far-reaching. A clear factor in determining a conclusion depends on whether a generic definition of Christianity or a specific one is used to qualify the influence of the Church during these events. In many cases, the positive or negative influence was the result of a single person’s actions.Since the Church is often vilified as opposing science and not caring about the environment, this paper was intended to eliminate hearsay, examine actual cases and quantify the effect. Case studies begin after the Church transitions out of a movement and into an organization in the early fourth century, and focus in on theocracies and cases where monarchs were dependent on or collaborative with Church authorities.Initial searches on the environmental impact of the Church did not reveal any existing research. In an era of public demand for clerical accountability, it is timely that this topic is researched and the results acknowledged by the Church.