Today, as the climate crisis is emphasized, apocalyptic environmentalism, which warns that the end of the Earth and humanity is imminent due to the environment, has emerged. However, apocalyptic environmentalism has been criticized for being based on ...
Today, as the climate crisis is emphasized, apocalyptic environmentalism, which warns that the end of the Earth and humanity is imminent due to the environment, has emerged. However, apocalyptic environmentalism has been criticized for being based on misinformation about the environment or for promoting excessive anxiety and fear even though current environmental problems are manageable. In addition, apocalyptic environmentalism is criticized for being based on anti-industrial and anti-civilization ideologies, or for harming human dignity by representing anti-humanism by portraying humans as beings who caused the climate crisis. Therefore, from the perspective of children's education, caution is needed against apocalyptic environmentalism, as it can cause ecological anxiety or give children a pessimistic view of humanity.
The purpose of this study is to critically examine whether the environmental crisis depicted in apocalyptic environmentalism picture books is true, and to examine the human view in apocalyptic environmentalism picture books from a Christian worldview. To conduct this study, 12 apocalyptic environmentalism picture books were selected and reviewed.
As a result of examining what environmental crises are depicted in apocalyptic environmentalism picture books, the environmental crisis of 'rising sea levels', 'devastation', 'animal extinction' were found in apocalyptic environmentalism picture books. And many of the contents of environmental crisis were based on inaccurate information.
Next, as a result of examining how human views appear in apocalyptic environmentalism picture books, 'existence as a part of nature' is in 7 picture books, 'being incapable of managing the earth' is in 8 picture books, and 'beings that must be extinguished from the earth' is in 4 picture books. As a result of looking at this view of humanity from a Christian perspective, we can see that although sin entered this world through the fall of man, humans are noble beings with a special purpose because they were created in the image of God, and that the problem of sin is solved through Jesus Christ and we are reborn. It can be summarized that not only humans but also the created world will be saved and restored at the second coming of Jesus. Therefore, as those who have been saved and hope for the kingdom of God, we must fulfill the role of stewards of the created world and live a sanctified life.