Dear Flushing, N.Y., Does God Care About Climate Change?

According to the Book of Genesis, sometime before the advent of recorded time, God flooded the Earth to punish humanity for its wickedness. Somewhat later, in 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that global sea levels would rise between 7.1 and 23 inches by the end of the 21st century. The Deluge, take two? (If you live in Flushing, Queens, and your name is Noah, you may be in luck. Call us.)

With 356 religious sites, Flushing is arguably the most theologically diverse neighborhood in America. To find out what Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews and Buddhists are thinking, preaching and teaching about climate change, James West from the Climate Desk, a journalistic collaboration dedicated to exploring climate change, visited the leaders of five of Flushing’s religious institutions:

• Keith Coleman, visiting minister at Pure Presbyterian Church
• George Chang, president of the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation
• Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of New York
• Albert Thaler, rabbi at Temple Gates of Prayer
• Shuaib Uddin, leads services at Masjid Hazrati Abu Bakr Siddique

CHECK OUT CLIMATE DESK’S VIDEO AND INTERACTIVE MAP: