Stewards or owners? The influence of Mormonism on public perspectives about renewable energy, climate change, and the environment

This research investigates the influence of different religious traditions, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints (LDS), on public support for renewable energy development and other environmental issues. We situate our study within the literature on religion and environment, and provide a contribution to the relatively limited amount of research that has been done examining the association between Mormonism and environmental concern. While some studies have found that members of the Mormon Church are significantly less likely to support environmental policy and behaviors, others have found that Mormons display higher levels of environmental concern than general U.S. population. In 2013, church leaders of the LDS faith issued strong statements indicating a conviction that \u27all humankind are stewards - not owners - over this earth\u27 who should \u27avoid wasting life and resources\u27 provided by God. However, the Church\u27s position did not indicate its position on renewable energy specifically. Using results from a 2014 community survey of rural residents in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming (n=907), we compare views on renewable energy and other environmental issues amongst Mormons (n=316), those of other faiths (n=360), and those who do not report a religious affiliation (n=157). We also compare perspectives across communities that are Mormon-dominant (n=571) and more religiously diverse (n=336). Variations in environmental orientation, perspectives on traditional energy use such as the burning of fossil fuels, and beliefs about climate change are also reported