When Faith Meets the Climate Crisis: A 28-Year Global Research Map

Abstract

Purpose– This research explores the role of religion in climate change in the Anthropocene era through a comprehensive bibliometric approach. Design/methods/approach– The study used quantitative bibliometric analysis of 751 documents from Scopus covering 1996–2024. Data were analyzed using R/R-Studio, VOSviewer, and Microsoft Excel to evaluate publications, citations, authors, affiliations, international collaboration, and research trends and patterns. Findings– Publications on religion and climate change showed significant growth, especially from 2006 onward. The dataset contained 1,445 authors, 382 single-authored documents, 2.09 co-authors per document, and 16.91% international co-authorship. Network analysis identified climate change and religion as central topics, while perception, risk factor, and Anthropocene appeared among more recent research emphases. Density analysis showed “Climate Change, Religion, and Human” as the most frequent and prominent thematic combination. Research implications/limitations– The study provides a broad map of the field but is limited by its database coverage; the manuscript recommends expanding future searches to additional databases. Originality/value– The study provides a 28-year global research map linking religion, climate change, human and social dimensions, and emerging Anthropocene-related themes, highlighting the interdisciplinary structure and future research directions of this literature.