By Julie Lehman
Vantage
May 01, 2007
Unless your denial skills are uncanny and extend to all things seen and heard, you are probably aware that the world is in bad shape. Those of us who have been paying attention to the overwhelming evidence realize that for the first time in human history humans are capable—and apparently willing—to threaten not just their own survival but that of all life on the planet. With that possibility becoming accepted by the mainstream culture, faith leaders are now called to exercise their prophetic role above all others.
Our denomination exercised this prophetic role itself back in 1990 at the 202nd General Assembly by adopting the policy report Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice. From that report evolved the movement we now know as Presbyterians for Restoring Creation. Their belief is that God calls the Presbyterian Church (USA) to “…respond to the cry of creation by engaging in the effort to make the 1990’s the ‘turnaround decade.’” Further, they assert that restoring creation is a “…central concern of the church, to be incorporated into its life and mission at every level.”
As an environmentalist and theologian, I can easily agree with the statements and assertions above. As a person of faith, I find myself wishing it was 1990 again!
Sustainability as a Spiritual Discipline
While some experts now predict it may be too late to turn things around, such news does not excuse us from heeding our call as the people of God, but rather demands a more urgent and courageous response. As I have wrestled with how to reverse the trend towards global self-destruction, I have come to believe that we must begin with a personal and community response. By elevating sustainability to the level of spiritual discipline, we can replace despondence with faith and powerlessness with activism.
Walking Yourself into Creation Care
I have often found that actions can steer the soul when it is unable to lead us. Starting earth stewardship in the most local and personal realm, namely our homes, will begin us walking humbly with God. Simple and concrete acts such as replacing the light bulbs in your own home with compact fluorescents can open your eyes to what God calls us to do in these excessive times.
In a recent clergy environmental breakfast in Asheville, a Lutheran pastor shared how he had recently called his representative to register his voice. He described being immensely rejuvenated after hanging up the phone, and wondered why he had not done so 20 years ago! As those called to lead the people of faith, our example can be a powerful witness. Seeing the minister practicing sustainability compels others to follow. I was profoundly moved to understand the spiritual nature of sustainable living when I noticed a minister whom I highly respected drinking water from an old Diet Coke bottle!
Walking Your Church into Action
I am involved in a Sunday school class at my church, First Presbyterian Church of Asheville. We call it the “Greening of the Church” class. Meeting to prepare the 12-week series, the planning team jokingly named ourselves the “Green Guerillas.” Worrying that this name might scare people away from attending, we decided to change our name to the “Green Gorillas.” Upon learning of the change, our pastor encouraged us to hold fast to the concept of green guerilla (possibly aware that sometimes making important changes in the church requires guerilla tactics!). His support and the enthusiastic response of the participants allowed us to become a permanent faith development opportunity.
The class now functions as regular planning and strategizing time for the greening of our church. We discuss projects big and small, individual and communal, within the church and in the broader community. We keep each other informed of local advocacy and informational events and report back to the class on what we’ve learned. The primary goal for the class has become to make our class obsolete!
Many resources are available to help your congregation become more earth conscious. My favorite is the “Greening Congregations Handbook” published by Earth Ministry out of Seattle (http://earthministry.org). Also having your church join Presbyterians for Restoring Creation doesn’t cost much, but allows your church to support our denomination’s national movement, as well as accessing resources to assist your own congregation’s greening efforts.
An impressive national interfaith organization devoted to deepening the connection between ecology and faith is the Regeneration Project. Its recent campaign, known as Interfaith Power and Light (IPL), mobilizes people of all faiths to recognize and fulfill their responsibility for the stewardship of creation. Specifically, the IPL campaign is mobilizing a national religious response to global warming while promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation. To connect with your state’s chapter, or to help establish one if yours doesn’t yet have one, visit www.theregenerationproject.org.
One final way for any church to quickly become green and promote sustainability on a national scale is to purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) from one of the many providers on the market today. Renewable energy credits offset your church’s power use by subsidizing clean energy sources, helping them someday become available to all across our national power grid. A document explaining the specifics of this opportunity is available off the EPA’s Web site at www.epa.gov/greeningepa/content/energy/pdf/greentags.pdf.
With the increasing number of ways to get your church connected with effective ways to practice responsible and caring earth stewardship, being complacent is no longer acceptable. While environmentalism might still be an issue that evokes conflict, it’s well worth our attention.
Julie Lehman is Director of Church Relations at Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC