Learning to be a Community of Care and Generosity (1)
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.”
Psalm 24:1; 1 Corinthians 10:26
I. Required readings
Christian Biography for the Day: Clare of Assisi
An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation
Watch either
Fresh (2009 documentary available for rent at Amazon);
or
Dirt, The Movie (available
to rent for at Amazon and the
film's homepage); or watch the three
TedTalks embedded in the film
reflection assignment page on
Canvas. Regardless of which option
you choose, turn in the Film Reflection handout before class.
Bryant Myers, “Will the Poor Always Be With Us?”
Heidi Hornik, “Photographs from a Captivated Heart”
II. Quotations for the
day
“Christianity has all too often
meant withdrawal and the unwillingness to share the common suffering of
humankind. But the world has rightly risen in protest against such piety....
The care of another - even material, bodily care - is spiritual in essence.
Bread for myself is a material question; bread for my neighbor is a spiritual
one.”
--
Jacques Maritain
"When someone steals a man's clothes we call him a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has no shoes; the money which you hoard up belongs to the poor."
--Basil the
Great, Bishop of
III. Journal prompts
1. Why do you think so many Christians view caring for God’s creation as something suspect? Does the “Evangelical Declaration” above help you see some of the deeper connections between Christian discipleship and caring for God’s creation?
2. “Most major environmental problems such as air pollution, water pollution, and the threat of global warming hurt people. These problems fight against Christ's reconciliation of all of creation. In many instances they hit the poor, the children, and the elderly the hardest.” Reflect on how this statement might help us see the connection between concern for God’s creation and for those who live within that creation and are part of it. Is it really possible to love your neighbors and not care about the air they breathe, the water they drink, or the trash we dump in their backyards?
3. How might the common assumption that whatever we have is ours to do with as we please contribute to the degradation of God’s creation and the widespread scandal of poverty in our world today?
IV. Links of possible
interest
Evangelical Environmental Network and Creation-Care Magazine Many Christians are suspicious of “environmental” issues because they assume that such concerns are held only by “liberals.” This network of evangelicals is working hard to inform Christians about why they, too, ought to be concerned about caring for God’s creation. See especially: "Loving the Least of These."
Ocean Trash: 5.25 Trillion Pieces and Counting This National Geographic article, as well as the links contained within it, offer a helpful overview of a seldom-talked-about and only-recently-studied problem: What happens to all the trash that gets dumped into the oceans year after year?
National Geographic: Ethiopia's 'church forests' are incredible oases of
green
The Story of Stuff" While this 20-minute video isn't the whole story, millions of people have watched it and have been confronted with a number of uncomfortable realities that are rarely discussed.