Dear Friends and Colleagues,
One thing which we all have in common, no matter where we live or where we fall on the social spectrum, is that we abide in God’s Creation. And as created beings, we all have the God-given responsibility to steward well God’s Creation. Please find below a smattering of resources on the topic of Creation Care, including books, articles, organizations and quotations which I have found helpful. I also commend to you the NABF Creation Care Network, led by Katherine Smith; please be invited to reach out to her to share and learn more about what is happening in the Baptist world for Creation Care.
In no particular order:
- Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie: recommended by Margaret Atwood and Bill Gates as an “urgent optimist”; Hannah is a data scientist out of Oxford University
- Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe: Katharine was the speaker at our 2022 NABF Annual Meeting, and a well respected climate scientist
- Pope Francis’ Laudato Si
- Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan
- A Rocha UK: A Christian charity working to protect and restore the natural world and committed to equipping Christians and churches
- Eco Church: By A Rocha UK, an online survey and resource to help you and your church care for creation
- Greening Your Church by Norman Lévesque: manual from a Roman Catholic perspective (available in English and French) on how to reflect on your church’s engagement with creation care
- “Climate Doom Is Out. Apocalyptic Optimism Is In” by Alexis Soloski: an interesting article on “Earth Day” from the New York Times, reframing the trajectory of the creation care discussion towards “urgent optimism.”
- Andrew Weaver on Quirks and Quarks: world renown Canadian climate scientist talks about climate change without denying the huge challenges; he particularly addresses the destructive nature of depriving young people of hope.
And I’ll leave you with one thing you must remember today if nothing else:
In the matter of your creation Lord, make yourself known to me.
Happy Earth Day.
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy Bell, NABF General Secretary