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Bishop Mark Andrus and Joyce Wilding led the Environmental
Track at the Value, Vision and the Via Media: a path
to action 2005 Conference in Washington DC at the National
Cathedral. Joyce Wilding provided an overview of Environmental
Session during the opening session of the Conference and
gave a statement about how Environmental issues impact the
poor and marginalized in the closing session. Bishop Andrus
from the Diocese of Alabama, founder of the Creation Stewardship
Team in his diocese, leader of the Alabama Black Belt Roundtable
Environmental & Social Justice Project and the author
of Province of Sewanee IV - Pastoral Letter on the Care
of Creation described ways to put "A Face"
on ecological concerns in his keynote address. He presented
highlights of the Pastoral letter that asks all parishes
to take seriously stewardship of God's Creation, the theology
of earth stewardship, the imminent earth crisis that demands
our attention as stewards and companions of the earth. Bishop
Andrus nad Joyce encouraged all environmental ministry groups
to promote the Millennium
Development Goals and to learn how the Episcopal leaders
in several networks address these.
Nineteen of twenty dioceses of Prov IV have one or more
environmental ministry team leaders. Many are promoting
better care of watersheds. Some are using the Prov IV Living
Waters/Water of Baptisms resources materials. All dioceses
have been asked to report how they are promoting the water
resolution adopted at the 2003 General Convention. Joyce
along with other Environmental Ministry Leaders is tracking
the implementation of this resolution that asks every parish
to find ways to:
- protect and enhance our watersheds, restore water quality
and a national water resolution that asks: when and where
possible, install water saving devices such as low-flow
commodes and aspirators on sink faucets to conserve water.
Replant parish campuses and home gardens with native plants
and trees that are drought-tolerant and have low requirements
for water. Devise drainage systems that allow rainwater
to flow from gutters and drainpipes to spread onto lawn
and landscaped areas of parish campus and in home gardens,
thereby reducing water lost to sewer systems. Learn how
some churches and their members are using rain barrels.
Pave new or repave existing parking lots with materials
that are pervious so that water penetrates and is sequestered
in soil beneath parking area - reducing automotive oil
and other automotive fluids in our local streams.
- From May 2006-2007 Prov IV leaders will examine ways
to work with Anglican leaders around the world to promote
better care of fresh water, water rights/rights of water,
and greater understanding about water privatization. Much
of this work will enhanced by the Sewanee ENTREAT Science
& Religion Year III Water Ethics and Conservation
and programs - click
to learn more.
Joyce Wilding, will make a presentation at the International
Conference on Rivers and Civilization: Multidisciplinary
Perspectives on Major River Systems, June 25-28,
2006. Key information about the LSI Metanexus program and
networks will be included in her paper, Protecting and
Healing Rivers One Watershed at a Time: Secular and Religious
Collaborative Programs. This presentation and conference
networking will expand national attention to our ENTREAT
work as has Wilding's Collaborative Science & Religion
Programs in Southeast U : Beyond Scopes Trial Metanexus
June 2005 Conference paper.
The ENTREAT Executive Team is pursuing options hosting
a national conference for science and religion leaders,
who want to learn how to use A Catechism of Creation:
an Episcopal Understanding prepared by the Committee
on Science, Technology and Faith. This Catechism provides
highest quality research and writing that has been approved
by science and religion experts of the Episcopal Church
and praised by several science and religion program leaders
including the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science
(IRAS) and Jim Miller, senior program associate of the Dialogue
on Science, Ethics and Religion of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Miller considers the Catechism of Creation a gift
to the mainline Protestant Christian community and a clear
affirmation of creation theology that is fully cognizant
of and consistent with the best contemporary scientific
understanding of nature. Several national science and religion
leaders think this Catechism can help bring the science
and theology dialogue, strong in the academic world, into
local worshiping communities. Complementary workshops, presentations
and education resources can elicit science and theology
dialogue in action. Schneider, the document's principal
author, adds that using the Catechism of Creation in parish
adult forums could provide a service to local communities
when informed parishioners speak up at local school board
meetings. A Christian witness from Episcopalians that affirms
creation and supports good science education influence both
court and school board decisions.
The Catechism is especially important for our youth, who
want to go into a science-related field, but often feel
they can't talk about their faith in scientific circles.
This Episcopal document should help them. Scientists are
pleased when they realize that not all Christians are pushing
a literalist or fundamentalist belief agenda, especially
about creation. As the resurgence in attempts to dictate
curriculum to school districts and controversy about creationism
and ID expand, the Catechism becomes a more beneficial teaching
tool for both parishioners and for members of the communities.
The Catechism provides a foundation for a more extensive
study of theology of creation and of the relationship of
modern science to Christian faith. It is composed of three
sections:
- Part I Theology of Creation - the Bible's basic
doctrine of creation.
- Part II Creation and Science - the modern scientific
worldview, including the Big Bang, contemporary theologies
of an evolving creation, and challenges to the evolutionary
paradigm posed by young earth creationism and the "intelligent
design" movement.
- Part III Caring for Creation - the biblical roots
of creation care, summaries of the threats to earth's
environment, and ways that individual Christians and congregations
might carry out our divine commission to care for the
creation in the light of these challenges.
Joyce Wilding
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