Building Partnerships With The Faith Community: A Resource Guide For Environmental Groups

T H E B I O D I V E R S I T Y P R O J E C T
Building Partnerships
with the Faith Community:
A Resource Guide for
Environmental Groups
Updated and expanded version
of the Spirituality Outreach Guide:
An Outreach Guide for
Environmental Groups to
Faith-Based Organizations
The Biodiversity Project

214 N. Henry Street, Suite 201
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
(608) 250-9876
(608) 257-3513 fax
www.biodiversityproject.org
The Biodiversity Project is a unique public education strategy project. We

work through informal partnerships of nonprofit organizations, and draw on
the expertise and integrate the perspectives about biodiversity from science,
education, ethics, advocacy, and communication groups. After starting as a spe-
cial initiative of the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity (a grant
maker’s affinity group) in 1995, we made the transition to an independent
organization at the beginning of 2000.
Our shared vision is a society that appreciates and celebrates the grand diversi-
ty of life on earth in all its richness and life-giving connections. We see a time
when people view biodiversity as a valued part of their lives and dwell with
respect, harmony, and appreciation for the Earth and all its inhabitants. We see
a time when our institutions and cultures reflect a commitment to protecting,
restoring, and nourishing the ecological integrity of Earth.
Our mission is to advocate for biodiversity through designing and implement-

ing innovative communication strategies that build and motivate a broad con-
stituency to protect biodiversity.
Our work is focused on three strategies:
• Develop the strategy and resources to implement an integrated outreach

campaign on biodiversity, working in partnership with many organizations
and institutions.
• Develop the strategies and resources to reach new audiences beyond the
environmental “choir.”
• Integrate biodiversity messages into ongoing outreach campaigns in the field

on issues related to biodiversity.
Building Partnerships
with the Faith Community:
A Resource Guide for
Environmental Groups
Updated and expanded version
of the Spirituality Outreach Guide:
An Outreach Guide for
Environmental Groups to
Faith-Based Organizations
Written for The Biodiversity Project

by Suellen Lowry and Rabbi Daniel Swartz
Revisions by Marian Farrior and Suellen Lowry
Coordinator: Marian Farrior

Copy Editor: Cassandra Carmichael
Research Assistant: Beverly Fowler, O.P.

(608) 250-9876
(608) 257-3513 fax
project@biodiverse.org
Printed on recycled paper

Madison, Wisconsin, November 1999
Revised May 2001
The Biodiversity Suellen Lowry and Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Lead Writers
Project wishes to • Suellen Lowry has developed programs of partnership between secular environmentalist
thank the following groups and members of religious and other communities, termed Allied Voices programs,
individuals and for the Endangered Species Coalition and Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund. She also
organizations for their is active with the Christian Environmental Council and the Society of Friends
valuable contributions (Quakers). Suellen can be reached at (707) 826-1948, suellen@northcoast.com.
to this outreach guide: • Rabbi Swartz is the Executive Director for the Children’s Health and Environment
Network and can be reached at dswartz@cehn.org. He was the former head of the
Washington, D.C. office of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment
and has worked with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Marian Farrior, Coordinator

Marian Farrior is a Program Coordinator for The Biodiversity Product and serves
on the Biodiversity Education Network steering committee. She can be reached
at (608) 250-9876, mfarrior@biodiverse.org.
Cassandra Carmichael, Copy Editor

Cassandra Carmichael is the Director of Faith-Based Programs for the Center
for the New American Dream (www.newdream.org). She can be contacted at
cassandra@newdream.org.
Beverly Fowler, O.P., Research Assistant

Beverly Fowler is Dominican Sister, an educator, and a former church liturgist.
She can be reached at (608) 834-9544.
And thanks to our text reviewers and contributors:

Peter Bakken, Au Sable Institute
Reverend Clare Butterfield, Interreligious Sustainability Project,
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Brian Cole, The Sabbath Project
Elizabeth Dyson and Paul Leistra, North American Coalition for Christianity
and Ecology
Joe Heimlich, Ohio State University Extension Office
Peter Illyn, Target Earth
Mark Jacobs, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
Thea Levkovitz, The Wilderness Society and Partnership for Religion
and the Environment
William Meadows, The Wilderness Society
Pat Pearson, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
Carol Saunders, Brookfield Zoo
Robert Schildgen, Sierra Magazine
Terry Tempest Williams
Mary Evelyn Tucker, Forum on World Religions and Ecology
Reverend Nancy Wright, Earth Ministry
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community:

A Resource Guide for Environmental Groups
is made possible by a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.
Table of Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
I. The Value of Partnerships Between the Environmental and the Religious

Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
A. The Religious Presence Has Always Been There . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
B. The Unique Dimension of the Religious
Message on Biodiversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
C. Policy Makers Are Inclined to Listen to
the Religious Community Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
D. The General Public Cares about Religion
—And Links Religion with the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
II. Outreach Approaches and Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

A. Services the Environmental Community Can Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
B. Tone in Outreach to Members of the Religious Community . . . . . . 19
C. Finding Religious Community Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
III. Types of Activities for Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

A. Meeting with Policy Makers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
B. Media Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
C. Long-Term Dialogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
D. Reaching Others in the Religious Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
E. Place-Based Projects and Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
F. Issue Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
G. Lifestyle Education Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
H. Theological Explorations and Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
IV. Introduction to Aspects of the U.S. Organized

Religious Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
A. Diversity of the U.S. Spiritual Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
B. Profiles of Faith-Based Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
V. Theological and Historical Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
A. Conservation Within the Jewish Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
B. Conservation Within the Christian Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
VI. Hebrew and Christian Scripture Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
VII. Excerpts from Additional Religious Traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Outreach Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
I. Ten Hot Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
II. Summary of Some Key “How To” Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
P R E F A C E
About This Resource Guide

This guide was designed to help environmental leaders open dialogues and
build bridges with the faith community. Why? Because we believe that these
two communities can learn from each other and ultimately strengthen the
human response to the ecological crises of our modern world.
Lasting social change is often the result of a moral imperative, and the religious
institutions in our society play a critical role in shaping that which our society
considers right and wrong, ethical and unethical.
In recent years there has been a wellspring of new activity between the envi-
ronmental movement and the faith community, from churchyard habitat
programs to interfaith community working groups. Given the number of new
programs and publications that have flourished in the past few years, we
expect these partnerships to continue to grow in response to environmental
crises and inner callings. For some, these relationships are a new kind of
activism, for others, an extension of their practice of a deeply held faith.
Respect for biodiversity— a.k.a. the fullness of Creation—is deeply interwoven
into the spiritual texts and practices across many faith traditions. This guide
is an effort to share the growing wealth of resources in the field in order to
help interested individuals and organizations learn from (and build upon) the
experiences of complementary activity.
Each of us comes to this dialogue from a different perspective; each brings

something from our unique experience. Collectively, we are finding new
sources of inspiration, affirmation, positive change and an earnest exploration
of why we are moved to care for the living Earth and its inhabitants. There is
joy and power in this work, and we wish you well in your endeavors.
Jane Elder
Executive Director, The Biodiversity Project
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 7
I N T R O D U C T I O N A word of clarification
about the use of the
term “secular environ-
Building Partnerships mental groups”: The

United States is a
deeply and broadly
with the Faith Community: religious nation. In
most environmental
A Resource Guide for groups, whether
national or local, and
whether focusing on
Environmental Groups biodiversity or
addressing a number
In the following manual, we seek to provide guidance for activists in the secular of environmental
environmental community on how to communicate and form partnerships issues, some members
with colleagues in the religious community. Given the diversity of religious will be committed
members of identified
communities in the U.S. and their substantive conservation work, this is not
religious communities.
and should not be treated as a definitive guide. We hope, however, that it will
Others will be deeply
provide useful background about some portions of the U.S. religious community
spiritual, although they
and present helpful suggestions for secular environmental groups. are not presently affili-
ated with any particu-
We also ask for a generous spirit and tolerance concerning semantics. When lar spiritual tradition.
discussing important, complex matters like connections with spiritual motiva- Still others will truly be
tions and groups, language has its drawbacks. We cannot always use everyone’s “secular,” which also
preferred term. For example, some people prefer the word “spiritual,” while means civil, worldly,
others like the words “religious” or “faith-based.” These words are not com- temporal, or material.
pletely interchangeable, but the concepts they represent overlap (please see We call such groups
Glossary for definitions of terms). To address this, we have used all these terms. “secular” not because
In addition, for the sake of clarity, we have, at times, used the term “secular,” we mean to imply that
their membership is
but this is not meant to imply that individuals who work with secular groups
entirely secular but
are not also deeply spiritual or religious (please see sidebar on this page).
rather to distinguish
them from the spiritu-
The first four chapters of the Guide cover the “why,” “how,” and “who.” They ally-based organiza-
discuss the importance of partnerships between secular and religious conserva- tions and communities,
tionists. They include suggestions for tone and perspective as secular environ- environmental and
mental organizations work with their faith-based community colleagues, examples otherwise, that are
of projects on which they may wish to collaborate, and ways to locate religious the subject of this
community individuals with whom to work. In addition, it provides specific back- guide. We hope that
ground about some U.S. religious denominations and organizations, including as “secular” groups
contact and resource information. The last three chapters provide some historical engage in outreach
background and context. They include brief historical overviews, some Bible to spiritually based
quotes, and quotes from other religions to round out the picture of the immense communities and
organizations, they will
richness of the interface between faith and the environment. Throughout this
come to realize more
Guide, the focus is on outreach and partnership with Jewish and Christian
and more how they too
religious communities because these faith traditions are dominant in the U.S.,
are spiritually based.
but we hope it will lead to work with other spiritual traditions too. We also
hope this will be a journey of fulfilling experiences and friendships.
C H A P T E R O N E
I. The Value of Partnerships Between the Environmental and

the Religious Community
There are many reasons for people who care about conservation from secular
and religious perspectives to work together. In part, these include the natural
overlap that has always existed between the secular and spiritual environmental
worlds, the importance of the religious voice to policy makers and the general
public, and the long history of social action in the religious community. Harvard
professor Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone: America’s Declining
Social Capitalism, has noted, “Religious affiliation is by far the most common
associational membership among Americans. Indeed, by many measures
America continues to be (even more than in Tocqueville’s time) an astonishingly
‘churched’ society.”1
A. The Religious Presence Has Always Been There
Spiritual and faith-based reasons to protect the environment have always had a During his thousand-
powerful presence in the environmental movement. Reflections on religious mile hike to the
reasons to care about conservation have provided inspiration, sustenance, and Gulf of Mexico,
joy in the long struggle to protect the earth. John Muir wrote
During his thousand-mile hike to the Gulf of Mexico, John Muir wrote about animals he
about animals he encountered as “beautiful in the eyes of God . . . part of God’s encountered as
family, unfallen, undepraved, and cared for with the same species of tenderness “beautiful in the
as is bestowed on angels in heaven or saints on earth.”2 Prior to Muir, Henry eyes of God . . .
part of God’s family,
David Thoreau called the ancient forests of Mt. Katahdin “a specimen of what
unfallen, undepraved,
God saw fit to make this world.”3 These and other founders of today’s environ-
and cared for with
mental movement were motivated and counseled by their own spiritual convic- the same species of
tions as they focused on the beauty, awe, and protection of God’s creation. tenderness as is
The presence of the religious voice and spiritual motivation for individuals bestowed on angels
who care about conservation and biodiversity go back much farther. Thomas in heaven or saints
Aquinas wrote in the thirteenth century: “God brought things into being in on earth.”
order that His goodness might be communicated to creatures and be represent-
ed by them. And because His goodness could not be adequately represented by
one creature alone, He produced many and diverse creatures, that what was
wanting to one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied
by another—and hence the whole universe together participates in the divine
goodness more perfectly, and represents it better, than any single creature what-
ever.”4 For centuries, we have been inspired by the words of St. Francis of
Assisi, as he reminds us to treat animals with kindness: “Not to hurt our
humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We
have a higher mission—to be of service to them wherever they require it.”5 St.
Francis was preceded by St. Hildegard of Bingen, who gives us beautiful images
for God’s love of the world: “As the Creator loves His creation, so creation
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 11 Chapter I:
Value of Partnerships
God is the foundation loves the Creator. Creation, of course, was fashioned to be adorned, to be
for everything. gifted with the love of the Creator, and the entire world has been embraced by
this kiss.”6 There are many others, including the authors of Sefer Ha-Hinukh, a
This God undertakes,
God gives such that seventh century Jewish guide to moral living, who wrote that “God’s desire is
nothing that is for the endurance of God’s species . . . for under the watchful care of the One
necessary for life who lives and endures forever . . . it (every species) will find enduring existence
is lacking. through God.”7
Moreover, long before these spiritual guides were speaking and writing,
Now humankind Hebrew and Christian scriptures in the Bible imposed a responsibility upon
needs a body that humans to care for creation. One of the first commandments in the Bible is to
at all times honors
care for the Garden of Eden, “to till it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). The Bible
and praises God.
teaches that creation belongs to God: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it”
This body is supported (Psalm 24:1) and “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or
in every way of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30).
through the earth. These Scriptures also note that nature is a place to recognize God: “The God
who made the world and everything in it . . . does not live in shrines made by
Thus the earth glorifies
human hands” (Acts 17:24). “For what can be known about God is plain to
the power of God.
them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world
Hildegard of Bingen 13 His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly per-
ceived in the things that have been made” (see Romans 1: 19-20).
In whispers and shouts, the world’s spiritual traditions speak to the impor-
tance of conservation. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama writes that “all beings
seem beautiful to us, beautiful birds, beautiful beasts,”8 and Buddhist hermits
regard “unspoiled nature . . . as the most favourable environment for spiritual
progress and true happiness.”9 The Qur’an notes that “The herbs and the trees
adore [Him].”10 Hinduism’s foremost ethical principle is Ahimsa, or noninjury:
“Ahimsa is not causing pain to any living being at any time through the actions
of one’s mind, speech or body.”11 This idea has been a basis of the Chipko
Andolan in India, where villagers have stopped destruction of their natural
resources by hugging trees to prevent logging. And Navajo teachers counsel
When religious that “We the five-fingered beings are related to the four-legged, the winged
leaders explain that beings, the spiritual beings, Father Sky, Mother Earth, and nature. We are all
species diversity relatives. We cannot leave our relatives behind.”12
should be preserved
because “God saw B. The Unique Dimensions of the Religious Message on Biodiversity
all that God had
made, and behold it One of the most lasting—and perhaps most significant—contributions the
was very good,” the religious community can make to biodiversity lies in its core teachings: the
discussion moves unique message it can proclaim about biodiversity. This message has sometimes
away from utilitarian transformed not just the particulars but the entire tone of the debate.
calculations. For example, when religious leaders explain that species diversity should be
preserved because “God saw all that God had made, and behold it was very
good,” the discussion moves away from utilitarian calculations. While such
considerations have their place, discussing biodiversity purely on utilitarian
grounds sometimes leads to debates about the “usefulness” of a given species,
which in turn can lead to “loggers vs. owls” conversations.
Chapter I: 12 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Similarly, describing the Endangered Species Act as a “Noah’s Ark” helps us Religious leaders
understand that our relationship with the rest of the natural world is ancient. can help articulate
Ecology is not some modern fad that will fade away in a few years; it is part visions of society that
of an ancient tradition, a new word that describes very old relationships. provide powerful,
More fundamentally, religious leaders can help articulate visions of society persuasive alternatives
to the hyper-indi-
and government’s role in that society in a manner that reaches well beyond
vidualistic, anti-
established environmental groups. Whether it is Catholic teachings about the
government messages
importance of the common good, Evangelical writings on how God’s owner-
of environmental
ship of all takes precedence over “property rights,” Protestant declarations of opponents.
solidarity with the least powerful in society, or Jewish traditions about our
common responsibility to and for each other, these visions provide powerful,
persuasive alternatives to the hyper-individualistic, anti-government messages
of environmental opponents. When we help religious leaders and groups
spread these messages (or sometimes help them realize just how important
and powerful such messages can be), we help build a stronger public com-
mitment to biodiversity.
C. Policy Makers Are Inclined to Listen to the Religious Community Voice
The spiritual voice is important to the protection of the environment not only
because it is and always has been one of the key rationales for why we care
about conservation. It also is important because the religious community
affects overall societal values, which in turn impact public policy and the O Lord, How manifold
election of policy makers. are your works! In the
Therefore, when policy makers hear the conservation message from a religious wisdom you have
perspective, they not only are moved by the spiritual tone, but also realize that made them all; the
religious community members have the potential to motivate a larger commu- earth is full of your
nity in support of environmental protections. In addition, many policy makers creatures.
were taught at an early age to respect religious messages and messengers,
inclining them to be receptive to conservation rationales from a spiritual Psalm 104:24
standpoint. When policy makers hear a conservation message from a religious
community messenger, a wedge is driven in the stereotype some policy makers
have about people who care about the environment, and driving a wedge in
stereotypes can be the first step in getting someone to listen. This powerful
combination of religion and conservation makes the spiritual community one
of the most effective advocates for environmental protection.
In recent years, the organized religious community’s effectiveness in asking
policy makers to consider the importance of biodiversity has been witnessed a
number of times: for example, in the mid 1990s, when legislation was intro-
duced to rewrite and seriously weaken the Endangered Species Act, and when
attempts were made to extend a rider that placed a moratorium on the listing
of endangered species. Christian and Jewish leaders and constituents wrote
letters and met with members of Congress expressing concern about these
efforts. The Evangelical Environmental Network held a packed press conference,
and the National Council of Churches devoted an Earth Day mailing, which
went to thousands of congregations, to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The
We must ask our- moratorium on listing was not renewed; and the anti-ESA rewrites have not
selves as Americans, been passed. While it is impossible in any complex legislative battle exactly to
“Can we really survive pinpoint the items that made the difference, it is instructive to watch the direct
the worship of our reactions of members of Congress to various actions. When the religious com-
own destructive- munity letters were delivered to the Hill, senators stood up the next day and
ness?” We do not
read them during debate. When a member of Congress asked that pro-ESA
exist in isolation. Our
religious community letters be inserted in the hearing record of the House
sense of community
and compassionate Resources Committee, Chairman Young, sponsor of an anti-ESA bill, became
intelligence must be flustered and tried to prevent this normally routine action. (This was so unusual
extended to all life that the Washington Post wrote a brief story about it.)
forms, plants, animals, Similarly, in the years 1999 and 2000, letters to the Clinton-Gore Administration
rocks, rivers, and signed by over 2000 religious community leaders and activists urged adoption
human beings. This is of a strong policy to protect roadless areas in national forests. The first such
the story of our past group letter was instrumental in gaining attention of the White House Chief of
and it will be the story Staff, an important step in the process toward an effective roadless rule. In
of our future. addition, religious community representatives testified at many of the 600
hearings held across the country pertaining to the roadless policy and submitted
Terry Tempest letters during public comments periods on the rule. In its last days in office,
Williams 14
the Clinton-Gore Administration issued a strong roadless policy. These and
other instances are indications that policy makers pay close attention to
communications from the religious community.
Sixty-seven percent D. The General Public Cares About Religion—And Links Religion
of the general public with the Environment
polled believed that
biodiversity should In the United States, 40-45 percent of the public consistently reports attendance
be protected because at religious services in any given week.15 According to polling and focus group
“nature is God’s cre- data compiled by Lake Sosin Snell and Associates for the Biodiversity Project
ation and humans Spirituality Working Group, 95 percent of American voters believe in God.
should respect God’s Most of these voters are Protestant and Catholic Christians, with 40 percent
work.” These beliefs identifying themselves as born-again or Evangelical Christians. Also according
provide a powerful to this data, people in the United States appear to be fairly evenly divided over
motivation for envi- whether religious and spiritual values should influence politics.16
ronmental concern
A variety of faith-based beliefs among members of the public provide a pow-
and action.
erful motivation for environmental concern and action. In a 1996 Biodiversity
Poll conducted by the research firm Belden & Russonello, 67 percent of the
general public polled said they believed that biodiversity should be protected
because “nature is God’s creation and humans should respect God’s work.”17
A recent multinational study “showed that people with more literal beliefs in
the Bible tended to have . . . environmental concerns . . . rooted in the effects
that this degradation will have for humans.”18 Similarly, polls and focus groups
indicate that the most widespread values that underlie attitudes on the environ-
ment are the responsibility to save the planet for future generations and the
desire to have families live in a healthy, pleasing environment. These values are
at least implicitly spiritual. In addition, nature’s explicit connection to God is
an important value for many, though some see religion as a private association
not concerned with the environment.
Chapter I: 14 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Messengers from spiritual communities can influence the public in a more A Prayer for
basic way. Explicitly linking conservation with religion can awaken new interest Awareness
in the environment among some members of the public, as they put the two
together for the first time. In addition, like policy makers, some members of the Today we know of the
general public at times have narrow stereotypes of the kinds of people who energy that moves all
things:
care about conservation. The presence of religious community spokespersons
can debunk this stereotype, perhaps making these members of the public more
The oneness of
receptive to the conservation message. existence,
The diversity and

uniqueness of every
moment of creation,
Every shape and form,
The attraction, the

alurement,
The fascination that

all things have for
one another,
Humbled by our
knowledge,
Chastened by
surprising revelations,
With awe and

reverence we come
before the mystery
of life.
Rev. Daniel Martin 19
C H A P T E R T W O
II. Outreach Approaches and Tone
If you are part of the environmental community, remember that it is entirely

appropriate for you to work with the religious community. Several items,
including the spiritual grounding of some of the founders of today’s secular
environmental movement, show that there always has been a connection
between the two—that in many instances there has been a great deal of overlap
as people motivated in whole or part by spiritual concerns have helped build
secular environmental groups.
Secular and religious environmentalists can help each other, combining the
inspiration and power of the religious voice with the ecological expertise and
resources often found in secular groups. This is a significant partnership that
can make a difference.
A. Services the Environmental Community Can Offer
When approaching religious groups, clearly show what you and others in the
secular environmental community can offer in this relationship—not only In part, secular
solid information about important subjects, but exciting possibilities to make environmental
a difference on critical issues. Relate anecdotes about how environmental groups can offer
activities have brought new energy, excitement, and people, especially young the religious
people, to other congregations engaged in caring for creation. The more you community:
can offer, the more likely it is that religious leaders and groups will want to
• Additional exciting
work closely with you. Here are five things that you and others in the secular
possibilities to
conservation community can offer religious groups: make a difference
on critical issues
1. Information through outreach
You and others in secular environmental groups can provide substantial, activities;
well-documented information that members of the religious community can
use to inform themselves. These data will help faith community conservation • Substantial, well-
activists answer questions and defend their own positions in favor of protecting documented, and
biodiversity. You have a great deal of scientific and economic data that show accurate ecological
the trends in biodiversity and why biodiversity is important. This information and economic
also demonstrates that conservation in general and the protection of biodiversity information; and
are not harmful to the economy and are necessary for long-term economic
• Assistance as
well-being. If this information, with footnotes, can be compiled succinctly and
religious groups
given to spiritual community activists, it can aid their efforts considerably.
reach out to policy
For example of ways to impart information, members of Aldersgate United makers and the
Methodist Church in Tustin, CA, have sponsored educational programs, media.
including a potluck dinner discussion on global warming, facilitated by a
scientist from the Union of Concerned Scientist, and an Earth Watch column
is included in the congregation’s newsletter. 20
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 17 Chapter II:
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
2. Assistance and Staffing
You and others in environmental groups can offer to assist religious community
members when they decide to take action. For example, if faith community
individuals have a message to deliver to policy makers, you can help arrange
the meeting with policy makers, gather ecological and economic information
useful for the meeting, and perhaps attend in partnership with the religious
community persons. Similarly, if religious community activists wish to do out-
reach to other members of their congregation, you can help compile fact sheets
that may be useful and even help find speakers if appropriate. Essentially, you
are helping to staff the activities of your religious partners.
3. Trainings
When appropriate, you and others in secular environmental organizations can
provide, or help with, a variety of activism trainings for religious groups, such
as media and message trainings, and information about the legislative process.
Or the trainings can be on ecological activities, such as habitat restoration,
community gardening, energy audits, green buildings, watershed assessments,
simple living, etcetera. Allied Voices has conducted trainings for the
Endangered Species Coalition on how to partner with religious conservation
activists on biodiversity issues; for more information about these trainings,
contact Suellen Lowry at (707) 826-1948, or suellen@northcoast.com.
4. Education
You and other secular environmentalists can offer your substantial ecological
and economic information for use in religious community educational settings.
Don’t underestimate the value of helping to provide interesting topics for
sermons or religious school classes. If you have readily available materials
that focus on the ecological and economic reasons to care about conservation,
religious institutions (from seminaries and religious colleges to pre-K-12 schools,
camps, and day care centers) may be willing to integrate environmental
education into their curriculum. This ecological and economic information
can be coupled with spiritual information, such as Bible study guides, to create
a fully rounded curriculum. For example, Holladay United Church of Christ,
Holladay, UT, engages creative worship services to draw attention to issues
such as biodiversity. An Earth Day service features a congregation elder playing
the role of St. Francis, while animals from the local zoo receive blessings in the
sanctuary; prayers and Bible verses focus on the interdependence of all life.
Children are introduced to injured local creatures, brought in by the Utah
Wildlife Rehabilitation Association, and learn about their lifestyles and healing
processes. Ongoing education and systematic attention to energy consumption
round out Holladay’s environmental programs.21
5. Church and State Guidelines

Tax status and church/state issues are often raised by religious leaders who are
relatively new to social justice activism. Many denominations publish very clear
guidelines on activism, tax status, and church/state concerns for their congrega-
Chapter II: 18 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
tions. Though you should not give legal advice to religious groups, you and
other secular environmentalists can point out that speaking on environmental
issues in no way threatens the tax status of religious groups. The main activity
religious leaders must avoid is the endorsement of candidates for political
office. Similarly, as long as they do not try to establish a religious test for a
political office, speaking about how their religious values relate to modern
policy questions does not intrude on church/state separation. The organization
Tone in outreach:
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has a succinct guide
about religious groups, political activity, and the IRS. You can view it at • Keep in mind that
www.au.org/dodont/htm. the spiritual pres-
ence has always
B. Tone in Outreach to Members of the Religious Community been part of the
larger conservation
As you reach out to your colleagues in the religious community, it is important movement.
to keep a few key facts and principles in mind, some of which also apply to
other types of organizing, and some that pertain to the religious community • When making
only. And it is important to avoid mistakes that have at times needlessly separated choices about
the two worlds. outreach efforts,
make those that
will strengthen the
1. Sincere Respect for Potential Religious Community Partners
relationship, and if
a. It is crucial that you and other people with secular environmental groups necessary, choose
remember that you do not own environmentalism, and that the spiritual presence maintaining posi-
has always been part of the larger conservation movement. It is inaccurate and tive relationships
insulting to treat religious community members as if they are new to caring completing short-
about conservation or are somehow “non-traditional” voices in the conservation term tasks.
world. “We’re so glad you’re [finally] getting involved” is a misguided statement.
“We’re so glad to be partnering together more” is great. • Treat every individ-
ual as a VIP.
b. Make choices that will strengthen your relationship with the religious
community. Choose maintaining positive relationships over completing short- • Avoid discussions
term tasks, if necessary. This guiding principle is instrumental to building a that compare
values of humans
partnership with members of the religious community. In the long run, this
versus flora and
network must exist for the environmental movement to prevail. The key is
fauna.
finding many people with whom to partner in your work to protect the earth;
and no single action is worth jeopardizing these relationships. Therefore, always • Have a sincere
think long term, taking the time to build lasting partnerships and dialogue. respect for religious
Once these partnerships are built, do not jeopardize them. beliefs and people
motivated by them.
c. Approach everyone as a potential, highly-regarded partner, not as someone
who’s just useful. It works best to treat every individual in the religious com- • Be careful not to
munity as a VIP, as indeed they all are. In addition, since partnerships are a write off people
two-way street, be open to learning from and listening to your religious coun- because of religious,
terparts. Ask experts from the religious community sincerely for their opinions class, or education
and guidance. Also, if you are approaching someone in the religious community differences.
about engaging in a particular project, take time to explain the context or
genesis of this project, while being open to guidance.
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
d. Religious community members may be wary about you and others from
secular environmental groups because they are concerned that you privately
“look down on” or denigrate religious beliefs. Avoid discussions about com-
paring the values of humans versus plants, animals, etc. Conservationists from
secular organizations who work with faith communities must have a sincere
respect for a wide array of religious beliefs and the people who are motivated
by them. Be careful not to write off people because of religious, class, or
education differences.
2. Some Internal Concerns of Clergy and Lay Members

a. Religious community members are busy on a great variety of issues. Clergy
typically deal with the needs of congregants, a more than full-time job by itself,
as well as manage buildings, direct schools, lead services, and then try to carve
Internal concerns: out time to work on a wide array of social justice concerns, one of which
might be conservation. No church or synagogue focuses entirely on environ-
• Be scrupulous mental issues, and it is the rare clergy person who has been told by congregants
about respecting that they joined that church or synagogue because of its environmental work.
the time constraints The clergy person or lay activist may not have previously given much thought
of your spiritual
to environmental concerns, especially biodiversity. In addition, religious com-
partners.
munity conservation activists often try to make a difference on a multitude of
environmental issues, so they are spread very thin.
• Think about
people’s personal Therefore, be scrupulous about respecting the time constraints of your
and broader needs. religious partners. Don’t overwhelm them initially either with reams of back-
ground information or with huge demands on their time. Approach them
• Understand the about time-limited, specific tasks that really make a difference, and don’t ask
current pressures them to drop everything for time-consuming involvement in a last-minute
with which congre- effort. Once you have successfully worked together, you may be able to move
gational leaders are on to more complicated aspects of biodiversity and/or more long-term, time-
coping, including intensive projects. Along these same lines, you can perform a substantial service
diminishing numbers for your spiritual community partners by gathering accurate ecological and other
in some cases. background information for them and offering to help in other appropriate ways.
• Show the diversity
b. In working with individuals, think about their personal and broader needs.
of your leadership
Help people involved in projects get to know each other, not just show up for
to religious
activists. an event. Use tactics that appeal to public stature, such as arranging face-to-
face meetings with members of Congress and other policy makers. Also, in
some spiritual communities, there is a great deal of interest in interfaith and
interracial efforts. If your activity offers this, it is a big attraction. Finally,
understand that the faith community individuals with whom you are working
may have ongoing relationships with the labor and business communities.
c. It is important to understand the current pressures with which clergy and

congregational leaders are coping. Some denominations are dealing with dimin-
ishing numbers and congregations seceding from the national denomination
due to theological and policy differences. Furthermore, in some places there is a
movement among individuals to discourage dollars from congregations going
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
to the national denominational structure, because they view the national How to engage
structures as too progressive. in dialogue:
d. Many spiritual communities have long-standing commitments to diversity • Step back and ask
in their own leadership, reflecting the great diversity within their pews. Such yourself, “What
would I be thinking
groups are particularly sensitive to criticisms of the environmental movement
if I had never before
as an elitist concern held by upper-class white males. Be sure to show the
considered doing
diversity of your leadership to religious activists—and if your group and its
anything pertaining
leadership are not diverse, you might think about asking for help from religious to biodiversity
leaders to increase your diversity. issues?”
3. Communication—How to Engage in Dialogue • Make sure the tone

a. When you call or meet with someone in the religious community for the first is not, “you’d be
time, step back and ask yourself, “What would I be thinking if I had never useful to me,” but
before considered doing anything pertaining to biodiversity issues?” or “What “maybe we can
would I be thinking if I had never before seriously considered working with a partner on this to
secular environmental group on biodiversity issues?” accomplish some-
People work together best when they have established personal connection thing.”
and understanding. Therefore, share a little about yourself—who you are, why
• Avoid strident-
you care, and what sustains you. If you are calling about a particular project,
sounding tones.
talk a little about its genesis and why it makes sense to spend time on it.
Do not “put down”
Make sure the tone is not, “you’d be useful to me,” but “maybe we can your opponents as
partner on this to accomplish something we both care about.” people.
In the first few seconds of the call, ask if the person has time to talk. If not,
schedule another time to call. • Reach out to lay
members of the
b. When you work with religious community members, avoid strident-sounding religious community
tones. Unfortunately, like the spiritual community, the secular conservation as well as clergy.
community labors under stereotypes at times, and one of these is that the
secular environmental movement is “wild eyed” and too radical. Strident
sounding tones, while necessary and appropriate in some places, can be troubling
to people who may be considering a partnership with their secular group
colleagues. Even words like “attack” can be troublesome—so, for example, it’s
often better to say members of Congress are “seriously undermining” environ-
mental protections, rather than “attacking” the protections. After drafting a letter,
action alert, fact sheet, and so on, that will be shared with faith community
individuals, read it one last time for any words that they may perceive as being
a little sharp, and change them; the power of the piece will not be diminished,
and it will be accepted much more readily if it is worded carefully.
c. Deliver your message without appearing to be “putting down” your opponents

as people, and avoid criticism of individuals who are not taking pro-conservation
stands. Especially in the present political climate, it is easy to fall into habits of
demonizing one’s political opponents. Direct your passion for biodiversity at
the issue itself and not at the person who may stand in the way of environ-
mental goals. Some spiritual traditions believe “that of God” is in all persons;
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
many are guided by various versions of the admonition to love our neighbors
as ourselves. In addition, in a given congregation, one may find business leaders
as well as environmentalists, property rights activists as well as biodiversity
activists. If religious leaders feel that they can’t speak about environmental
issues without directly attacking members of their own congregation, they may
avoid the subject altogether.
Give spiritual leaders the tools they need to express concern about environ-
mental issues without ignoring legitimate questions about the consequences of
environmental regulations. Once trust has been established, religious leaders
may help bring other sectors to the table ready to work with the conservation
community. In other cases, a trusting relationship may enable a religious leader
to condemn practices by congregants that need condemning.
d. Do not seek to communicate only with clergy. Influential religious community

activists on conservation issues are often lay members of their spiritual affilia-
tion. Clergy are ordained persons within a religious group, such as ministers or
rabbis; lay persons are the non-clergy, non-ordained individuals. Lay persons
can have quite senior roles in their denominations.
4. Communication—What to Talk About and Avoid Discussing

a. In reaching out to members of the religious community, make a connection
with issues on which the individuals are already working. Many clergy and
religious community activists have worked for years on social justice issues. In
the 1960s, many sectors of the religious community focused a great deal of
energy on desegregation and racial justice, the War on Poverty, and Vietnam.
Faith communities began focusing more on current environmental public policies
in the 1970s, and this involvement has been growing. But the struggle for justice
in other important areas goes on and needs to be respected.
Make connections between social justice and biodiversity wherever possible.
Make the connection between the needs of poor people and conservation. For
example, legislation about cleaning up brown fields connects the issues of toxics,
poverty, jobs, and ecological health of a community. Community gardens
address concerns about food equity and access to fresh produce, employment
opportunities for low-income neighborhoods, and green space in inner cities.
Almost all denominations have national, regional, or local newspapers or
newsletters (e.g., most Episcopal and Catholic dioceses have newspapers). Get
copies of a few for a feeling about current issues important to them. Also,
denominations and some congregations now have web pages, which contain a
great deal of information; the web pages usually can be found by doing a
search using the denomination’s name (see also the Profiles of Faith-Based
Organizations section). In addition, most newspapers have religious pages that
appear every Saturday; begin reading these pages.
b. There is an image that environmentalists care about trees and critters but not
people; when you talk with faith community individuals, use your message to
dispel this misconception. While not couching everything in utilitarian terms,
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
explain how conservation is important to people, especially making clear What to say:
how poor and oppressed people are affected by the environment around
them. Make both arguments: biodiversity is important because it supports • Make a connection
and sustains people (through ecosystem services); and biodiversity is important with issues on
because species are inherently valuable as part of God’s creation. Biodiversity which individuals
already are working,
helps humanity understand ourselves better in a broader context, and can
showing the rela-
nurture our values. In other words, biodiversity is important to today’s families
tionship between
and future generations, and biodiversity should be protected because nature is
biodiversity and
God’s handiwork. social justice.
c. Many in the religious community consider conservation a justice issue, • Emphasize the
because it is just to protect all of creation and because safeguarding the envi- many reasons
ronment is key to economic justice for workers and families throughout the biodiversity is
world. In much of the religious community, the term “environmental justice” important,
pertains to all conservation, justice for all of God’s creation; it does not pertain including species’
only to environmental racism. The term “eco-justice” was coined in the mid- inherent value
1970s, based on looking at the intersection of ecological and economic issues and biodiversity’s
and working on them together. importance to
people.
d. Make sure your message sticks to the topic of conservation; just because you
• Limit your message
and an individual agree on conservation does not mean you will agree on other
to conservation
issues. When talking about the position stands of members of Congress, for issues only; just
example, it is sometimes easy to begin praising or criticizing them for their because you and an
positions on non-environmental issues. Unless you have developed a true friend- individual agree on
ship with the religious community members, you are on dangerous ground conservation does
because you cannot assume they will be comfortable with your opinions on not mean you will
these other issues. Usually the faith community individuals are gracious enough agree on other
to ignore these tangential comments, but you can’t count on this generosity. issues.
e. Stress that the involvement of a spiritual voice in conservation issues often • Stress that the
makes a big difference. Use examples and anecdotes. involvement of
the spiritual voice
often makes a big
f. When you approach religious groups, be sure you don’t bring more than
difference.
one agenda with you. Resist the urge to discuss your own religious issues—
anything from questions about God to old baggage from a mean religious
schoolteacher. While at least some of these questions might be appropriate
once a trusting relationship is built, they often can block the building of that
relationship if they become too prominent too early on, especially when they
take on negative tones, denouncing religion as patriarchy or the like.
Approach religious groups with an open mind, a significant commitment to
listening, and only one item on the agenda—building a working relationship
on environmental concerns.
g. Do not invoke scripture or theology unless you have a theological background

or you are speaking from your own personal experience and religious tradition.
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
h. You may run across an argument either (as sometimes raised by secular envi-
ronmentalists) blaming religious communities for environmental destruction or
(as sometimes raised by members of some religious communities) denigrating
environmental concerns, based on their interpretation of Genesis 1:28: “And
God blessed them and God said to them, ‘be fruitful and multiply and fill the
earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the
birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’” This is
not as hard to respond to as it might first appear.
Christian environmentalists often point out that their “dominion” is sup-
posed to be modeled after the dominion of Jesus, who came to serve those over
whom He had dominion and for whom He gave His very life. So we, according
to this view, should serve the rest of the planet, giving from our lives to ensure
its health. Jewish environmentalists point to the traditional Jewish understand-
ing of this passage, which notes that Adam and Eve, for example, are not
allowed to eat meat and are, just a few sentences later (Genesis 2:15) com-
manded to serve and protect the earth. Thus, according to this tradition,
“dominion” is not to be understood as domination. Rather it is a recognition
that humans do indeed have the power to greatly affect the world around
There’s a temptation them—and that therefore careful, caring stewardship is even more important.
to want to get
everyone on board.
i. Be aware that some people and organizations are critical of the partnership
Instead, spend your
between religious and environmental groups. To learn more about some of
energy where it is
most fruitful, finding these organizations and their positions, see the following websites: Action
a few who are Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty at www.action.org; Interfaith
already inclined to Council for Environmental Stewardship at www.stewards.net; and National
partner with you. Center for Policy Analysis at www.nationalcenter.org.
5. Work with Individuals, One Step at a Time

Don’t get discouraged. At times, it may take days to find one person in the
religious community who will work with you, but you will find someone, and
then the activity of that one individual will make a difference.
There’s a temptation to want to get everyone on board. Instead, spend your
energy where it is most fruitful, finding a few who are already inclined to
partner with you. Then, when appropriate, see if these people in the religious
community can give you guidance and help in recruiting others. For example,
once you have a good working relationship with one member of the clergy, he or
she can be extremely useful in making contacts with other area clergy, as clergy
are often more responsive to calls from colleagues than from secular groups.
C. Finding Religious Community Partners
1. Religious Community Partners within Secular Groups

Many members of environmental organizations also are active in faith com-
munities. They are quite capable of, and may be interested in, speaking from a
religious perspective to policy makers and the media. They just need to be
asked. Therefore, think about your membership, perhaps even conduct an
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
informal survey, to determine if any of your members would be interested in Learn about the
being active from their spiritual perspective. One of the advantages of finding issues important to
an existing religious community voice within your organization is that these denominations and
individuals already are comfortable with you and your focus. In addition, your other religious
own religious community members can be helpful in reaching out to others in groups through the
following:
the faith community.
Similarly, if you or others in your organization are active in your own faith
• Religious com-
community, this also can be a great source of additional religious conservation
munity magazines,
voices and activities. You can work within your own congregation, by starting newspapers, and
a study group, a church property habitat restoration project, an energy audit or newsletters;
green building survey, and so on. An excellent resource for how to get started
in your own congregation is Earth Ministry’s Creation Awareness and Care in • Denominational or
Your Congregation, available through www.earthministry.org; the website Web organizational web
of Creation also has great ideas and resources at www.webofcreation.org. pages; and
2. Finding People Within Denominations and Organizations • Reading the

Most denomination have a structure with national and regional offices. To find Saturday religious
a partner in the religious community, it is often best to call the denomination’s page in city news-
local or regional office (e.g., the synod, conference, diocese, or presbytery papers.
offices, which are all based on geographic divisions). See the Profiles of Faith-
Based Organizations section for more information.
You can take one or more of the following steps to find these denominational
regional or local offices:
a. Call any local individual church within the denomination on which you are
focusing. Look in the phone book yellow pages under “churches” to locate the
names and phone numbers of individual churches. When you call, ask the
church receptionist for the phone number of the denomination’s local or
regional administrative office. (It helps to use the specific name for the type of
administrative office, such as synod, presbytery, or diocese office.)
b. Check the phone book for major cities in your area, or call directory assis-
tance for these cities. Look both in the business pages and under “churches” in
the yellow pages.
c. Look up the denomination on the web (see Profiles of Faith-Based

Organizations for some website addresses). Denominational websites some-
times include phone numbers for regional offices within the denomination;
they also have a wealth of additional information. If you don’t have a specific
web address, search using the denominational or organizational name. Good
websites to search are also the:
• Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, www.coejl.org;
• Evangelical Environmental Network, www.esa-online.org/een;
• Forum on Religion and Ecology, http://environment.harvard.edu/religion/;
• National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Eco-Justice
Working Group, www.webofcreation.org/ncc/Workgrp.html;
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
Find religious • National Religious Partnership for the Environment, www.nrpe.org;
community partners: • U.S. Catholic Conference Environmental Justice Program,
www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm; and
• Within your own • Web of Creation, www.webofcreation.org.
organization;
• Through checking Once you have located a denomination’s regional office, consider taking the
the yellow pages of following steps:
the phone book;
a. Explain to the staff person in the denominational office who you are and
• Through web why you are looking for someone in the denomination.
searches (A good
place to start is the
b. Ask if the regional office staff person can give you names and phone num-
Web of Creation
bers of clergy or lay members in the denomination who have an interest in
website at
www.webofcre- environmental justice, eco-justice, earth stewardship, earthkeeping, or “caring
ation.org, the for creation” issues. Religious community activists who are not clergy can be
National Religious quite effective, so don’t ask just for clergy names.
Partnership for
the Environment c. If the staff people in the denomination’s regional office do not have names
website at of people interested in conservation, ask if the denomination has a local or
www.nrpe.org, regional social justice committee and if you can have the names and phone
or the National numbers of this committee’s leaders. There also are some national conservation
Council of offices within the religious community you may wish to call; they are mentioned
Churches in the overview of specific denominations.
website at
www.ncccusa.org);
3. Denomination-Related Schools
• Through calling Denominations also have affiliations with various colleges, universities, and
denominational seminaries (as well as elementary and secondary schools for many denomina-
regional offices; tions). Religion department and science department professors and students at
such institutions can be great activists. You also can find faith community
• In social justice
people in religious studies departments at secular colleges and universities. You
and conservation
probably are aware of colleges with religious affiliations in your area. You may
groups within
denominations; find other such colleges by researching denominations on the web or asking a
denomination’s regional office. Also see the Web of Creation website at
• At colleges and www.webofcreation.org/seminarypages/reports.html.
universities
affiliated with 4. Conservation and Social Justice Organizations within Denominations
denominations; In the 1980s and 1990s, several groups that focus on environmental issues,
• Through interfaith often expressed as “caring for God’s creation,” formed within denominations
and ecumenical and religious communities (e.g., Presbyterians for Restoring Creation,
groups. Environmental Justice Coordinators within the United Methodist Church, and
the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life). In addition, for many years
there have been denominational groups that work on social justice issues;
these tend to have experience in public policy advocacy.
Individuals in denominational local/regional offices may know about leaders
and activists in these groups who could have an interest in working with you.
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
Ask for names of people who are active with the denomination’s environmental The greatest beauty is
justice/stewardship and social justice organizations. organic wholeness,
the wholeness of life
5. Ecumenical and Interfaith Groups and thing, the divine
Most communities have ecumenical and interfaith groups, and many commu- beauty of the universe.
Love that, not man
nities have groups of clergy who get together regularly. Once you are working
apart from that.
with individual members of the religious community, ask about these ecumenical
and interfaith groups and the possibility of connecting with them. The Robinson Jeffers22
National Council of Churches at www.ncccusa.org is a good website to check
for interfaith initiatives on a national scale.
Among our shared

beliefs are an intrinsic
value of nature, a
respect for all life and
a commitment to inter-
generational obliga-
tions. We strive for a
healthy environment
and understand the
global connectedness
and interrelatedness
of healthy natural and
healthy human com-
munities. We believe
in the power of knowl-
edge and information
to change the world
and in democratic
governance, guided by
the principles of jus-
tice, fairness and
mutual respect. We
are motivated by a
love of place and the
beauty of the natural
world.
From the Green Group

Mission Statement
Outreach Approaches
and Tone
C H A P T E R T H R E E
III. Types of Activities for Partnerships
The partnership between secular and faith community environmentalists can When you contact
take many valuable, varied forms, depending on the situation. The following religious community
discusses just a few such activities that are taking place throughout the U.S. individuals about
attending meetings
A. Meeting with Policy Makers with policy makers,
you are offering
As noted above, policy makers are often disposed to listen to the spiritual com- to partner with
religious community
munity voice. Such communication is most effective when it occurs in a face-to-
individuals on a
face meeting with the policy maker. No matter how technologically sophisticat-
relatively risk-free,
ed we become, nothing replaces direct conversations, especially when the topic time-limited task.
concerns spiritual matters.
When you contact individuals in the religious community about attending It is a good idea
meetings with policy makers, you are offering to partner on a relatively risk- to end the meeting
free, time-limited task. It is relatively risk free because these are private, small between policy
meetings not held in the public eye, and time limited because the initial project makers, environ-
only involves reading a little background information and attending one local mental, and religious
meeting. members with
It should be clear that the faith community meeting participants are only suggestions for
being asked to share their existing areas of expertise at the meeting. how to continue
Furthermore, they do not have to be theologians to speak out; their personal the dialogue.
message about why they care from a spiritual standpoint is powerful.
All these factors, plus genuine excitement over the possibility of influencing
policy makers, often result in religious community individuals generously
agreeing to attend such meetings. When religious com-
You and others in secular environmental groups can facilitate policy maker munity individuals
meetings by doing the time-consuming, non-glamorous work of communicating meet with their
with policy makers to schedule the meetings. In addition, you can provide policy makers, you
people attending the meetings with useful ecological and economic background and others in secular
information. It can be very helpful for environmentalists familiar with public environmental
policy to attend these meetings, to provide policy information, and to answer groups can provide
questions. Once you have worked on one policy-maker meeting together, a a number of crucial
relationship between you and a religious community individual often has been services. For
formed, and other activities may flow from this. example, you can
help schedule
Such meetings can also begin or deepen relationships between policy makers
meetings, provide
and people from their local spiritual community who care about conservation.
ecological and
Thus, it is a good idea to end the meeting with suggestions for how to continue economic back-
the dialogue. For example, invite the policy maker to attend a coffee at a local ground information
congregation, visit a local green area being protected by a religious group, and and policy analyses,
so on. and perhaps attend
An Allied Voices project conducted under the auspices of Earthjustice Legal the meetings.
Defense Fund is an example of meetings taking place between policy makers,
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 29 Chapter III:
Types of Activities
faith-based members, scientists, and environmental policy experts. Since the
spring of 1997, Allied Voices has facilitated over 130 meetings between
members of Congress and two or three constituents from their religious,
scientific, and secular environmental communities. These meetings occurred in
the congressional home state and district offices. In several places, people have
reported having very powerful and successful meetings. Since the mid-1990s,
Allied Voices has also initiated partnership projects between religious organi-
zations and the Endangered Species Coalition. For more information about
how these programs were developed, contact Suellen Lowry, (707) 826-1948,
suellen@northcoast.com.
B. Media Outreach
1. Be Careful
Media events can be excellent tools to communicate the spiritual reasons for
caring about the environment. However, be careful when encouraging religious
conservationists to use the media. By their very nature, media activities are not
Be careful when
encouraging religious private. There have been instances of religious community individuals being
conservationists to targeted for criticism when they’ve taken a pro-conservation public position.
do media work. Also, reporters can be a cynical, tough audience. Therefore, never push reli-
By their very nature, gious community individuals to be media spokespersons unless they are quite
media activities are comfortable with this role.
not private.
2. Specific Media Activities
Almost all religious
Religious community environmentalists who are comfortable speaking to the
communities have
media can pursue a number of activities, such as write letters to the editor and
publications, often
at the regional join op ed campaigns, or sponsor an event or conference, such as Earth Day.
or national levels, You can help by researching newspapers’ requirements for letters to the editor
which may be or op eds (e.g., recommended length, fax number of journalist to whom the
willing to publish item should be sent, other information the paper may require, and whether it’s
articles. necessary to do a follow-up call to an op ed page editor). You can also help
gather background information, collect sample drafts of letters, or help
organize and staff an event.
When considering the types of media professionals to contact with a reli-
gious community message, don’t neglect religious page reporters, editors, and
columnists. For most newspapers, the religious page is published on Saturdays.
3. Religious Community Publications

Almost all religious communities have publications, often at the regional and
national levels. These publications may be willing to publish articles and op eds
or columns written by people who care about conservation from a spiritual
standpoint. Once you have a relationship with religious community members
who care about conservation, you may wish to ask them about this possibility.
Again, you may be able to help by gathering background information for
articles. Also, sometimes a meeting with a policy maker can be enough of a
story for publication in local and regional religious media, especially if a picture
Chapter III: 30 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Types of Activities
is taken; of course, all this must be cleared ahead of time with everyone Religious community
involved. members who are
communicating with
4. Influencing Messages the Religious Community May Deliver policy makers or the
Religious community members who are communicating with policy makers or media should only
be asked to speak
the media should only be asked to speak from their own areas of expertise. The
from their own
spiritual message is deep, complicated, and powerful. It is fully sufficient to
areas of expertise.
stand by itself as a statement about the importance of conservation. It is also
sufficient rationale for the support of strong public policies that protect the Do not tell religious
earth. Unless they wish to do so, religious community members should not be community indi-
asked to deliver policy analyses. Also, individuals speaking from a religious viduals what their
perspective almost always will be speaking as individuals, not for their faith religious community
tradition as a whole. However, it may be helpful for them to share resolutions message should
and other statements formulated by their denominations’ governing bodies and contain.
leaders.
Do not tell religious community members what their religious community
message should contain. You can, however, talk about times you have wit-
nessed a spiritual message being delivered to policy makers and the media,
and how you perceive the message was received. In addition, you can assure
members of the religious community that they do not have to be theologians
to speak out; their personal message about why they care from a spiritual
standpoint is powerful and has the potential to motivate others.
Some members of the general public see religion as a private association that
is not concerned with the environment, and they may be alienated by a media
message with a religious focus. Be sensitive to the fact that understanding the
audience for spiritual messages about conservation is important.
C. Long-Term Dialogues
When you facilitate conversations and dialogue between your environmental

group and religious groups, you help develop an understanding of each other’s
perspectives and concerns. Such understanding also meets personal needs as
Long-term conver-
people gain friends and acquaintances through their work and mission. They
sations lead to an
also meet personal needs as people gain friends and acquaintances through their
understanding of each
work and mission. Many times these dialogues develop into projects and events.
other’s perspectives
A great resource to get the dialogue started is the Union of Concerned and concerns. In
Scientists’ video and discussion guide Keeping the Earth: Religious and Scientific addition, they meet
Perspectives on the Environment. It is available through Union of Concerned personal needs for
Scientists, (617) 547-5552, www.ucsusa.org. Another way to initiate dialogue is connecting with
for individuals to share their stories about their sacred or special places, a others around
process the Wilderness Society calls “Stories of the Land;” see their website at spiritual beliefs and
www.tws.org/ethic/stories.shtml, or www.wilderness.org. ecological issues.
Examples of organizations who engage in long-term dialogues:

Formed in 1997 in the Pacific Northwest, the Partnership for Religion and the
Environment (PRAE) started as a regional organization composed of multi-
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faith religious, environmental, and academic organizations; now there are
PRAE groups on the East coast. PRAE collaborates on joint education projects,
political advocacy, and religious celebrations. For more information about
PRAE, contact Thea Levkovitz, The Wilderness Society, at (206) 624-6430,
ext. 224, Tlevkovitz@twsnw.org.
In Chicago, Illinois, the Interreligious Sustainability Project has been conven-
ing interfaith community “sustainability circles.” The purpose is to provide an
opportunity for learning, reflection, mutual support, and local action on issues
of environmental sustainability. The long-term goal is to develop inter-circle
agendas, which can enhance the sustainability of the whole region. The group
published a vision statement, One Creation, One People, One Place, that was
distributed to 3,700 religious congregations in the Chicago metropolitan area,
and now publishes a quarterly newsletter. For more information about the
project, contact Rev. Clare Butterfield, Center for Neighborhood Technology at
(773) 278-4800, x.125, clare@cnt.org, www.cnt.org.
The Spiritual Alliance for Earth (SAFE) is an interfaith ecological movement
in the San Francisco Bay area bringing people together for religious and envi-
ronmental activities. Their efforts include networking between faith-based and
environmental groups, learning, celebrations, and action. For more information
about SAFE, contact Bill Sadler, sadler22@pacbell.net. Spiritual Alliance for
Earth is affiliated with the United Religions Initiative; see their website at
www.uri.org.
D. Reaching Others in the Religious Community
Many religious leaders and activists spend time reaching out to their religious
community, encouraging them to make caring for God’s creation a priority. A
number of religious groups are already engaged in activities concerning the
You can help religious environment, such as prayer services, greening of facilities, environmental
community conser- education programs, hikes, community gardens, lectures, workshops, and
vationists reach out advocacy for conservation policies.
to other religious With its size and influence, and through all these and additional activities,
community members.
the religious community can make a big difference on environmental concerns,
For example, you
especially as more and more people in religious groups become active. One way
can supply fact
to encourage even more conservation activism in the religious community is
sheets and speakers,
or co-sponsor through presentations and discussions at religious community gatherings.
conferences and Presentations about the importance of conservation from a religious stand-
events. point, with supplemental ecological and economic information, can take place
in many settings (e.g., at various congregational committee meetings). It would
be inappropriate for you or others in secular groups to presume any control
over these presentations, but you can have important involvement. For example,
you may help prepare fact sheets, flyers, and other written information, locate
additional speakers as needed, or even co-sponsor conferences and events.
These are just a few of the groups that offer resources and programs for
increasing ecological awareness and activities in congregations:
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• The Web of Creation, www.webofcreation.org;
• Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of the Churches
of Christ, www.webofcreation/NCC/workgrp.html;
• U.S. Catholic Conference Environmental Justice Program,
www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm;
• Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, www.coejl.org;
• Evangelical Environmental Network, www.esa-online.org/een; and
• Earth Ministry, www.earthministry.org
all provide excellent information, resources, and ideas.
In their Handbook for Creation Awareness and Care in Your Congregation,
Earth Ministry lists a number of activities that religious and environmental com-
munity members can initiate. These include:
• Develop a mission statement that incorporates care for creation.
• Create worship services, with liturgy and music that celebrate nature and creation.
• Incorporate environmental materials, experiences, and projects into religious
education programs.
• Institute good stewardship practices on the building and grounds, such as
energy conservation, food sustainability (e.g. purchase shade grown coffee,
support community gardens and community supported agriculture), recy-
cling and composting, water conservation, natural landscaping, and socially
and environmentally responsible financial investments.
• Initiate community outreach activities such as habitat restoration projects,
forums for community dialogue, eco-justice projects, and environmental
advocacy efforts.
• Participate in denominational, ecumenical, and interfaith outreach programs
and events.
Beginning in the mid-1940s, the Soil and Water Conservation Districts started
working with congregations to celebrate Soil and Water Stewardship Week.
Each year a theme is selected and materials that include worship service scrip-
tures, songs, sermon ideas, and activities are created for church leaders.
Materials can be obtained in the state’s conservation district, or by calling the
National Association of Conservation Districts at (800) 825-5547. Earth
Day is another annual event celebrated by many churches; for sermon ideas,
activities, and resources, contact Earth Day Network, (260) 876-2000,
earthday@earthday.net, www.earthday.net.
Environmental Ministries of Southern California offers Christian-oriented
Earth Day materials for congregations. The director, Rev. Peter Moore-Kochlacs,
has also testified on behalf of the Endangered Species Act, created a
Congregation Energy Guide, and has printed an article, “Valuing Our National
Forests from a Religious, Environmental, and Economic Perspective.” For
more information, contact Rev. Peter Moore Kochlacs, Environmental
Ministries of Southern California, (619) 465-7951, PeterEco@aol.com,
http://members.aol.com/petereco.
EarthCare, serving Chattanooga, TN, and Dalton, GA, is a Christian
organization that exists to promote creation stewardship within the Christian
community. It seeks to raise environmental awareness and encourage participation
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in church and community projects through various educational and advisory
programs. They hold an annual conference, house a resource library, distribute
resource materials and lists on creation care and simple living, maintain a
speakers bureau, and help churches establish creation care ministries. For more
information, contact EarthCare at (423) 697-2560 (TN) or (706) 278-3979
(GA), mail@earthcareonline.org, www.earthcareonline.org.
Eco-Justice Ministries works with congregations to identify and disseminate
environmental justice worship, outreach, and educational programs. For more
information, contact the executive director of Eco-Justice Ministries, Rev. Peter
S. Sawtell, (303) 715-3873, ministry@eco-justice.org.
The Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns is a program of the Ecumenical
Ministries of Oregon. Their mission is to connect, inform, and empower people,
congregations, and religious institutions to work for justice, as well as care and
renewal of the earth. They do this through theological education and dialogue,
public policy advocacy, and community ministry. They offer workshops, have
created a resource for the local sustainable food system called Celebrating
Portland’s Bounty, are raising awareness about global warming and exploring
green energy options, and are creating opportunities for coalition building and
ecumenical dialogue about the Columbia River. For more information, contact
Jenny Holmes, Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns, (503) 244-8318,
inec@emoregon.org, www.emoregon.com.
E. Place-Based Projects and Programs
Place-based projects are the result of grassroots organizing by religious groups

along watersheds and rivers, and in particular bioregions. Environmental
organizations can offer support to these projects through speakers, informa-
tion, resources, workshops, and contacts. For example, the National Wildlife
Federation has provided Backyard Wildlife Habitat resources and programs for
Habitat for Humanity (a parachurch organization) on environmentally sensitive
landscaping; for more information, see National Wildlife Federation’s website
at www.nwf.org.
Some place-based projects and organizations are:

The Columbia River Pastoral Letter Project in the Pacific Northwest and
Canada is the result of 12 Roman Catholic bishops coming together to protect
the Columbia River watershed, which they say has been irresponsibly dammed,
polluted, and over fished. After consulting with scientists, environmentalists, and
social leaders in the region, the bishops produced a comprehensive statement
entitled “The Columbia River Watershed: Realities and Possibilities” that
includes a ten-point plan to protect the watershed. The pastoral letter, “The
Columbia River Watershed: Caring for Creation and the Common Good,” was
distributed in 2001.They plan to produce educational aids, including a video,
coffee table book, and study guide to accompany the pastoral letter in an effort to
raise awareness in the region. For more information see www.columbiariver.org.
The Minnesota Earth Sabbath Team, an ecumenical partnership of churches,
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strives to stimulate communities of faith to recognize care for creation through To live we must daily
worship and liturgy, education, and community relations. They produced a break the body and
checklist called “How River Friendly is Your Faith Community?” for churches shed the blood of
along the Minnesota River in order for them to become a River Friendly Creation. When we do
Congregation. For more information contact Sister Gladys Schmitz, Minnesota this lovingly, knowing-
ly, skillfully, reverently,
Earth Sabbath Team, (507) 389-4114.
it is a sacrament.
Tangier Watermen’s Stewardship for the Chesapeake is a faith-based group
When we do it
working on environmental protection for the Chesapeake Bay. Tangiers greedily, clumsily,
Islanders have responded favorably to Biblically-based messages about protect- ignorantly,
ing the environment, and have been inspired to create stewardship initiatives destructively, it is
for the Chesapeake Bay. A video documenting their efforts has been produced, a desecration. By
and a radio program called “Preaching the Environment” can be heard at such desecration we
www.wamu.org/NEW_WEB/mc/shows/mcarc_001014.html. For more informa- condemn ourselves to
tion, contact Tangier Watermen’s Stewardship for the Chesapeake, P.O. Box spiritual and moral
242, Tangier, VA, 23440. loneliness, and
Members of Community Lutheran Church in Sterling, Virginia, began a others to want.
Hedgerow Habitat Trail in 1994 in response to their concern to care for God’s
creation. The habitat restoration project includes soil and watershed protection Wendell Berry 23
for the Chesapeake Bay, as well as signs from the Psalms that mark the walking
trail and educational programs. For more information, contact Community
Lutheran Church, 21014 Whitfield Place, Sterling, VA, 20165, (703) 430-6006.
The Sabbath Project (a special program of the Western North Carolina
Alliance, a coalition of environmental groups) is forming bridges between the
religious community and the environmental movement in the southern
Appalachia region. The Sabbath Project works through ministry, sermons,
nature walks, advocacy efforts, and an annual leadership conference to protect
the bioregion’s habitat. They are currently focusing on forest protection and
clean air legislation. For more information, contact Brian Cole, The Sabbath
Project, (828) 771-3749, bcole@warren-wilson.edu.
F. Issue Initiatives
Many religious organizations and denominations are working together on

specific environmental problems. In addition, many denominations have
written declarations on environmental issues and have drafted strategies for
solutions. These strategies include legislative actions, institutional changes,
and education programs. Environmental groups can offer assistance with any
of these arenas.
Examples of groups and organizations working on environmental issues:
One of the largest efforts underway is a campaign to address the issue
of global warming. The Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of
Churches, has launched an Interfaith Global Warming Network and Climate
Change Campaign They have produced a briefing paper with questions and
answers about science, public policy, and faith in relation to global warming.
They also provide training for religious leaders, information and strategy pack-
ets, and suggestions for taking up the cause of global warming as a religious
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The spiritual connec- issue in congregations and public policy. Another way to address global
tions between people warming is through energy conservation; churches can become a National
and land are as real Council of Churches Energy Stewardship Congregation (see their website at
and as important as www.webofcreation/energystewardship/congregations to find out more about this
the ecological rela- program) or an EPA Energy Star Congregation (www.epa.gov/congregations).
tionships between
The Episcopal Power and Light Project (www.regenerationproject.org) is
species of plants and
helping individuals and institutions establish energy conservation programs
animals. For this
reason, we need to and purchase “green energy” in California. Similar efforts are underway by an
look for ways in interfaith coalition called Partners for Environmental Quality in New Jersey;
integrate our scientific they can be reached at (973) 635-6067. The Interfaith Coalition on Energy in
understanding with a Philadelphia, PA, has produced excellent resources on energy conservation, one
more intuitive, spiritual called Conscientious and Economic Use of Energy by Congregations (2000);
way of experiencing they can be reached at (215) 635-1122.
nature. Another issue initiative underway by religious and environmental advocates
is on forest protection. A large, diverse group of primarily Christian and Jewish
Herbert Schroeder 25 organizations and denominations has made a substantial difference in efforts to
encourage drafting and implementation of a federal policy to protect roadless
areas in national forests. They have met face-to-face with policy makers, testified
in many field hearings, and participated heavily in generating an unprecedented
number of comments on the draft roadless rule. Their large, group letters to the
Administration were very helpful in encouraging strengthening of the roadless
policy. Contact Suellen Lowry at (707) 826-1948 or suellen@northcoast.com
about this effort. The World Stewardship Institute (WSI), an organization that
links business, science, and faith communities together for the cultivation of
environmental stewardship, is working on reforestation projects. They publish
a newsletter on their collaborative efforts called EcoStewards and provide an
action alert e-mail service. For more information, contact World Resources
Institute at (707) 573-3160, wsi@ecostewards.org, www.ecostewards.org.
Affiliated with WSI, the Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation (RCFC)
is a coalition of Jewish and Christian clergy and religious leaders who have
called for the halt of logging of old growth forests and commercial logging on
public lands. They host conferences and have also compiled religious declara-
tions and statements on forest conservation. For more information, contact
Fred Krueger, Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation, (707) 573-3162,
fred@ecostewards.org.
Sprawl issues are being addressed by the interfaith community in Detroit,
MI, by the Metropolitan Organizing Strategy for Enabling Strength (MOSES).
They send speakers throughout Southeast Michigan to talk about the moral
implications of sprawl. This coalition plans to lobby the state government on
development and transportation issues. For more information, contact the
Metropolitan Organizing Strategy for Enabling Strength at (313) 838-3190.
The issue of environmental justice and environmental racism is being
addressed by local initiatives and coalitions in urban and rural areas around
the country. On the national level, the Eco-Justice Working Group of the
National Council of Churches has an Environmental Justice Covenant Program
(www.webofcreation.org/ncc/wgcong), and many denominations have environ-
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mental justice coordinators. An example of one local effort is in South God, our Creator
Philadelphia, where Reverend Tyrone Kilgoe, pastor of the New Comfort
Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA, is leading members of his congregation in the You have given us
struggle against toxic hazards. They are working with the South Philadelphia The earth,
Interdenominational Fellowship of Churches to educate African American con- The sky and the seas.
gregations about how toxic chemicals are devastating to the local community.
Show us the way
New Comfort works with Clean Water Action, a national environmental
To care for the earth,
organization. 24 Not just for today
But for ages to come.
G. Lifestyle Education Programs
Let no plan or work
Many faith-based organizations and denominations have not only produced Of ours damage
resources, curricula and educations programs about environmental issues, they Or destroy
are partnering with environmental organizations to educate people on how to The beauty of your
make lifestyle changes that are more sustainable for the planet. The volunteer creation.
simplicity movement is an important are that advocates for behaviors and
actions people can take on behalf of the environment. Send forth your spirit
To direct us,
To care for the earth
A selection of educational organizations and resources:
And all creation.
Alternative for Simple Living is a non-profit organization that started in
1973 to teach people of faith how to challenge consumerism and live more Columban Fathers
simply. They publish Simple Living 101, a “toolkit” that features motivational
speeches, workshops, events, study groups, and simplicity circles concerning
voluntary simplicity. For more information, contact Alternatives for Simple
Living, (712) 274-8875 or (800) 821-6153, alternatives@simpleliving.org,
www.simpleliving.org.
The Center for a New American Dream helps individuals and institutions
change the way they consume to enhance quality of life and protect the
environment. In 2001, they launched Turn the Tide, a program of nine actions
that individuals can take in their daily lives that has a positive impact on the
environment. As people take these actions and log on the website, the
cumulative effect is tallied to chronicle the positive impact that these changes
can make. For more information and other simple living ideas and resources,
contact the Center for a New American Dream, (301) 891-3683,
newdream@newdream.org, www.newdream.org.
The Household EcoTeam Workbook and Program from the Global Action
Plan is another resource faith-based communities have found to be useful. This
workbook encourages people to go step-by-step to reduce waste, water, and
energy, and to incorporate lifestyle changes in order to become responsible
stewards. For more information, contact Global Action Plan, (914) 679-4830,
info@GlobalActionPlan, www.GlobalActionPlan.org.
The grassroots Earth Literacy movement (based on the work of Pierre
Teilhard de Chardin, Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, and Matthew Fox, among
others) is an effort to live the philosophies of the “new cosmology of the
Universe Story,” also known as “creation spirituality” and “creation theology.”
Earth Literacy is an interfaith, interdisciplinary, experiential curriculum, where-
Types of Activities
by students learn how to apply this “new cosmology of the ecozoic era” by
learning about ecological sustainability and how to live lightly on earth. The
Earth Literacy academic programs at Saint Mary of the Woods College in
Indiana and Genesis Farms in New Jersey are wonderful ways to explore
wisdom traditions, religious practices, bioregionalism, and ecological lifestyle.
For more information, contact Sister Mary Dolan at Saint Mary of the Woods,
(812) 535-5160, and Sister Miriam McGillis at Genesis Farm, (908) 362-6735,
www.globaleduc.org/genfarm. For more information about Earth Literacy in
general, contact Sue Levy, Earth Literacy Web, (510) 595-5508, info@spiri-
tualecology.org, www.spiritualecology.org.
A Prayer for Spirit in Nature is an interfaith organization that developed ten different
Conservation nature trails representing the world’s major religion at Middelbury College,
Vermont. Each trail features scriptural passages or poetry about how that
Giver of life and tradition relates to nature. Spirit in Nature also conducts interfaith education
all good gifts: and action workshops on topics such as bioregionalism, sustainable living,
Grant us also global warming, and natural history. For more information, contact Rev. Paul
wisdom to use only Bortz, Spirit in Nature, (802) 388-7244, www.spiritinature.com.
what we need;
H. Theological Explorations and Practices
Courage to trust your
bounty;
Many religious educational institutions and organizations are taking a look at
Imagination to the theory and theology of environmental ethics. In addition, many of the
preserve our world’s religions are looking at how to put environmental ethics into practice
resources; on a local and global level. Environmental organizations can support and assist
these efforts.
Determination to
deny frivolous excess;
Academic programs and organizations that are engaging in environmental
And inspiration to and global ethics:
sustain through Theological Education to Meet the Environmental Challenge (TEMEC)
temptation. began in 1992 to assist seminaries, schools of theology, college and universities
in making ecological integrity and social justice a central focus of religious
Patricia Winters 26 education. They host professional development conferences, operate as a
coalition of theologians and educators working on eco-justice concerns, and
assist the next generation of religious leaders to get ministry training that cares
for both people and the earth. For more information about TEMEC, see
www.webofcreation.org/temecpage/temec.
The Institute for Global Ethics provides workshops and curriculum to teach-
ers and institutions on incorporating ethical behavior, including environmental
ethics, into decision-making and action. They also analyze trends about ethics
and recently produced a study called Reaching Out: Broadening College-
Student Constituencies for Environmental Protection. This report is available
on their website at www.globalethics.org/reaching_out.pdf.
The American Academy of Religion (AAR) hosts a Religion and Ecology
Group that examines the relationship between environmental issues and religious
ethics from an academic and scholarly perspective, and presents papers at their
annual conference. For more information about the AAR’s Religion and
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Ecology Group, see www.aarweb.org, or call AAR at (404) 727-2049. We join with the Earth
The American Scientific Affiliation, a fellowship of Christian scientists, has and with each other
published dozens of articles and papers on environmental topics in their To bring new life to
journal; for more information, they can be reached at www.asa3.org, or the land
asa@asa3.org, or call (978) 356-5656.
In the global arena, a ten-part conference series was held at the Harvard To restore new life to
Center for the Study of World Religions in 1996-1998. These conferences, the land
organized by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, along with a team of spe- To restore the waters
cialists, brought together over 800 scholars and environmental activists to
To refresh the air
examine the world’s religions regarding their views of nature, ritual practices,
and ethical constructs. Summary papers from this series are available in Earth We join with the Earth
Ethics, a newsletter from Center for Respect for Life and the Environment and with each other
(CRLE); contact CRLE at (202) 778-6133, crle@aol.com, www.crle.org. Books To renew the forests
from the conferences are being published in a ten-part series from the Harvard To care for the plants
Center of World Religions, and are available through Harvard University Press
To protect the
at (800) 448-2242. For information on Harvard’s Religions of the World and
creatures
Ecology website, see www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/ecology.
The Forum on Religion and Ecology (FORE) was formed to continue We join with the Earth
research, education, and outreach that was initiated during the Harvard confer- and with each other
ence series. FORE has held conferences on World Religions and Animals, To celebrate the seas
Nature Writers and the Ecological Imagination, and the Epic of Evolution and
World Religions. It has also been conducting workshops for high school To rejoice in the
teachers and participating in the greening of seminary education. It helped sunlight
produce an interreligious booklet with the United Nations Environment To sing the song of
Programme (UNEP) called Earth and Faith: A Book for Reflection and Action the stars
that can be used in congregations for services or discussion groups. For more We join with the Earth
information about Forum on Religion and Ecology, contact (617) 332-0337, and with each other
fore@environment.harvard.edu, http://education.harvard.edu/religion. To order
To recreate the human
the UNEP booklet Earth and Faith, contact (212) 963-8210, community
uneprona@un.org, www.rona.unep.org.
The Sacred Gifts for A Living Planet is a project of World Wildlife Fund To promote justice
and peace
(WWF) and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation to encourage, secure,
and celebrate conservation actions by the world’s major religions. This initia-
To remember our
tive represents a further development of WWF’s relationship with the world’s
children
major religions since they gathered in Assisi, Italy, in 1986 to discuss religions’
involvement in biodiversity and habitat protection. (The Assisi Declarations: We join with the Earth
Declarations on Religions and Nature (1985, 1994) is available from World and with each other
Wildlife Fund.) The Sacred Gifts are conservation actions taken by the major
We join together as
religions for the preservation of biodiversity, promotion of sustainable resource
many and diverse
use, or reduction of pollution and wasteful exploitation of resources; the
expressions of one
actions also relate to advocacy, education, health, land and assets, and media. loving mystery,
For more information about the Sacred Gifts project, see World Wildlife Fund’s for the healing of the
website at www.panda.org/livingplanet/sacred_gifts. Earth and the renewal
The Earth Charter is a comprehensive document of new global ethical of all life.
guidelines, completed after eight years of deliberation with more than 100,000
people in 51 countries, and 25 global leaders in environment, business, politics, UN Environmental
Sabbath Program 27
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religion and education. The four general principles of the charter are:
respect Earth and life in all its diversity; care for the community of life with
understanding, compassion, and love; build democratic societies that are just,
sustainable, participatory and peaceful; and secure Earth’s bounty and beauty
for present and future generations. The Earth Charter Campaign is underway
in the United States and internationally to introduce the charter to the United
Nations in 2002, 10 years after the Rio Summit. A campaign kit and more
information is available through the U.S. Earth Charter Campaign website at
www.earthcharter.org, or through the U.S. Earth Charter Secretariat, Center
for Respect for Life and the Environment at (202) 778-6133, crle@aol.com,
www.crle.org.
Types of Activities
C H A P T E R F O U R
IV. Introduction to Aspects of the U.S. Organized Religious

Community
A. Diversity of U.S. Spiritual Community
Probably the most basic mistake in outreach to religious groups is the assumption Probably the most
that all are the same, all agree with each other, or all have the ability to speak for basic mistake in
each other. Religious communities are as diverse as any other large community— outreach to religious
often more so. Even within a particular denomination, there can be a great deal groups is the
of difference. Yet clergy and lay individuals in various religious traditions are assumption that
all are the same,
finding spiritual reasons to make caring for God’s creation a priority.
all agree with each
If possible, take time to learn about the faith tradition and denomination of
other, or all have
the person with whom you are seeking a dialogue, perhaps by doing a little the ability to speak
research on the web, at a public library, or at the library of a local congrega- for each other. Even
tion. But don’t think you fully understand a belief system just by reading about within seemingly
it for a few hours. The value of such research is to gain an appreciation for the similar parts of the
cultural and historical contexts of the beliefs that an individual holds. religious community,
The United States is a religiously pluralistic society.28 Most people in the U.S. there can be signifi-
identify themselves as Christian. However, many Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, cant differences.
Hindus, American Indians, and other religious groups in the U.S. continue to
practice their original spiritual traditions. For example, according to the World
Almanac, there are over 3.3 million members of Islam in the U.S., and over
1.2 million Buddhists, a number that is rapidly growing.29 Many of these
non-Christian groups have grown in the last 30 years, in part due to landmark
changes in the immigration laws in 1965. In addition, the U.S. Christian
community has diversified; the number of different Christian denominations
has grown from 20 in the year 1800 to about 900 today.30 According to the
1996 Encyclopedia of American Religions, there are over 1,500 religious
organizations in the United States.
Within individual religious traditions there is also diversity. Approach each
group with which you work as its own entity—recognizing that even within
seemingly similar parts of the religious community, there can be significant
differences. Churches from the same denomination in the same town may be
strikingly different from one another. Furthermore, similar-sounding denomi-
nations can have important differences. For instance, at times there are theological
and policy differences between American Baptists and Southern Baptists,
members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Reformed Presbyterian
Church, conservative and reformed Jews, Evangelical and non-Evangelical
Christians, and so on.
Various Jewish and Christian faith traditions go to different sources for their
theological bases: for Evangelicals and Protestants, the focus is on Biblical
scripture (Hebrew and Christian); for Catholics, the focus is also Biblical scripture
and church teachings; and for Jews, the focus is Hebrew scripture and the
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 41 Chapter IV:
Aspects of U.S. Religious
Community
ongoing traditions of halachah (law) and aggadah (explications/moral reasoning).
Moreover, denominations work differently with regard to decision making on
policies. Some are top down from the headquarters level, while others provide
for individual congregational autonomy.
One aspect of diversity in the religious community is the variety of approaches
to evolution. Many congregations and religious leaders fully accept evolution;
for others, the very term is an anathema. A number of congregations talk
about “caring for God’s Creation,” but they may mean very different things by
that term. Find out what is and is not acceptable for a given congregation—
understanding at the same time that groups all across the evolution/creation
spectrum may still be supportive of biodiversity, though for different reasons.
Religious groups also have a variety of stances about abortion, birth control,
and other family planning issues. While discussions of population issues and
their relationship to biodiversity concerns should not be considered off limits,
such discussions are sensitive and probably should wait until you have built
your relationships with religious leaders. In some cases, religious leaders will
want to address environmental concerns as part of a broader “pro-life” agenda,
an argument that can be extremely persuasive. It is important, however, that
religious leaders, rather than secular environmental groups, raise such themes.
Another aspect of the diversity of religious life is the broad spectrum of
reactions to interfaith coalitions. Some communities—especially the Jewish
community—prefer to work in interfaith coalitions. Others, especially
Evangelical churches, typically prefer to work independently. It is important to
respect these differences and to encourage participation that is appropriate for
a given congregation or leader. Some congregations and institutions worry that
environmental groups or interfaith coalitions around environmental issues
might be associated with “New Age” or “pagan” religious practices; other
congregations welcome dialogue with earth-based traditions or new religions.
Groups like the Evangelical Environmental Network can help you with
materials that explain biblically-based reasons for “caring for creation.” Be
sure not to pressure people to work publicly with any individuals or groups
that might compromise their religious beliefs.
B. Profiles of Faith-Based Organizations
What follows is just a short listing of active faith-based groups and projects.
We know there are many others, and we urge you to seek them out. For more
detailed information about specific denominations, including numbers of
members, demographic information, history, and beliefs, please see the
organizations’ websites and the National Council of the Churches of Christ’s
Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. Two other sources for this
information are the websites www.beliefnet.com and www.adherents.com.
Many of the denominations and organizations listed below publish a variety
of conservation resources, including congregational liturgy and study guides,
curriculum, information for individual actions, and items pertaining to public
policy advocacy. These resources are continually evolving, so please contact the
Chapter IV: 42 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Community
organization for current resources. Umbrella websites that list resources
include:
• Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life,

www.coejl.org;
• Evangelical Environmental Network,
www.esa-online.org/een;
• Forum on Religion and Ecology,
http://environment.harvard.edu/religion/;
• National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Eco-Justice Working Group,
www.webofcreation.org/ncc/Workgrp.html;
• National Religious Partnership for the Environment,
www.nrpe.org;
• U.S. Catholic Conference Environmental Justice Program,
www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm; and
• Web of Creation,
www.webofcreation.org.
To order materials, contact the organizations directly. Also, many items are
available through the National Council of Churches’ Environmental Justice
Resource List; for a copy of this free list, call their office at (800) 762-0968
and ask for item number EJ 9705.
1. Christian Denominations and Organizations
American Baptist Church

National Ministries
P.O. Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
(800) ABC-3USA ext. 2400
www.abc-usa.org
For resource information:

www.nationalministries.org/mission/church_resources.cfm
Ecology is one of the American Baptist Church National Ministries pro-

grams. The General Board passed a “Resolution on Individual Lifestyle for
Personal Responsibility” in 1990. They have also produced a brochure on eco-
logical lifestyle resources called Planet Earth: 8 Loving Ways to Care for It, a
book entitled The Best Preaching on Earth: Sermons on Caring for Creation
(by Stan LeQuire, 1996), a handbook on stream restoration called Living
Waters: How to Save Your Local Stream, and a Bible study curriculum called
Our Only Home, Planet Earth (1990).
Community
The American Baptist Church is divided into 35 regions within the U.S., with
congregations in each region. Call local American Baptist churches for the
phone number of the local regional ABC office. When talking with the regional
office, ask for names of people who are “environmental justice coordinators”
or involved in efforts related to “caring for God’s creation.” American Baptist
clergy use the title “doctor” or “reverend” or “reverend doctor.”
Our task is nothing less than to join God in preserving, renewing and fulfilling the creation. It is to relate to
nature in ways that sustain life on the planet, provide for the essential material and physical needs of all
humankind, and increase justice and well-being for all life in a peaceful world.
American Baptist Policy Statement on Ecology (1989)
Catholic Church
National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference

Office of Social Development & World Peace
Walt Grazer
3211 Fourth Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017-1194
(202) 541-3160
www.nccbuscc.org
Portion of website pertaining to conservation:
www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm
For resource information and ordering: (800) 235-8722
Other Catholic programs:
National Catholic Rural Life Conference

Bob Gronski
4625 Beaver Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 270-2634
www.ncrlc.com
Catholic Conservation Center

http://conservation.catholic.org
The U.S. Catholic Conference (USCC) is one of the key organizations of the
Catholic Church, and is a member of National Religious Partnership for the
Environment. The USCC has policy in some, though not all, areas pertaining
to conservation. The further the environmental issue gets away from a social
justice question, the more difficult the stretch. Catholic colleges have for many
years had courses about philosophy and the environment, and many Catholic
Community
retreat centers are hosting ecology programs and incorporating sustainable
agriculture and forestry practices (see Resources section). The National
Catholic Rural Life Conference, over 75 years old, has a wonderful 1972 state-
ment on the environment, and currently has a sustainability program.
The Catholic Church has numerous resources, including Renewing the Face
of the Earth: A Resource for Parishes (1994), another parish resource kit enti-
tled Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All Creation (1995), and Let the
Earth Bless the Lord: God’s Creation and Our Responsibility: A Catholic
Approach to the Environment (1996) which contains eleven criteria for
becoming a “St. Francis Model Parish.”
The Catholic community is very diverse. There are over 60 million people
active in the U.S. Catholic community. Thirty percent are Hispanic, and mass
is celebrated every day in 50 different languages. There are both institutional
and lay levels of authority within the U.S. Catholic Church. They carry on a
parallel effort. The institutional layers of authority include Bishops, Catholic
Conference Directors, diocese personnel, and individual clergy.
There are 180 U.S. Catholic dioceses; look for them in the phone book in
major cities in the state. Within the diocese, ask for the Catholic Charities
director or the social action or social concerns director. Also, the local social
action director can contact the U.S. Catholic Conference D.C. office for names
of local people who’ve shown an interest in environmental issues (by taking
such steps as ordering materials from the U.S. Catholic Conference or attending
a conference). The other major institutional player is the state Catholic
Conference director; these individuals are legislative and public policy focused.
These directors work for the Bishops and have direct access to them. They
often are located in state capitols. Finally, every diocese has parishes (individual
churches). Call priests and ask if they know of people who may be interested.
Don’t be put off if the priest is very busy; many are overworked. Catholic
clergy use the title “father.” Use the term “Catholic community” when asking
Catholic leaders to help you find people with an interest in your work.
I should like to address directly my brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, in order to remind them of
their serious obligation to care for all of creation. The commitment of believers to a healthy environment for
everyone stems directly from their belief in God the Creator, from their recognition of the effects of original
and personal sin, and from the certainty of having been redeemed by Christ. Respect for life and for the
dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation, which is called to join man in praising God.
(cf. Ps 148:96)
In 1979, I proclaimed Saint Francis of Assisi as the heavenly Patron of those who promote ecology...He
offers Christians an example of genuine and deep respect for the integrity of creation. As a friend of the poor
who was loved by God’s creatures, Saint Francis invited all of creation — animals, plants, natural forces,
even Brother Sun and Sister Moon — to give honour and praise to the Lord. The poor man of Assisi gives us
striking witness that when we are at peace with God we are better able to devote ourselves to building up
that peace with all creation which is inseparable from peace among all peoples.
The Ecological Crisis, A Common Responsibility, Message of His Holiness Pope John Paul II for the
Celebration of the World Day of Peace, 1 January 1990.
Community
The lay groups are much freer to take positions than the U.S. Catholic
Conference, and much work gets done in the lay groups, such as Pax Christi
(headquartered in Erie, PA) and the National Council Conference of Catholic
Women. On the other hand, when someone speaks with the authority of the
institution, that carries a great deal of weight, in part because Bishops and others
in the institutional hierarchy often have a relationship with members of Congress.
Church of the Brethern

David Radcliff
Shantilal Bhagat
1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin, IL 60120
(800) 323-8039 ext. 227
www.brethern.org
Portion of the website devoted to creation care:
www.brethern.org/genbd/witness/CareforCreation.htm
The Church of the Brethren is divided geographically into 23 regional

districts and congregations within these districts. At the national level, the
Brethren Witness office coordinates efforts in the areas of peace and justice,
care for creation, legislative advocacy, and hunger relief. The Brethren Witness
office also has a wide range of care of creation resources available for indi-
vidual and congregational use, including their 1995 newsletter focusing on
biodiversity called Between the Flood and the Rainbow.
Why should Christians care about the environment? Simply because we learn in Genesis that God has prom-
ised to fulfill all of creation, not just humanity, and has made humans the stewards of it. More importantly,
God sent Christ into the very midst of creation to be ‘God with us’ and to fulfill the promise to save humankind
and nature.
Creation: Called to Care, Statement of the Church of the Brethren 1991 Annual Conference.
Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science)
The First Church of Christ, Scientist

175 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(800) 288-70990
www.tfccs.com
Other Christian Science resources:
Exploring Practical Spirituality

www.spirituality.com
Community
Christian Science Monitor
www.csmonitor.com
Recent articles from The Christian Science Journal (July 2000) entitled
“Spiritual Activism and the Environment” and “Ecology and Spirituality”
illustrate a Christian Science approach to issues such as pollution and loss of
biodiversity through prayer and incorporating spiritual principles in the way
we live our lives.31 The Christian Science Monitor is a Pulitzer Prize winning
independent daily newspaper with an international circulation. Its coverage of
environmental issues has won consistent praise from environmental groups,
because stories are typically well researched, thoughtful, and often presented in a
global context. Its editorials have supported protection for Alaskan wilderness,
and strong environmental protection laws. Its editorial stance has been described
in environmental circles as “morally conservative and socially progressive.”
Each local church within Churches of Christ, Scientist is a democratically
governed branch of The Mother Church. Churches of Christ, Scientist, do not
have ordained clergy. Instead, services are conducted by two Readers who are
elected from and by members of the local church. A volunteer clerk usually
handles church administration and correspondence, and the clerk is probably
the best first point of contact for outreach to invite participation in interfaith
events or community activities. Also, Christian Science Reading Rooms are
bookstores open to the public, and they have a variety of resources that may be
helpful for environmental leaders.
“Arctic regions, sunny tropics, giant hills, winged winds, mighty billows, verdant vales, festive flowers and
glorious heavens, —all point to Mind, the spiritual intelligence they reflect. The floral apostles are hieroglyphs
of Deity... Suns and planets teach grand lessons. The stars make the night beautiful, and the leaflet turns
naturally toward the light.”
“Some lessons from nature,” in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

47 East South Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
(801) 240-1000
www.lds.org
According to a report on the environmental positions of the thirty largest

Christian denominations in the U.S., the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints (LDS) is identified as taking a policy of “inaction.” This is in keeping
with their largely insular approach to community affairs outside its own mem-
bership. However, members within the LDS faith are taking a more progressive
stand as demonstrated by an anthology called New Genesis—A Mormon
Community
Reader on Land and Community. This anthology contains over forty essays
written by Mormons in good standing, about how the natural world has
enhanced their spirituality, and how the LDS faith promotes wise stewardship.
It should also be noted that within the discourses of Brigham Young there are
many gems of ecological thought and wise words on the value of sustainable
community.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is governed by the offices of the
First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who speak for the church
and are considered to be church prophets. Clergy leaders are called bishops.
Here is declared the Creator of all that is good and beautiful. I have looked at majestic mountains rising
against a blue sky and thought of Jesus, the creator of heaven and earth. I have stood on a spit of sand in the
Pacific and watched the dawn rise like thunder—a ball of gold surrounded by clouds of pink and white and
purple—and thought of Jesus, the Word by whom all things named …What then shall you do with Jesus that
is called Christ? This earth is his creation. When we make it ugly we offend him.
President Gordon B. Hinkley, Current Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Thou shalt be diligent in preserving what thou hast, that thou mayest be a wise steward; for it is the free gift
of the Lord thy God, and thou art his steward.
Doctrine and Covenants 136:37
Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church Center

Martha Gardner
Jack Winder
815 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 867-8400
(800) 334-7626
www.ecusa.anglican.org
Portion of website dedicated to environmental stewardship:
www.ecusa.anglican.org/peace-justice/environmental.html
Other Episcopal programs:
Episcopal Power and Light

Rev. Sally Bingham
c/o Grace Cathedral
1100 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
www.theregenerationproject.org
Community
Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota
Minnesota Episcopal Environmental Stewardship Commission
Holy Trinity Church
Box 65
Elk River, MN 55330
www.env-steward.com
The Episcopal Church is governed by the General Convention (a legislative

body composed of a House of Bishops and House of Deputies that meets every
three years). The Executive Council implements policies and programs adopted
by the General Convention. The Committee on Peace, Justice & Integrity of
Creation reports to the Executive Council, as part of the Peace & Justice
Ministry. There is also an Episcopal Public Policy Network and an Episcopal
Environmental Coalition. The Episcopal Power and Light Project has been
instrumental in converting churches to “green energy” and supporting energy
efficient practices. The Minnesota Episcopal Environment Stewardship
Commission provides a forum for reflection and discussion of ecological concern.
The church publishes two environmental curriculum: Love They Neighbor:
Parish Resources for Faithfulness in Creation (1991), available from the Diocese
of Washington, (202) 537-6546; and One God, One Family, One Earth:
Responding to the Gifts of God’s Creation, available from (800) 903-5544.
There are about 100 Episcopal dioceses around the country, usually head-
quartered in major metropolitan areas. Within each diocese are congregations.
Call the diocese and ask if it has an environmental committee; or for the name
of people who work on social justice issues. The clergy for Episcopal dioceses
are rectors or priests and usually use the title of “father” or “reverend.”
This Conference: “(a) reaffirms humans are both co-partners with the rest of Creation and living bridges
between heaven and earth, with responsibility to make personal and corporate sacrifices for the good of all
Creation;” (b) recognizes that the loss of natural habitats is a direct cause of genocide amongst millions of
indigenous peoples and is causing the extinction of thousands of plant and animal species. Unbridled capital-
ism, selfishness, and greed cannot be allowed to pollute, exploit, and destroy what remains of the earth’s
indigenous habitats; “(c) prays in the Spirit of Jesus Christ for widespread conversion and spiritual renewal in
order that human beings will be restored to a relationship of harmony with the rest of Creation.”
Resolution of Episcopal Bishops at the 1998 Lambeth Conference, London.
Evangelical Christians
Evangelical Environment Network

Rev. Jim Ball
680 I Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 554-1955
(800) 650-6600
www.creationcare.org
Community
Evangelicals do not necessarily belong to any particular denomination.
Evangelical Christians can be found within various Christian denominations
(e.g., Presbyterians, Lutherans, Foursquare, Assembly of God, Southern
Baptist); or many attend churches that are not affiliated with a denomination
(e.g., Cornerstone, Gospel Outreach). As is typical of all faiths and denomina-
tions, there is a great deal of variety among Evangelicals.32 Evangelical
Christians can be at various places along the political spectrum. Some come
from a Pentecostal (also known as “speaking-in-tongues”) or charismatic tradi-
tion, but many do not.
Another type of religious organization (not necessarily Evangelical) is the
parachurch.33 Since many Protestant churches are smaller, non-denominational,
independent or less organized than mainline denominations, special interest
groups have been created to serve specific populations or to champion specific
causes. Since World War II, these groups have been called parachurch groups.
They often work along side churches to give members an opportunity to be
involved in projects such as house building (Habitat for Humanity), sustainable
development (World Vision), medical service (NW Medical Teams) and youth
outreach (Young Life), service projects (Target Earth) or environmental
activism (Christians for Environmental Stewardship). Parachurch groups are
usually membership-based with strong fundraising programs. In one way, they
compete with local churches for members’ time, money, and energy. While this
can cause some tension between church and parachurch organizations, most
realize that individual churches do not have the capacity to duplicate the
important work these organizations provide. Church-based environmental
stewardship activists can sometimes be identified through the leadership and
membership of sympathetic parachurch groups.
The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) is made up of both individ-
ual members and evangelical organizations who work with EEN to implement
creation-care projects appropriate to their ministries. The Evangelical
Environmental Network is active on endangered species, old growth forest
protection, clean air, and takings issues. The Evangelical Environmental
Network is a member of the National Religious Partnership for the
Environment. They also produce a number of resources including: Creation
Care magazine (formerly known as Green Cross); booklets such as Biblical
and Scientific Perspectives on Species Protection and Assessing the Ark: A
Christian Perspective on Non-Human Creatures and the Endangered Species
Act; a starter kit for churches called Let the Earth be Glad; an idea packet
called Your Church Outdoors; and a book called The Best Preaching on Earth:
Sermons on Caring for Creation (1996).
Other Evangelical environmental organizations:
Christian Environmental Council

www.targetearth.org/CEC.htm
The Christian Environmental Council (CEC) is an evangelically-focused group

of leaders committed to serving the church and society in all matters concerning
Community
the care of creation; they are also dedicated to promoting a biblical approach to
environmental issues. The council provides a forum to discuss mutual concerns,
a structure to facilitate joint action, and a platform to express common views.
The Christian Environmental Council has strong resolutions and policy state-
ments on endangered species, “takings,” forests, and global climate change.
Target Earth
Gordon Aeschliman
990 Buttonwood Street, 6th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 236-4340
www.targetearth.org
Target Earth is a national movement of individuals, churches, college fellow-

ships, and Christian ministries motivated by the biblical call to be faithful
stewards of everything God created—to love our neighbors as ourselves and
to care for the earth. Their ministry is to serve the poor as well as work on
environmental restoration projects and protect endangered ecosystems here and
abroad. They build alliances with environmental organizations, and provide
service projects, conservation programs, and academic programs. They also
publish a magazine called Target Earth: Serving the Earth, Serving the Poor.
Christians for Environmental Stewardship

Peter Illyn
P.O. Box 877
La Center, WA 98629
(360) 574-8230
illyn@aol.com
Christians for Environmental Stewardship is to committed to love, serve, and

protect all God's creation. Their members live out the Biblical mandate to
“speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Proverbs 31:8).
Christians for Environmental Stewardship conduct campus programs, outreach
programs, and speaker tours; they also attend Christian rock concerts to reach
Christian youth about environmental issues.
Au Sable Institute
Peter Bakken, Cal DeWitt
Au Sable Institute
Outreach Office
731 State Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 255-0950
outreach@ausable.org
www.ausable.org
Community
Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies focuses on Christian environ-
mental stewardship. They provide academic programs for colleges and
universities, environmental education programs for children, and information
services for churches and denominations. They are a source of many resources,
including: a creation awareness packet called Your Church as a Creation
Awareness Center, a curriculum called Let Them Praise: Developing an
Environmental Education Program that Honors the Creator (1998); books
entitled Evangelicals and the Environment: Theological Foundations for
Christian Environmental Stewardship (1993), Earth-Wise:A Biblical Response
to Environmental Issues (1994), Ecology, Justice and Christian Faith: A Critical
Guide to the Literature (1995); Caring for Creation: Responsible Stewardship
of God's Handiwork (1998), and Evocations of Grace: Writings on Ecology,
Theology, and Ethics (2000); and a video and study guide called Faithful
Earthkeeping: The Church As A Creation Awareness Center (1997).
As followers of Jesus Christ, committed to the full authority of the Scriptures, and aware of the ways we have
degraded creation, we believe that biblical faith is essential to the solution of our ecological problems…Thus we
call on all those who are committed to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to affirm the following principles of
Biblical faith, and to seek ways to living out these principles in our personal lives, our churches, and society.
An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation, Evangelical Environmental Network
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Hunger Education and Environmental Stewardship
8765 W. Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631-4190
(800) 638-3522 ext. 2708
www.elca.org
For resource information and ordering

ELCA Distribution Services
(800) 328-4648
Other Evangelical Lutheran Church contacts:
Lutheran Office for Government Affairs

www.logo.org/environ.html
Within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Division for Church in

Society, the Lutheran Earthkeeping Network of the Synods (LENS) was formed
in 1997, which has developed into the Environmental Stewardship and Hunger
Education network with activists around the country. This program provides
educational resources and technical assistance to congregations and organiza-
tions interested in earthkeeping and social justice. The Evangelical Lutheran
Community
Church of America (ELCA) has developed numerous social statements and
resources on the environment, including a study booklet called Caring for
Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice (1991), curriculum entitled Care for the
Earth: An Environmental Resource Manual for Church Leaders (1994), a
video and study guide called Faithful Earthkeeping: The Church as a Creation
Awareness Center (1997), and a churchyard habitat manual called Earthkeepng
Ministries: A New Vision for Congregations (1999). Evangelical Lutheran
Church of America also has resources on urban gardening and resource
efficiency for churches. The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs has a
website that contains environmental position papers and information on how
to start an advocacy group.
Lutherans are organized into synods, which are composed of congregations;
call regional synods and ask for people who care about eco-justice, environ-
mental stewardship, or earthkeeping issues. Lutheran clergy usually use the title
“pastor,” even though their official, written title is “reverend.”
Against the threat of desolation, God comes as Savior of the world. God loves the world, to the point of
experiencing the evil and death brought by sin. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, God does not
save us FROM the world, but saves us AND the world...Life in Christ gives us the vision and confidence to
follow our vocation on behalf of all creation...God does not just heal a creation wounded by human sin; God
perfects that creation. Although nature itself has not sinned or “fallen,” it looks forward to a final fulfillment.
Once again: creation hopes for liberation (Rom 8:18-25); “all things” are reconciled to God through the cross
(Col 1:15-20). To say that Christ died for forests and fish as well as for human beings is admittedly rather
surprising. The idea does not startle us so much when we remember our dependent and interdependent
relationships. We are fully human only with our environment. Since we are saved, there must be a sense in
which the environment is saved as well. Christian hope is not for human destiny only. The Creator of all
things is also the Redeemer of all things.
Basis for Our Caring, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (1993)
Mennonite
Mennonite Environmental Task Force

722 Main Street, P.O. Box 347
Newton, KS 67114
(316) 283-5100
www2.southwind.net/~gcmc/etf.html
Mennonite Central Committee

21 South 12th Street, P.O. Box 500
Akron, PA 17501
(717) 859-1151
www.mcc.org/programs/environment.html
In 1989, a Stewardship of the Earth Resolution on Environment and Faith

Issues was adopted by the Mennonite Church Assembly and the General
Community
Conference Mennonite Church Triennial Session. Shortly thereafter, the
Mennonite Environmental Task Force (ETF) was created. In addition, the
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), has existed since the 1920s and is the
relief, development and service arm of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ
churches in Canada and the U.S. Both the ETF and MCC have environmental
stewardship resources, including including a guide for simple living called In the
Spirit of Enough, Christianity and the Environment: A Collection of Writings,
and a video series with leader’s guide called Whole People, Whole Earth (1992).
Leaders within the church go by titles of “pastor,” “deacon,” or “elder.”
Therefore be it resolves that: In our individual, work, and family life we seek to become more caring about
our impact on the environment, and seek to educate ourselves and act upon our best knowledge of ways to
conserve the resources we use.
Stewardship for the Earth, Resolution on the Environment and Faith Issues, Joint Environmental Task Force of
the General Conference Mennonite Church (1989)
Orthodox Churches
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

8-10 East 79th Street
New York, NY 10021
212-570-3500
www.goarch.org
Orthodox Church in America

Education and Community Life Ministries
P.O. Box 675
Syosett, NY 11791
(516) 922-0550
www.oca.org
Other Orthodox contacts:
Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew I

Portion of the website dedicated to the environment:
www.patriarchate.org/ENVIRONMENT/environment.htm
Green Orthopraxy: Orthodox Christians Concerned with Creation

P.O. Box 7238
Cumberland, RI 02864
There are many different Orthodox churches, each of which is independent;

however, all acknowledge the honorary primacy of the Patriarch of
Constantinople. Two orthodox churches in the U.S. are the Greek Orthodox
Church and the Orthodox Church in America; there are several additional
Community
Orthodox churches in the U.S. (see www.theologic.com).
Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, has declared September 1
to be the Day of Protection of the Environment. He has established many
environmental programs and worship services for the environment. The
Orthodox Church in America has produced two environmental resources: a
study unit called The Earth is the Lord’s: Caring for God’s Creation, and the
Orthodoxy and Ecology Resource Book (1995). The Orthodox Church in
America is organized into regional synods, whose leaders are either archbishops
or bishops. The clerical offices in the Orthodox Church in America are bishop,
priest (or presbyter), and deacon.
We paternally urge on the one hand all the faithful in the world to admonish themselves and their children
to respect and protect the environment, and on the other hand all those who are entrusted with the
responsibility of governing the nations to act without delay taking all necessary measures for the
protection and preservation of the natural environment.
Message of His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios on the Day of the Protection of the
Environment (1989)
Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Bill Somplatsky-Jarman
100 Witherspoon Street, Room 3069
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 569-5809
(888) 728-7228
www.pcusa.org
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office

Douglas Grace
Associate for Domestic Issues (includes ecology and environment)
110 Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 2002
(202) 543-1126
Presbyterian Resource Services

(800) 524-2612
Other Presbyterian contacts:
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation

Bill Knox
P.O. Box 70170
Louisville, KY 40270
www.pcusa.org/prc
Community
Christian Environmental Studies Center
Montreat College
310 Gaither Circle
Montreat, NC 28757
(828) 669-8012
www.montreat.edu
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation, a network of people who work on

environmental issues (called Restoring Creation Enablers), was established in
1990. The Christian Environmental Studies Center of Montreat College, a
liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, provides support for
collaborative efforts between scientists and the Christian community, such as
conference activities, course and workshop development, curriculum develop-
ment, information services, and communications between organizations.
The Presbyterian Church has a large number of environmental resources,
including: the reports Keeping and Healing the Creation (1989) and Restoring
Creation For Ecology and Justice (1990); a two volume resource guide called
Healing and Defending God’s Creation: Hands On! Practical Ideas for
Congregations (1991, 1993); a special edition of the journal Church and
Society called For the Beauty of the Earth: Restoring Creation for Ecology and
Justice (1996); a curriculum called For God So Loves the World: Peacemaking
and the Care of God’s Creation (1997); and a video and curriculum on stew-
ardship practices entitled Cherishing God’s Creation (1998).
The national Presbyterian body is called the General Assembly Council.
Presbyterians are organized into synods, which usually cover several states and
are composed of several presbyteries; presbyteries are made up of congrega-
tions. Call the synod or presbytery offices and ask about people who are
interested in peacemaking, environmental justice, or eco-justice issues. Also,
ask about individuals who are active Restoring Creation Enablers. Presbyterian
clergy often use the title “reverend.”
The church’s concern for the environment goes beyond human self-interest and prudence because Christians
see the environment as God’s creation, to which we humans also belong. “God’s works in creation are too
wonderful, too ancient, too beautiful, too good to be desecrated,” the 202nd General Assembly (1990)
declared. But the creation already cries out from abuse. “Restoring creation is God’s own work in our time,
in which God comes both to judge and to restore...The Creator-Redeemer calls faithful people to become
engaged with God in keeping and healing the creation...The love of neighbor, particularly ‘the least’ of Christ’s
brothers and sisters, requires action to stop the poisoning, the erosion, the wastefulness that are causing
suffering and death.”
General Assembly Guidance on the Environment, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1990)
Community
Quakers (Society of Friends)
Friends Committee on Unity with Nature (FCUN)

Ruth Swennerfelt
179 N. Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 658-0308
fcun@fcun.org
www.fcun.org
Other Quaker contacts:
EarthLight: The Magazine of Spiritual Ecology

Unity with Nature Committee of the Pacific Yearly Meeting
Lauren de Boer, editor
111 Fairmount Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 451-4926
www.earthlight.org
The Friends Committee on Unity with Nature has published a number of

pamphlets and several resources: Becoming a Friend to the Creation: Earthcare
Leaven for Friends and Friends’ Meetings (1994); Caring for Creation:
Reflections on the Biblical Basis of Earthcare (1999); Walking Gently on the
Earth: An Earthcare Checklist (1992); Befriending Creation, a bimonthly
newsletter; and EarthLight: The Magazine of Spiritual Ecology. The Quaker
Eco-Witness project was formed in 2000 to promote U.S. government and
corporate policies that help to restore and protect Earth’s biological integrity.
Quakers are divided into yearly meetings, which generally are multistate
regional divisions. Within yearly meetings, Quaker congregations are known
as monthly meetings. Unprogrammed Quakers do not have ministers, but
each has a clerk of the monthly meetings, who is a good person to contact. In
addition, many monthly meetings have peace and social concerns committees,
and some have conservation contacts. Friends churches are programmed
meetings with ministers.
Our concern is . . .to live in harmony with biological and physical systems, and to work to create social
systems that can enable us to do that. It includes a sense of connectedness and an understanding of the
utter dependence of human society within the intricate web of life; a passion for environmental justice and
ecological ethics; an understanding of dynamic natural balances and processes; and a recognition of the
limits to growth due to finite resources. Our concern . . . recognizes our responsibility to future generations, to
care for Earth as our own home and the home of all that dwell herein. We seek a relationship between
human beings and the Earth that is mutually enhancing.
Ecological Sustainability as a Witness, Friends Committee on Unity with Nature (1998)
Community
Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in America

Rev. John Paarlberg
475 Riverside Drive, Room 122
New York, NY 10015
(212) 970-3020
(800) 722-9977
jpaarlberg@rca.org
www.rca.org
In response to a major report sent the General Synod, Care for the Earth:
Theology and Practice (1982), the Reformed Church in America passed resolu-
tions concerning agriculture, clean air, groundwater protection, and nuclear
waste in 1982. Resolutions concerning biodiversity, deforestation, and global
warming were passed in 1994. The Office of Social Witness has produced
study resources on genetic engineering, health and the environment, land use,
and climate change. Caring for creation coordinators, located in regional synods,
lead workshops, write articles for newsletters, establish natural habitat gardens
on church properties, visit elected officials, and conduct local field trips.
The Reformed Church national organization is the general synod. There are
eight regional synods, which are composed of congregations. Call the national
office and ask for names of people who are “caring for creation coordinators”
in the regional synod. Clergy for the church are deacons, elders, and pastors;
the latter go by the title “reverend.”
Caring for God’s creation is the origin human vocation. Humankind was placed in the garden “to till it and
keep it” (Gen.2:15). That we have been less than faithful in this calling is painfully apparent. The threat of climate
change, species extinction, destruction and degradation of habitat, and pollution of land, air, and water are
today not only local problems bur global threats of unprecedented proportions. In the twenty-first century
caring for and defending God’s creation has became an important part of the church’s witness.
Report of the Office of Social Witness, Minutes of the General Synod (2000), Reformed Church in America
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Association

25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 742-2100
www.uua.org
Other Unitarian contacts:
Seventh Principle Project

www.uuassp.org
Community
The Circle of Simplicity
www.simplicitycircles.com
The seventh principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) calls

for “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a
part.” The General Assembly of the UUA has produced a number of resolu-
tions concerning the earth. In 1991, The Seventh Principle Project started as a
forum for discussion on how to put this principle into practice at both the
organizational and individual level. In 2000, they launched the Green
Sanctuary program and handbook, which addresses: energy and environmental
audits of church buildings; procurement and recycling practices; partnerships
with environmental justice organizations; incorporation of environmental
curriculum into religious education; and ways to incorporate the environment
into worship services. The UUA Church has already created a number of social
justice and environmental resources, including the curriculum Caring for Our
Planet Earth (1990), Honoring Our Mother Earth: Experiences in Native
American Spirituality, and Roots of the Soul: Living Environmental Values.
Each congregation is affiliated with one of 23 districts, and the General
Assembly meets yearly. Each congregation operates and is governed independ-
ently. Clergy within the church are ministers who go by the title “reverend.”
Because the seven principles of the [Unitarian Universalist Association] connect the values of democracy,
personal growth, and social justice to a recognition of the interdependent web of all existence;. . .THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that the [UUA] urges its member congregations, affiliate organizations, and individual
Unitarian Universalists to increase their efforts to:
1. Protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats;
2. Advocate for clean air, both indoors and outdoors, and clean water;
3. Promote the protection of public lands and water resources, and the responsible stewardship of private
lands;
4. Support and practice energy and water conservation and the use of renewable sources of energy;
5. Use and advocate the use of public transportation and other environmentally sound alternatives;
6. Reduce the waste of resources in our homes, congregations, and communities by recycling, using
recycled products, and reducing consumption;
7. Educate ourselves and our congregations on the need for these efforts and how best to undertake
them; and
8. Increase government support for environmental protection and energy conservation programs.
General Resolution Adopted at the 1997 Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly
United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ (UCC)

700 Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 736-2100
www.ucc.org
Community
United Church of Christ
Justice and Peace Ministry
Rev. Adora Iris Lee
110 Maryland Ave. NE
(202) 543-1517
www.ucc.org/justice/index.shtml
Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility

www.center1.com/NEER/NEER1.html
For resources information and ordering:

(800) 325-7061
The United Church of Christ (UCC) addresses environmental issues through

its Justice and Peace Ministry and through the UCC Network for
Environmental and Economic Responsibility (NEER). Both have produced
environmental justice resources, including a curriculum entitled The Outdoors:
The Earth as Teacher, A Basic Resource Packet.
The United Church of Christ national organization is the general synod. Below the
general synod, the UCC is composed of conferences. Conferences are made up of
associations, and associations are composed of congregations. To find the nearest
UCC conference or association office, call a local UCC Church or the national UCC
office. To find environmental justice network members, call the UCC Washington,
DC office or contact NEER. Clergy in the UCC are often called “reverends.”
We seek to cultivate attitudes of sacred convenanting among peoples and between humanity and the non-
human creation. We call upon all members of the United Church of Christ to display courageous leadership
in: modeling ecologically responsible lifestyles; developing a communal spirituality able to connect persons
creatively to the one, good creation of God; and advocating for economic and technological change so that
our earth has a green and sustainable future of just peace for all.
Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility, United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church

Jaydee Hanson
Virginia Gill
(202) 488-5650
(800) 251-8140
www.umc.org
Portion of website pertaining to Ministry of God’s Creation:
www.umc-gbcs.org/mcg.htm
Community
The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) is one of four international
general program boards of The United Methodist Church. Within the GBCS are
five areas of ministry, including Ministry of God’s Creation. This very active office
has an environmental justice network and has produced a number of conservation
resources, including Faithful Witness: Environmental Justice, Hope for the Earth: A
Handbook for Christian Environmental Groups, 101 Ways to Help Save the Earth
with 52 Weeks of Congregational Activities, and a video series Love the Earth and
Be Healed. The Office of Environmental Justice has also made resolutions on energy
policy, genetic engineering, nuclear energy, and agriculture and rural policy.
Groups of local churches work together as a district and are supervised by a
clergy superintendent. These districts are part of an annual conference, the
basic unit of the denomination. The 68 UMC annual conferences roughly
(though not exactly) conform to U.S. states; clergy and lay people go to
meetings of the annual conferences. Bishops are the institutional leaders of the
United Methodist Church (formed into the Council of Bishops). Overall UMC
policy is made by the General Conference, which convenes every four years.
Call a local church and ask for the phone number of the local Bishop’s office
or for the phone number of the annual conference office that covers your area.
Ask the Bishop’s or annual conference office for names of local eco-justice
activists or GBCS members. Methodist clergy often use the title “reverend.”
All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil,
minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are
God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. Therefore, we repent of our devasta-
tion of the physical and nonhuman world. Further, we recognize the responsibility of the Church toward
lifestyle and systemic changes in society that will promote a more ecologically just world and a better quality
of life for all creation.
United Methodist Church Social Principle, The Natural World
2. Jewish Organizations
Coalition on Environment and Jewish Life

Mark X. Jacobs
433 Park Avenue South, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016-7322
(212) 684-6950 x.210
coejl@aol.com
www.coejl.org
Other Jewish environmental organizations:
Jewish League of Environmental Awareness

Jeff Auerbach
3875 Telegraph Road, Suite A115
Ventura, CA 93003
(805) 647-7660
Community
Teva Learning Center
307 Seventh Avenue, Suite 900
New York, NY 10001
(212) 807-6376
teva@tevacenter.org
www.tevacenter.org
Washington Area Shomrei Adamah (Guardians of the Earth)

706 Erie Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) was established
in 1993 to enact a distinctively Jewish programmatic and policy response to the
environmental crisis. A coalition of 29 national Jewish organizations, with
members from all branches of Judaism, COEJL is housed by and maintains a
close partnership with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), a consen-
sus building organization for 13 national Jewish organizations and 125 local
Jewish community relations councils. Coalition on the Environment and Jewish
Life is a member of National Religious Partnership for the Environment. In
addition to policy development and advocacy, COEJL sponsors regional affili-
ates in communities across North America, publishes a wide array of program
materials on Judaism and the environment, and organizes an annual
Leadership Training Institute. COEJL has worked on the issues of environmen-
tal health and justice, global warming and energy policy, sustainable develop-
ment, genetic engineering, biological diversity, and forest protection.
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life has produced a number
of resources specific to biodiversity, including several curricula: To Till and to
Tend: A Guide to Jewish Environmental Study and Action (1994); Operation
Noah: Texts and Commentaries on Biological Diversity: A Study Guide;
Operation Noah: A Jewish Program and Action Guide to Defending God’s
Endangered Creatures and Habitats; Biodiversity, Parshat Noah, and a Jewish
Environmental Ethic: A Creative Arts Curriculum; a beautiful Operation Noah
poster; and a Guide to Speakers on Judaism and Ecology (1999).
For Jews, the environmental crisis is a religious challenge. As heirs to a tradition of stewardship that goes
back to Genesis and that teaches us to be partners in the ongoing work of Creation, we cannot accept the
escalating destruction of our environment and its effect on human health and livelihood. Where we are
despoiling our air, land, and water, it is our sacred duty as Jews to acknowledge our God-given responsibility
and take action to alleviate environmental degradation and the pain and suffering that it causes. We must
reaffirm and bequeath the tradition we have inherited which calls upon us to safeguard humanity’s home.
The Founding Statement of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (1992)
A member of COEJL, the Jewish League for Environmental Awareness offers

educational speakers and Jewish environmental rituals; they have also been
instrumental in habitat protection projects. The Teva Learning Center is a
national Jewish environmental education organization that serves rabbis, educa-
Community
tors, students, environmentalists, and youth. Their program for sixth graders,
Shomrei Adamah (which is Hebrew for Guardians of the Earth), focuses on
energy flow, cycles, biodiversity and interdependence; students explore the Jewish
concepts of Bal Tashchit (the biblical injunction against wasteful behavior) and
Tikkun Olam (healing the world) in relation to current environmental issues.
Teva Learning Center also offers resources such as authentic traditional sources
and rituals, a curricula entitled Let the Earth Teach You Torah, a compilation
of essays called Ecology and the Jewish Spirit (1998), and wilderness experiences.
A handbook for “green synagogues” called The Green Shalom Guide: A How-to
Manual for Greening Local Jewish Synagogues, Schools, and Offices (1995) is
available from the Washington Area Shomrei Adamah.
To make contact with the local Jewish community, see www.coejl.org or call
the COEJL office to see if there is a local contact. If there is not a local contact,
either contact the national COEJL office to help you or contact the local
“Jewish community relations council;” the latter is an umbrella body for
Jewish involvement in public affairs. If there is not one listed, try the “Jewish
Federation.” It is often best for a national Jewish office to contact an uninvolved
local community before a local environmental activist makes a contact. Jewish
clergy use the title of “rabbi.” Don’t assume, however, that the leader of a
Jewish organization is a rabbi.
Our religious heritage calls on us to serve as protectors and defenders of God’s magnificent creations. In a
brief moment in the life of our planet, we have destroyed all but a remnant of the ancient forests. It is our duty
—as people of faith, and citizens of our nation, our world, and our biosphere—to safeguard and weave
together this patchwork of remnants as best we can as our legacy for generations to come…COEJL believes
that public lands should be managed to preserve and restore biological diversity, and that government should
not subsidize logging, mining, or grazing on public lands. Furthermore, we believe such activities should be
immediately suspended in all old-growth forests and other threatened habitats on public lands.
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life’s Position on Protecting Forests (2000)
3. Ecumenical, Interfaith, and Interreligious Organizations and Coalitions
Earth Ministry
Rev. Jim Mulligan
Rev. Nancy Wright
1305 NE 47th Street
Seattle, WA 98105
(208) 632-2426
emoffice@earthministry.org
www.earthministry.org
Founded in 1992, Earth Ministry is a Christian, ecumenical, environmental

non-profit organization. Their programs and resources include: Earth Letter
newsletter; curricula on voluntary simplicity entitled Simpler
Living/Compassionate Life; curricula on Food, Faith, and Sustainability:
Community
Environmental, Spiritual, and Social Justice Implications of the Gift of Daily
Bread; a study guide on Ecological Healing: A Christian Vision; a list of
Recommended Curricular Aids and Church Resources; and the Handbook for
Creation Awareness and Care in Your Congregation.
The Earth is less National Council of the Churches of Christ

beautiful and praise of Eco-Justice Working Group
God diminishes, when Rev. Richard Kilmer
a species becomes 475 Riverside Drive, Room 812
extinct. New York, New York 10115
(212) 870-2385
From God’s Earth, Our
www.ncccusa.org or www.webofcreation/NCC/workgrp.html
Home, “Protecting the
Diversity of Life,”
National Council of For ordering resources:
the Churches of Christ
Environmental Justice Resources
National Council of the Churches of Christ
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515
(800) 762-0968
The Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches

(NCC) was created in 1983 to provide an opportunity for member Protestant
and Orthodox denominations to work together to protect and restore God’s
creation. The National Council of Churches is the nation’s leading organization
in Christian unity, serving 35 denominations. The Eco-justice Working Group
is a national leader in providing program ideas and resources to help congrega-
tions as they engage in environmental justice and environmental stewardship.
Resources and programs offered by the Eco-Justice Working group include:
worship materials for Earth Day, God’s Earth, Our Home: A Resource for
Congregational Study and Action on Environmental and Economic Justice, a
Climate Change Information and Strategy Packet, a study guide called It’s
God’s World: Christians, Care for Creation and Global Warming, the Energy
Stewardship Congregations Program, and the Environmental Justice Covenant
Congregation Program.
National Religious Partnership for the Environment

Paul Gorman
1047 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10025
(212) 316-7441
(800) 206-8858
nrpe@aol.com
www.nrpe.org
Community
The National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE) is a federa- Moral precepts which
tion of major American faith communities: the U.S. Catholic Conference, the could be drawn upon
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, the National Council of the in all environmental
Churches of Christ, and the Evangelical Environmental Network. The National messages:
Religious Partnership for the Environment was formed in 1993 in response to
• The sanctity of
“Open Letter to the American Religious Community,” a letter written by 32
creation.
Nobel Laureates and other scientists urging the faith community to take up
• The intrinsic value
environmental causes. Their mission is to “seek to weave the mission of care for of all species and
God’s creation across all areas of organized religion, and to do so in such a way habitats.
as to contribute scope of vision, moral perspective, breadth of constituency, and • The ethical duty
endurance of struggle for all efforts to protect the natural world and human of stewardship.
well-being within it.”20 They are instrumental in providing resources, trainings, • The inseparability
and support to hundreds of thousands of congregations, and have documented of social justice and
over 2,000 congregations who have engaged in environmental initiatives. environmental
sustainability.
North American Coalition for Christianity and Ecology • The responsibilities
Earthkeeping News of private property
Elizabeth Dyson as measured with
the greater good of
P.O. Box 40011
the common.
Saint Paul, MN 55104
(615) 698-0349 From National
eudyson@worldnet.att.net Religious Partnership
www.nacce.org for the Environment
website,
North American Coalition for Christianity and Ecology www.nrpe.org
Earthkeeping Circles Project
Rev. Finley Schaef
87 Stoll Rd.
Saugerties, NY 12477
(914) 246-0181
schaef@ulster.net
Begun in 1986, the North American Coalition for Christianity and Ecology
(NACCE) is an interdenominational, ecumenical effort to raise the activity
level of the Christian ecology movement. They host conferences and produce
a newsletter called Earthkeeping News. NACCE’s mission statement is to:
address effectively the greatest moral issue of our time—the continuing
destruction of Earth; teach reverence for God’s creation, with the understanding
that humans are not separate from the natural world; bring Christians into a
loving relationship with the Earth, facilitating the formation of regional earth-
keeping ministries; and promote church partnerships with other organizations
concerned with ecology and social justice. The Earthkeeping Circle Project is a
program of NACCE for churches to advance ecological sensitivity through
study and action, consisting of four areas—the Bible, the bioregion, lifestyle,
and local environmental actions.
Community
The purpose of the North American Coalition on Religion and Ecology
North American Donald Conroy
Conference on 5 Thomas Circle, NW
Christianity and Washington, DC 20005
Ecology is to: (202) 462-2591
www.caringforcreation.net
• Articulate the eco-
logical dimension
present in Chartered a decade ago, the North American Coalition on Religion and
Christianity; Ecology (NACRE), and its global operating name, the International
• Assist every church Consortium on Religion and Ecology, was established in Washington, DC, as
to become a witness an ecumenical and interfaith non-profit organization. The mission is to educate
to Christian ecologi- and engage the interfaith community on environmental issues. It does this
cal understanding through three programs: Care for Creation, a five step process of discovery,
and action; exploration, celebration, empowerment, and action projects; the Solar
• Help every Christian Stewardship Initiative, a program designed to encourage energy efficiency,
to become an renewable energy, climate change education; and the Earth Day 2000
ecologist; Campaign and related activities.
• Work with people of
all faith traditions to
Web of Creation
develop a global
1100 East 5th Street
ethic as a basis for a
just and sustainable Chicago, IL 60615
society on earth. www.webofcreation.org
Web of Creation is a web page maintained by the Lutheran School of

Theology at Chicago and is sponsored and endorsed by the Eco-Justice
Working Group of the National Council of Churches, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and Theological Education
to Meet the Environmental Challenge. This comprehensive website is an excel-
lent resource, with information on ecology and religion for worship, religious
education, congregational lifestyle, personal lifestyle, and public ministry and
advocacy.
Community
C H A P T E R F I V E
V. Theological and Historical Roots
A. Conservation Within the Jewish Community
1. The Biblical Period Among All

Among its many facets, the Bible is the story of people who cared about and Growing Things
knew intimately the land around them. That knowledge is richly, even lavishly,
reflected in the language of the prophets and psalmists, in the poetry of the Song Grant me the ability to
of Songs and Job. Indeed, the extravagant use of natural metaphor suggests that be alone;
a vocabulary drawn from the world of nature was accessible to all. May it be my custom
Today, when we encounter God as a nesher, a griffin vulture (as we do in to go outdoors
Deuteronomy 32:11), we must pause to examine just what is intended by the each day
term. But we may surmise that then, when people first encountered that way of
depicting God, they knew that the reference was to God as a fiercely protective Among the trees
parent, one who carries its young on its back to help them learn how to fly. and grasses,
Similarly, when Isaiah compares Israel to a terebinth oak in the fall (6:11-13), his Among all growing
listeners could appreciate immediately the two-edged nature of his metaphor. The things,
terebinth is most glorious just before all its leaves drop—but it is also among the
hardiest of trees, even sprouting again from a cut-off stump. And there may I
But nature was more than a metaphor. In the biblical period, the Israelites be alone,
understood their relationship to the world around them—for they knew God as And enter into prayer
Sovereign of the Land, and, through such institutions as the Sabbatical year and To talk with the one
the Jubilee (Leviticus 25), they acknowledged God’s ownership. It followed that That I belong to.
they had to treat the land well—not only to give it rest, but to respect and plant
trees, keep water sources clean, create parks near urban areas, regulate sewage dis- Rabbi Nachman
posal, avoid causing pain to animals. And they understood intuitively as well the of Bratzla 34
connection between their responsibility to care for the environment and justice.
Since the land was God’s, not only should it be protected, but its rich produce
should be shared with the poorest of God’s children (Leviticus 19).
We speak, then, of a time when people were possessed of an ideal vision of
harmony, of shlemut, wholeness and peace. No, it was not an idyllic time, for
they could not fully translate their vision into reality. No Eden, not any longer:
the promised abundance had to be teased and more often wrested from the Earth
by the sweat of the brow, and the seasons had a way of being fickle, not bestow-
ing their appointed blessings. Hence work, hence prayer, hence, too, Shabbat, a
time to rest from work, a time to remind themselves of God’s endless beneficence,
a time to dream of a time yet to come, when the world will be entirely Shabbat.
And in that final and endless time, the wolf will lie down with the lamb, and
humankind will be at peace with all of nature (see, e.g., Isaiah 65:21-25; Joel
2:21-24.). In short, our ancient ancestors knew the wonderful reciprocity of
Creation: Creation’s sheer magnificence turns the heart towards its Creator (see,
e.g., Isaiah 40), and the heart that has turned to God opens, inevitably, towards
Creation, towards the awesome integrity of the natural universe that is God’s gift.
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 67 Chapter V:
Theological & Historical Roots
2. The Era of the Mishnah and the Talmud
During the period when the Mishnah and Talmud were developed (from the
third century BCE to around 600 CE), although many Jews became dwellers in
cities, our urbanization was far from complete. Farming, perhaps because a
large percentage of Mishnaic sages were farmers, was considered the normative
way of life. We read, for example, in Avot d’Rabbi Nathan (30:6) that “one
who purchases grain in the market is like an infant whose mother is dry [and
so needs to be taken to a wet nurse], while one who eats from what one has
grown is like an infant raised at its mother’s breast.” The mystics of this period
wrote hekhalot hymns, which visionary poets recited during their attempts to
ascend through the “heavenly palaces.” These hymns evoked the majesty of
God by reference to the wonders of the Earth, as did the prayers of the early
paytanim (such as Yose ben Yose). Even into the late Talmudic era of the fifth
and sixth centuries, our sages remained knowledgeable about the natural envi-
ronment, and they wrote with great concern about it.
One testament to their concern is the panoply of blessings they developed.
Through these, the experience of the natural world, as well as interactions
between people and nature, became sanctified. Not only the tasting of foods,
but the fragrance of blossoms, the sight of mountains, the sound of thunder
were to be blessed. Such blessings showed that God was author of the wonders
of nature. And as to the work of human hands, such as the baking of bread,
the rabbis understood that even such work was bound up in a sacred partner-
ship of God and humanity, as given form in the bowels of nature. Most of all,
the myriad blessings reflected and reminded those who recited them of the
foundational belief: God owns everything in the world; we are but tenants in
the garden, meant to till and to tend, to serve and to guard.
But perhaps the most compelling gift of these sages is that they made their
concerns concrete, translated ethical principles into codes of action. While
Genesis Rabbah and Leviticus Rabbah, written at roughly the same time,
express general concerns about the preservation of species and the sacredness
of planting trees, the Mishnah and Gemarra set definite limits on the use of any
one species and regulate in detail the planting of trees in urban areas. The
Talmudic sages translated the general principle of Bal Tashchit (Do not waste
or destroy) into a series of specific prohibitions against wasteful actions.
Similarly, they developed extensive regulations on the disposal of hazardous
waste, and they curtailed industries that might cause air pollution (see, e.g.
Bava Batra, 25a.). Nor did they consider these matters to be secondary or
delegate these concerns to others; the heads of the Bet Din themselves were to
inspect wells (Tosefta Shekalim 1:2). Only through concrete acts such as these
could the vision of the age of redemption become a reality.
3. Medieval and Renaissance Times

The urbanization of Jews continued throughout the Middle Ages. In some
cases, their land was seized, or they were forbidden to own land, or they were
in other ways forced off the land; in others, economic pressures, ranging from
prohibitive taxes to business restrictions, as well as shifting economic opportu-
Chapter V: 68 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
nities, led Jews toward the cities. But not all Jews became urban. In Europe, How wonderful,
through the 1400s, many Jews cultivated vineyards. In the Islamic world, Jews O Lord, are the works
played a vital role in agricultural life, first throughout the region, then, as they of your hands!
were displaced from the land, along its periphery. The heavens declare
From the beginning of this period, a number of important Jewish texts with Your glory,
environmental sensitivities, such as the late collections of Midrash, Ecclesiastes
Rabbah, Midrash Tankhuma, and Midrash Tehillim, were composed. Joseph The arch of the sky
Kimkhi, in his commentary on Genesis, wrote that the “us” in God’s “Let us displays Your handi-
make humans” refers to God working together with nature and the Earth. work.
And the expansion of Jewish mysticism and poetry created an abundance of In Your love You have
works concerned with the environment. given us the power
This concern was both practical and theological. Maimonides as a physician
saw the ill effects environmental degradation could have on the health, and he To behold the beauty
proposed regulations to counter them (see, e.g. his Treatise on Asthma). Joseph of Your world
Caro wrote about the responsibility of communities to plant trees (Tur, Hoshen Robed in all its
Mishpat #175), while various responsa of Rabbi Yitzhak ben Sheshet (Ribash), splendor.
of the early 14th century, deal with urban pollution issues, including noise pol-
lution, and their effects on urban dwellers (see, e.g. Responsa, 196). The sun and the stars,
But many of the sages of this period also viewed the beauty of the created the valleys and the
world in a broader sense, as a path towards the love and contemplation of hills,
God. For example, the Jewish philosopher, Bakhya ibn Pekuda, wrote that Jews The rivers and lakes,
should engage in “meditation upon creation” in order to sense God’s majesty all disclose Your
(Duties of the Heart, 137). The vast number of Kabbalistic works developed presence.
during this time took contemplation of nature a step further, for, according to
the Zohar, nature itself is a garment of the Shekhina. Perek Shira, a mystical The roaring breakers
of the sea tell of Your
poem from circa 900, has verses from all types of creatures singing God’s
awesome might,
praise. Abraham Abulafia began a tradition of Jewish mysticism that included
outdoor meditation. And the mystics of Safed developed intricate Tu B’shvat The beasts of the field
(New Year of the Tree) Seders, to celebrate the presence of God in nature. and the birds of the air
The particularly intense concern for and involvement with nature we find
Bespeak Your
among the mystics might suggest that nature was somehow outside mainstream
wondrous will.
concerns. That was not the case. On the contrary, we find an abiding involve-
ment with and appreciation of nature among some of the most mainstream In Your goodness You
rabbis and poets. Some of the greatest Sephardic sages, for example, were also have made us able to
talented nature poets. So, Moses ibn Ezra, in his poem The Rose, wrote, “The hear
garden put on a coat of many colors, and its grass garments were like the robes
The music of the
of a brocade . . . at their head advanced the rose; he came out from among the
world. The voice of
guard of leaves and cast aside his prison-clothes.” loved ones
Judah Ha-Levi, perhaps the greatest poet of his age, in “A Letter to his
Friend Isaac,” wrote, “And now the Spring is here with yearning eyes; midst Reveal to us that You
shimmering golden flowerbeds, on meadows carpeted with varied hues, in are in our midst.
richest raiment clad she treads. She weaves a tapestry of blooms over all.”
A divine voice sings
Nahum, a 13th century Sephardi paytan, wrote, “Winter is gone, gone is my through all creation.
sorrow. The fruit tree is in flower, and my heart flowers with joy. O hunted
gazelle, [a reference to the Shekhina] who escaped far from my hut, come Jewish Prayer 35
back. Trees of delight sway among the shadows.”
And Abraham ibn Ezra, one of the great Torah commentators, wrote in his
poem, God Everywhere, “Wherever I turn my eyes, around on Earth or to the
heavens/I see you in the field of stars I see You in the yield of the land/in every
breath and sound, a blade of grass, a simple flower, an echo of Your holy Name.”
All these poets saw nature as beautiful and worthy in and of itself—and also
as a path toward the most beautiful and worthy of all, God. Another lasting
contribution to an environmental ethic by these medieval sages is in the
elaboration of the Mishnaic principle of “moderation.” They elucidated a
principle of moderation opposed to both a hedonism that requires ever-increasing
consumption in futile attempts to satisfy ever-expanding appetites, and to an
asceticism that devalues the natural world, for, as Judah Ha-Levi wrote, “the
holy law imposes no asceticism, but demands rather that we grant each physi-
cal faculty . . . its due” (Kuzari, 2:5). Of all the medieval sages, Maimonides
was the foremost exponent of moderation, writing that “good deeds are ones
that are equibalanced between too much and too little” (Eight Chapters, 54),
and that “the right way is the mean in each group of dispositions common to
humanity. One should only desire that which the body needs and cannot do
without. One should eat only when hungry and not gorge oneself, but leave
the table before the appetite is fully satisfied. . . This is the way of the wise”
(Hilchot Deot, 1). Nor was Maimonides the only sage promoting the “golden
mean.” Ibn Gabirol wrote, “abandon both extremes and set about the right
mean” (Ethics, 145).
4. From the Rise of Modernity to Today

On the eve of the modern period came the rise of Hasidism. In villages
throughout Eastern Europe, beginning in the 18th century and continuing
through the 19th, the rebbes of this movement spoke, often ecstatically, about
the importance of a close relationship with the natural environment. The Baal
Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, said that a man should consider himself as
a worm, and all other small animals as his companions in the world, for all of
them are created (Tzava’at ha-Rivash). Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the founder of
the Chabad branch of Hasidism, taught that God is in all nature, a view he
based on the fact that, in gematria (the numerical equivalents of Hebrew letters),
the name of God—Elohim—is equivalent to ha-teva, nature. Rabbi Zev Wolf
taught that the wonders of the soil and of growing are to be contemplated
before blessing food; the Medibozer Rebbe said that “God placed sparks of
holiness within everything in nature” (Butzina DeNehorah, 22); Rabbi
Nachman of Bratzlav, the great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov and the Hasidic
rebbe most closely attuned to nature, wrote that if we quest for God, we can
find God revealed in all of creation (Likkute Mohoran, II, #12). Nachman
prescribed to his followers daily prayer in fields, teaching that their prayers
would be strengthened by those of every blade of grass (Sichot Ha-Ran, 227).
With the dawn of the 19th century, a radical transformation of the Jewish
circumstance commenced. It is doubtful whether, short of wartime, so much
change in social circumstance was ever compressed in so short a period as the
change Jews experienced in the 19th century. At the dawn of the century,
Europe was home to 1.5 million of the world’s then 2.5 million Jews. In the Marvel at Life!
course of that century, Europe was utterly transformed, and Jews along with it.
Strive to know its
Old social, political, and economic structures crumbled; new possibilities
ways!
emerged, enticed. Educational and economic opportunities, new places and
new ideologies, beckoned. And people moved: In 1813, there were some 8,000 Seek Wisdom and
Jews in Warsaw; by 1900, there were 219,128. In 1789, there were 114 Jews in Truth,
Budapest; by 1900, there were 166,198; in 1816, there were 3,373 Jews in
The gateways to Life’s
Berlin; by 1900, there were 92,206.
mysteries!
But even during this explosive time, significant rural populations remained.
Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, over 14 percent of Galician Jews Wondrous indeed
were still engaged in agriculture. Many Jews emigrating to both North and Is the evening twilight.
South America farmed during their first generation in the New World. And,
perhaps more significantly, this period saw the rise of the first movements Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro 36
within Judaism advocating a return to the land, a reconnection with nature.

In Europe, the Haskalah, the “enlightenment,” encouraged the establishment
of thousands of farms during the 19th century in central and southern Russia.
The Haskalah sought to reinvigorate the Jewish spirit—and many of its writers
believed that there was no better way to do so than through renewed contact
with nature. Several of Chaim Nachman Bialik’s poems reflect this contact,
such as his At Twilight, “They [our fantasies] will soar to the heights rustling
like doves, and sail along into the distance and vanish. There, upon the purple
mountain ridges, the roseate islands of splendor, they will silently flutter to
rest.” But it was in the Zionist movement, particularly in elements of the
kibbutz movement, that the return to nature found its strongest supporters.
A.D. Gordon, the best-known of such advocates, wrote: “And when you, O
human, will return to Nature, that day your eyes will open, you will stare
straight into the eyes of Nature and in its mirror you will see your image. You
will know...that when you hid from Nature, you hid from yourself...We who
have been turned away from Nature—if we desire life, we must establish a
new relationship with Nature” (Mivhar Ketavim, 57-58).
For his part, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook saw the return to nature as part of
the sacred task of the Jew in Israel, necessary to create “strong and holy flesh”
(Orot, 171). Some of the Zionist poets directly tied their love of nature to the
return to the Land; here, religion per se was abandoned, but the secularized
product was infused with spirituality. So Rachel Blustein wrote, in one of her
most famous poems, “Land of mine, I have never sung to you nor glorified
your name with heroic deeds/or the spoils of battle/all I have done is plant a
tree/on the silent shores of the Jordan.” Others, such as Leah Goldberg, in her
Songs of the River, wrote of the beauty of nature in and of itself, apart from
any Zionist aspirations: “My brother the river, eternally wandering Renewed
day by day, and changing, and one My brother the flow, between your banks
Which flows like myself between spring and fall.”
There was an ideological point to such expression, for the early Zionist
pioneers were taken (not to say obsessed) with the idea that the health of the
Jewish people depended on their reconnection with nature, from which they
had been so radically cut off in Europe. From A.D. Gordon’s Religion of Labor,
The earth of his desire to “strike our roots deep into its [the land’s] life-giving substance,
humankind contains and stretch out our branches into sustaining and creating air and sunlight,” up
all moistness, until the extraordinary passion of contemporary Israelis to know the contours
all verdancy, of their land, endlessly hiking through it and learning its ways, we may discern
the echoes of an ancient tradition.
all germinating power.
B. Conservation Within the Christian Community
It is in so many ways
fruitful. As noted elsewhere, Christianity is not a newcomer to recognizing the impor-
All creation comes tance of conservation. There is significant historical and Biblical support for
from it. today’s Christian involvement in caring for God’s creation. The following,
which is based on “The Greening of Religion” by Roderick Nash (professor of
Yet it forms not only history, University of California at Santa Barbara), mentions just a few people
the basic raw material and concepts within Christian conservation history. For more information
for humankind, about the Christian conservation movement, consult articles and books such as:
but also the substance Roderick Nash, “The Greening of Religion,” in This Sacred Earth (Roger
of the incarnation of Gottlieb, ed. 1996); Roderick Nash, The Rights of Nature: A History of
God’s son. Environmental Ethics (1989); Susan Power Bratton, Christianity, Wilderness,
and Wildlife: The Original Desert Solitaire (1993); Sean McDonagh, The
Hildegard of Bingen 40 Greening of the Church (1990); Loren Wilkinson, ed., Earthkeeping in the
‘90s: Stewardship of Creation (1991); Robert Booth Fowler, The Greening of
Protestant Thought (1995).
Praise be to Thee, my 1. Biblical and Theological Bases

Lord, for Brother Wind, Historically, Christianity has approached conservation from a variety of per-
spectives, two of which are beliefs in stewardship responsibility and the
And for the air and the capacity for all things to be recipients of God’s grace. The stewardship concept
cloud of fair and all is based on the understanding that all of creation belongs to God, and human
weather beings have been given the responsibility to care for God’s world. A Scripture
Through which Thou passage often mentioned as a commandment to be good stewards is Genesis
givest sustenance to 2:15, where God placed “man” in the Garden of Eden “to till it and keep it.”
Thy creatures. St. Benedictine’s writings from the 6th century reflect the stewardship responsi-
bility, as do later writings by John Ray and Alexander Pope in the 17th century,
St. Francis of Assisi 41 and Henry David Thoreau and John Muir in the mid and late 1800s. In 1939,
Walter Lowdermilk, Assistant Chief of the Soil Conservation Service, proposed
a new, Eleventh Commandment, which begins, “Thou shalt inherit the holy
earth as a faithful steward, conserving its resources and productivity from
generation to generation.”
The belief that we are all “brothers and sisters in the family of God”37 can be
traced, in part, to St. Francis of Assisi in the 1100s. In the mid 20th century,
Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary professor Joseph Sittler set forth his
premise that “all things,” not just humans, are potential recipients of God’s
saving grace. This concept is reflected in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America’s Basis for Our Caring statement: “Since we are saved, there must be a
sense in which the environment is saved as well. Christian hope is not for
human destiny only. The Creator of all things is also the Redeemer of all
things.” In 1963-1964, the Faith-Man-Nature Group formed within the Therefore it is in the
National Council of Churches; this group advocated stewardship, but some nature of things,
of its members also noted a sense of “the intrinsic worth of every part of the considered in itself,
environment”38(“in the eyes of God nature has its own value, its own rights without regard to
for life and fulfillment”).39 our convenience or
inconvenience, that
gives glory to the
2. Church Activities
Creator…And so all
At both the national and congregational levels, for many years some U.S.
nature’s substances
Christian churches have been involved in activities that recognize the impor- are good, because
tance of conservation. For example, for decades or even longer, a few denomi- they exist and there-
nations have observed Rural Life Sundays and Soil Stewardship Sundays, fore have their own
which focus on our connection with the environment associated with agricul- mode and kind of
ture. As Roderick Nash notes: being, and in their
The dramatic exposure given soil erosion problems by the great dust fashion, a peace and
storms that plagued the Middle West in the 1930s supported these harmony among
tentative beginnings. In the 1940s, the National Catholic Rural Life themselves.
Commission, based in Des Moines, Iowa, endeavored to bring the
force of religion behind the careful use of land. In the 1950s the St Augustine 42
National Council of Churches launched a program called “A
Christian Ministry in the National Parks,” which emphasized
human appreciation of the beauty of God’s world.43
In the early 1970s, there were important Christian components to the forma-
tion of today’s environmental movement. Richard Baer expressed hope that
religious institutions could “draw into the conservation battle thousands, even
millions, of committed churchmen.”44 In 1963-1964, the Faith-Man-Nature
Group formed within the National Council of Churches of Christ. This group
convened at least annually and published a number of documents, until it
disbanded in 1974. Christian Century devoted its entire October 7, 1970,
edition to “The Environmental Crisis.” Religious thinkers like Richard Baer,
Paul Santmire, and John Cobb set forth ethical rationale. For example,
Santmire wrote that “[n]ature and civilization are fellow citizens of the
Kingdom of God;” and Cobb said, “man will in fact care for the subhuman
world sufficiently to heal it and to adjust himself to its needs only if he views it
as having some claim upon him, some intrinsic right to exist and prosper.”45
Also in the early 1970s, there were a number of conferences and publications by
the religious community about environmental problems and ethics. This inter-
est in the environmental movement by religious groups has continued in the
1980s, 1990s, and the new millennium.
New faith-based environmental groups formed in the 1970s, 1980s, and
1990s: e.g., Berkeley-based Ministry of Ecology operated from 1973-1981; the
National Council of Churches of Christ Eco-Justice Working Group began in
1983; the Eleventh Commandment Fellowship started in 1984; North
American Coalition for Christianity and Ecology held its first conference in
1987; Presbyterians for Restoring Creation began in 1990; and several denomi-
nations created eco-justice or environmental stewardship networks. In addition,
Pope John Paul II’s 1990 World Day of Peace message was the first papal
Adam was put in the document devoted to environmental problems, and the U.S. Catholic
garden ‘to work and Conference’s Environmental Justice Program began in 1993.46 And organized
protect it.’ The two evangelical support for the environment emerged. For instance, both the
jobs are complemen- Evangelical Environmental Network and Christian Environmental Council
tary, but they are also formed in the 1990s, and the Au Sable Institute, with its academic emphasis on
contradictory. From
both environmental science and Christian faith, has played a major role in
what are we to protect
legitimizing ecological Christianity within the evangelical community.47
Eden, if not from our
own works? The more
we work the earth – 3. Larger Concerns about Justice and Ethical Obligations Must Include Nature
by which I mean not In the final pages of “The Greening of Religion,” Roderick Nash points out the
only tilling but the connection between religious groups’ work for justice and conservation:
whole spectrum of In the 1960s American churches became concerned with the rele-
human meddling, from vance of their message for social problems. Civil rights, the war in
setting grass fires to Vietnam, poverty, and women’s liberation claimed a major share of
splitting the atom – the clerical attention. The concern of religion for the rights of non-
more we are obliged human life and the earth in the 1970s and 1980s continued and
to protect it. If we fail extended this pattern. The reinterpretation of the Christian tradition
to do either, we fail to
and a simultaneous renaissance of interest in Asian and Native
be fully human.
faiths acquainted many Americans with environmental ethics.
Evan Eisenberg 49 Theologians and clergy became primary architects of the new idea
that human ethical obligations must include nature.48
C H A P T E R S I X
VI. Hebrew and Christian Scripture Quotes
The Bible contains rich description of God’s relationship with and care for the
natural world. The following are just a few quotations that illustrate this.
(Note: Be aware that Bible translations are sometimes controversial, marking
not only demarcations between denominations, but igniting conflicts within
those denominations. Before you use any quotes for a congregational meeting,
determine which translation it uses and use quotes from that translation,
though also be aware that many denominations use a variety of translations.)
A. God Created the Earth, and Creation Belongs to God
And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let
birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens.” So God created
the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the
waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its
kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:20-21 (Revised Standard
Version)
The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell
therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the
waters. Psalm 24:1-2 (New King James Version)
O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all;
the earth is full of thy creatures. Psalm 104:24 (Revised Standard Version)
Thou dost cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to
cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the
heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon which he
planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir
trees. Psalm 104:14-17 (Revised Standard Version)
I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I
will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the
oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree
together, That they may see and know, And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Isaiah 41:18-20 (New King James Version)
Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous
things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are
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Scripture Quotes
springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and vine yield their
strength. Joel 2:21-22 (New King James Version)
All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the
trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 (Revised Standard
Version)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through
him, and without him nothing was made that was made. John 1:1-3 (New
King James Version)
B. God’s Power Is Seen in Nature
The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven
and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by
human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all
mortals life and breath and all things. Acts 17:24-25 (New Revised Standard
Version)
Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build
for Me? Says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not
made all these things? Acts 7:49-50 (New King James Version)
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown
it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine
nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the
things he has made. Romans 1:19-20 (New Revised Standard Version)
C. God Has a Special Relationship with All of Creation, and All of

Creation Is Called to Worship and Serve
Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yea, the world is established, it shall
never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be
glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field
exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
before the Lord. Psalm 96:10-12 (Revised Standard Version)
Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the
nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, let the field
exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before
the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is
good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 1 Chronicles 16:31-34 (Revised
Standard Version)
Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were
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Hebrew & Christian
Scripture Quotes
created. He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree
which shall not pass away. Psalm 148:5-6 (New King James Version)
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager
longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected
to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in
hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will
obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the
whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:18-23 (New
Revised Standard Version)
But ask the animals what God does. They will teach you. Or ask the birds of
the air. They will tell you. Or speak to the earth. It will teach you. Or let the
fish of the ocean educate you. Are there any of those creatures that don’t know
what the powerful hand of the Lord has done? Job 12:7-9 (New International
Readers Version)
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing
from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of
the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with twelve kinds of
fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations. Revelation 22:1-2 (Revised Standard Version)
D. God Calls for Respect for the Earth
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend
and keep it. Genesis 2:15 (New King James Version)
Those who do what is right take good care of their animals. Proverbs 12:10
(New International Readers Version)
When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order to
take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them; for you
may eat of them, but you shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field
men that they should be besieged by you? Deuteronomy 20:19 (Revised
Standard Version)
Out of the smoke came locusts. They settled down on the earth. They were
given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to
harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree. Revelation 9:3-4 (New
International Readers Version)
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Consider the lilies of E. Human Humility Amidst the Grandeur of Creation
the field how they
grow; they toil not, When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars,
neither do they spin; which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Psalms
And yet I say unto you,
8:4 (King James Bible)
That even Solomon in
all his glory was not
arrayed like one of
And when the Lord your God brings you into the land which he swore to
these. your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, with great and
goodly cities, which you did not build, and houses full of all good things,
Matthew 6:28-29 which you did not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which you did not hew, and
(King James Bible) vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant, and when you eat and are
full, then take heed lest you forget the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:10-12 (Revised
Standard Version)
As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God . . . Is it not enough for you to
feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of
your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must foul the rest with your
feet? Ezekiel 34:17-18 (Revised Standard Version)
The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heav-
ens languish together with the earth. The earth lies polluted under its inhabi-
tants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlast-
ing covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for
their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled, and few people are
left. Isaiah 24:4-6 (New Revised Standard Version)
F. Warnings Against Materialism and Consumption
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth cor-
rupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-24 (King James Bible)
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon. Matthew 6:24 (New King James Version)
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Matthew 19:24
(King James Bible)
Chapter VI: 78 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Hebrew & Christian
Scripture Quotes
C H A P T E R S E V E N Grandfather Great
Spirit
VII. Excerpts from Additional Religious Traditions All over the world the
faces of living ones
As noted at the beginning, this Guide focuses on Christian and Jewish tradi- are alike
tions. However, many other religions have significant conservation teachings, With tenderness they
theology, and activism. The following quotes provide a glimpse into some of have come up out of
these traditions’ focus on conservation. the ground.
A. Indigenous Traditions Look upon your

children that they may
Themes which provide orientation for understanding the relations between Face the winds and
indigenous religions and ecology are kinship, spatial and biographical relations walk the good road to
with place, traditional environmental knowledge, and cosmology...[The] the Day of Quiet.
awareness of the loss of natural harmony among indigenous peoples brought
with it an awareness of fostering sustainable human-earth relations for future Grandfather Great
generations. Among the northern Algonkian hunters and trappers of North Spirit
America these relations were maintained by complex regulations for the Fill us with the Light.
treatment of the bones of slain animals. Sensitivities to local regions and their
biodiversity have been transmitted in strikingly diverse ways by indigenous Give us the strength
peoples. The Proto-Malaysian peoples, for example, have transmitted into the to understand,
present elaborate divination modes based on the flights and calls of birds. And the eyes to see.
Spatial and biographical relations with place are also significant pragmatic and
spiritual aspects of this environmental sensitivity. John A.Grim, “Indigenous Teach us to walk the
Tradition and Ecology” (2001), Forum on Religion and Ecology website, soft Earth as relatives
www.environment.harvard.edu/religion. to all that live.
Sioux Prayer 50
If anyone asked Indians what they thought about animals, trees, and moun-
tains, they answered by talking about the powerful spiritual beings that were
those things...[T]he Indian attitudes—the Indian philosophy and religion, if
those restrictive words can even be used to apply to the wholeness of Indian The sky is round, and I
thought—enabled the Indians to live in and to change the American environ- have heard that the
ment without seriously degrading it...It was not a wilderness—it was a com- earth is round like a
munity in nature of living beings, among whom the Indians formed a part, but ball, and so are all the
stars. The wind, in its
not all. There were also animals, trees, plants, and rivers, and the Indians
greatest power, whirls.
regarded themselves as relatives of these, not as their superiors. J. Donald
Birds make their nests
Hughes, from “American Indian Ecology,” in This Sacred Earth, 133 (Roger
in circles, for theirs is
S. Gottlieb, ed., 1996). the same religion as
ours…Even the sea-
When I was a youth the country was very beautiful. Along the rivers were sons form a great cir-
belts of timberland, where grew cottonwoods, maples, elms, ash, hickory and cle in their changing,
walnut trees, and many other kinds. Also there were various kinds of vines and and always come
shrubs. And under these grew many good herbs and beautiful flowering plants. back again to where
In both the woodland and the prairie I could see the trails of many kinds of they were.
animals and hear the cheerful songs of birds of many kinds. When I walked
Black Elk 51
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 79 Chapter VII:
Additional Religious
Traditions
To become human, abroad I could see many forms of life, beautiful living creatures of many kinds
one must make room which Wakanda had placed here; and these were after their manner walking,
in oneself for the won- flying, leaping, running, playing all about. But now the face of all the land is
ders of the universe. changed and sad. The living creatures are gone. I see the land desolate, and I
suffer . . . loneliness. Omaha Indian elder, quoted in J. Donald Hughes, from
South American
“American Indian Ecology,” in This Sacred Earth, 131 (Roger S. Gottlieb, ed.,
Indian Saying 52
1996).
Humility and respect for nature is a characteristic of the African world-view.

Resources are given by God. For the African, this is a humbling experience.
The processes of replenishing resources and cleansing the environment are not
explained in scientific terms. And because God is in us humans and in nature,
and we are a part of this nature, our life is seen as being sustained by natural
resources as we also sustain them. This is the participatory nature of the world
of which we are a part. Backson Sibanda, excerpted from a monograph entitled
Environmental Policy: Governance, Religion, Traditional Practices, and
Natural Resource Management in Zimbabwe (1998).
May the wind blow
sweetness,
B. Hindu Tradition
The rivers flow
sweetness, WHAT IS THE GREAT VIRTUE CALLED AHIMSA? SHLOKA 66 -- Ahimsa,
or noninjury, is the first and foremost ethical principle of every Hindu. It is
The herbs grow gentleness and nonviolence, whether Physical, mental or emotional. It is
sweetness,
abstaining from causing hurt or harm to all beings. Aum. BHASHYA -- To the
For the People of Hindu the ground is sacred. The rivers are sacred. The sky is sacred. The sun is
Truth! sacred. His wife is a Goddess. Her husband is a God. Their children are devas.
Their home is a shrine. Life is a pilgrimage to liberation from rebirth, and no
violence can be carried to the higher reaches of that ascent. While nonviolence
Sweet be the night,
speaks only to the most extreme forms of wrongdoing, ahimsa, which includes
Sweet be the dawn, not killing, goes much deeper to prohibit the subtle abuse and the simple hurt.
Rishi Patanjali described ahimsa as the great vow and foremost spiritual disci-
Sweet be the earth’s pline which Truth-seekers must follow strictly and without fail. . . . Vedic rishis
fragrance, who revealed dharma proclaimed ahimsa as the way to achieve harmony with
Sweet be our Heaven! our environment, peace between peoples and compassion within ourselves.
The Vedic edict is: “Ahimsa is not causing pain to any living being at any time
through the actions of one’s mind, speech or body.” Aum Namah Sivaya.
May the tree afford Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, from “Dancing with Siva,” in Hinduism’s
to sweetness, Contemporary Catechism, 195 (1993).
The sun shine to
sweetness, In March 1973, in the town of Gopeshwar in Chamoli district (Uttar
Pradesh, India), villagers formed a human chain and hugged the earmarked
The cows yield trees to keep them from being felled for a nearby factory producing sports
sweetness – equipment. The same situation later occurred in another village when forest
Milk in plenty! contractors wanted to cut trees under license from the Government Department
of Forests. Again, in 1974, women from the village of Reni, near Joshimath in
Rig Veda I 53 the Himalayas, confronted the loggers by hugging trees and forced contractors
Chapter VII: 80 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Traditions
to leave. Since then, the Chipko Andolan (the movement to hug trees) has
grown as a grassroots ecodevelopment movement. The genesis of the Chipko
movement is not only in the ecological or economic background, but in reli-
gious belief. Villagers have noted how industrial and commercial demands have
denuded their forests, how they cannot sustain their livelihood in a deforested
area, and how floods continually play havoc with their small agricultural
communities. The religious basis of the movement is evident in the fact that it
is inspired and guided by women...[B]eing more religious, they also are more
sensitive to injunctions such as ahimsa. O. P. Dwivedi, Satyagraha for
“Conservation: Awakening the Spirit of Hinduism,” in This Sacred Earth,
160 (Roger S. Gottlieb, ed., 1996).
C. Buddhist Tradition
Buddhist environmentalists assert that the mindful awareness of the universality Today more than ever
of suffering produces compassionate empathy for all forms of life, particularly before life must be
for all sentient species. They interpret the Dhammapada’s ethical injunction not characterized by a
to do evil but to do good as a moral principle advocating the nonviolent allevi- sense of Universal
responsibility, not only
ation of suffering, an ideal embodied in the prayer of universal loving-kindness
nation to nation and
that concludes many Buddhist rituals: “May all beings be free from enmity;
human to human, but
may all beings be free from injury; may all beings be free from suffering; may also human to other
all beings be happy.” Out of a concern for the total living environment, forms of life.
Buddhist environmentalists extend loving-kindness and compassion beyond
people and animals to include plants and the earth itself. Donald K. Swearer, Dalai Lama
“Buddhism and Ecology: Challenge and Promise” (1998), Forum on Religion (Tenzin Gyatso) 54
and Ecology website, www.environment.harvard.edu/religion.
[G]enerally speaking, all beings seem beautiful to us, beautiful birds, beauti-
ful beasts. Their presence gives us some kind of tranquility, some kind of joy;
they are like an ornament to our lives really. And then the forest, the plants,
and the trees, all these natural things come together to make our surroundings
pleasant. All are heavily interdependent in creating our joy and happiness, in
removing our sufferings. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, “A Tibetan
Buddhist Perspective,” in Spirit and Nature, 115 (Steven C. Rockefeller and
John C. Elder, eds., 1992).
[By Buddhist hermits] it is, precisely, undisturbed, unspoiled nature -- the

wilderness -- that is usually regarded as the most favourable environment for
spiritual progress and true happiness. This seems to imply an intramundane-
positive evaluation, and what is positively evaluated here is not so much indi-
vidual animals and plants, but rather the whole ambience. Primarily, to be sure,
as a place of solitude and silence, but, at least occasionally (as in some verses of
the Theragaathaa), also in its beauty, as the harmonious unity of landscape,
plants and animals. This seems to coincide, to some extent, with what we call
“nature” in the sense of an ecosystem, along with the species of animals and
plants belonging to it. If this is correct, this strand would indeed furnish a
Traditions
We live by the sun viable basis for ecological ethics including active protection and even restitution
We feel by the moon of ecosystems. Lambert Schmithausen, “The Early Buddhist Tradition and
We move by the stars Ecological Ethics,” 4, Journal of Buddhist Ethics (1997).
We live in all things
All things live in us Imagine a city that has only one tree left. People there are mentally disturbed,
because they are so alienated from nature. Then one doctor in the city sees why
We eat from the earth
people are getting sick, and he offers each person who comes to him the pre-
We drink from the rain
scription: “You are sick because you are cut off from Mother Nature. Every
We breath of the air
morning, take a bus, go to the tree in the center of the city, and hug it for fif-
We live in all things teen minutes. Look at the beautiful green tree and smell its fragrant bark.” . . .
All things live in us If you are a mountain climber or someone who enjoys the countryside or the
forest, you know that forests are our lungs outside of our bodies. Yet we have
We call to each other been acting in a way that has allowed millions of square miles of land to be
We listen to each other deforested, and we have also destroyed the air, the rivers, and parts of the
Our hearts deepen ozone layer. We are imprisoned in our small selves, thinking only of some com-
with love and fortable conditions for this small self, while we destroy our large self. If we
compassion want to change the situation, we must begin by being our true selves. To be our
true selves means we have to be the forest, the river, and the ozone layer. If we
We live in all things
visualize ourselves as the forest, we will experience the hopes and fears of the
All thing live in us
trees. If we don’t do this, the forests will die, and we will lose our chance for
peace. When we understand that we are interdependent with the trees, we will
We depend on the
trees and animals know that it is up to us to make an effort to keep the trees alive. Thich Nhat
We depend on the Hanh, “Love in Action,” in The Soul of Nature, 130, 131 (Michael Tobias and
earth Georgianne Cowan, eds., 1996).
Our minds open with
wisdom and thought The early Buddhist community lived in the forest under large trees, in caves,
and in mountainous areas. Directly dependent on nature, they cultivated great
We live in all things respect for the beauty and diversity of their natural surroundings. In the Sutta-
All things live in us Nipata, one of the earliest texts, the Buddha says: “Know ye the grasses and
the trees . . . Then know ye the worms, and the moths, and the different sorts
We dedicate our of ants . . . Know ye also the four-footed animals small and great, the serpents,
practice to others the fish which range in the water, the birds that are borne along on wings and
We include all forms
move through the air . . . Know ye the marks that constitute species are theirs,
of life
and their species are manifold.” Chatsumarn Kabilsingh, “Early Buddhist
We celebrate the joy
of living-dying Views on Nature,” in This Sacred Earth, 148 (Roger S. Gottlieb, ed., 1996).
We live in all things D. Islamic Tradition

All things live in us
Muslims are reflecting on their fundamental and enduring religious teachings
We are full of life and discovering theological and moral bases for an environmental ethics that
We are full of death have been present, whether explicitly or implicitly, both in their sacred textual
We are grateful for traditions and in their habits of heart, thinking, public administration, and
all beings and daily life since Islam’s founding. A common conviction among Muslims in this
companions discourse is that nature is not independently worthwhile but derives its value
from God. The earth is mentioned some 453 times in the Qur’an, whereas sky
Stephanie Kaza 55
and the heavens are mentioned only about 320 times. Islam does understand
Traditions
the earth to be subservient to humankind, but it should not be administered Unity, trusteeship and
and exploited irresponsibly. There is a strong sense of goodness and purity of accountability, that is
the earth….Muslims envision heaven as a beautiful garden which the Qur’an tawheed, knalifa and
describes in many places. If life on earth is preparation for eternal life in heav- akhrah, the three cen-
en, then the loving care of the natural environment would seem to be appropri- tral concepts of Islam.
They constitute the
ate training for the afterlife in the company of God and the angels in an envi-
basic values taught by
ronment that is perfectly balanced, peaceful, and verdant. Frederick Denny,
the Qur’an.
“Islam and Ecology: A Bestowed Trust Inviting Balanced Stewardship” (1998),
Forum on Religion on Ecology website, www.environment.harvard.edu/religion. Abdullah Omar
Naseef 56
Muhammad said: “When doomsday comes if someone has a palm shoot in his
hand he should plant it.” This hadith encapsulates the principles of Islamic
environmental ethics. Even when all hope is lost, planting should continue for
planting is a good in itself. The planting of the palm shoot continues the
process of development and will sustain life even if one does not anticipate any Land is immortal, for it
benefit from it. Mawil Y. Izzi Deen (Samarrai), “Islamic Environmental Ethics, harbors the mysteries
Law, and Society,” in This Sacred Earth, 169 (Roger S. Gottlieb, ed., 1996). of creation.
Anwar El-Sadat 57
Traditions
Endnotes
1
Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Decline of Social Capitalism in America, 68 (2000).
2
Bill McKibben, The End of Nature 176 (1989).
3
Id. At 72.
4
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Question 47.
5
Fred Krueger, A Cloud of Witness, A Collection of Writing from Saints and Seers, Mystics and
Reformers that Contribute to a Christian Theology and Ethic of Creation, 143 (198).
6
Id. At 143.
7
Sefer Ha-Hinukh, #515 of the 613 Mitzvot.
8
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, “A Tibetan Buddhist Perspective,” in Spirit and Nature, S.
Rockefeller and J. Elder, eds., 115 (1992).
9
Lambert Schmithausen, “The Early Buddhist Tradition and Ecological Ethics,” 4, Journal of
Buddhist Ethics (1997) (quote retrieved from internet, http://jbe.la.ps.edu).
10
Qu’ran, “The Chapter of the Merciful (LV. Mecca.),“ in The Sacred Books of the East, E. H.
Palmer, trans., F. Max Muller, ed., 258 (1970).
11
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, “Dancing with Siva,” Hinduism’s Contemporary
Catechism, 195 (1993).
12
Betty Tso, PanTheology Magazine, 3 (Aug. 1998).
13
Susan J. Clark, Celebrating Earth Holy Days: A Resource Guide for Faith Communities, 126
(1992).
14
Terry Tempest Williams, “Testimony,” Wild Earth, 6-7 (Winter 1995).
15
Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Decline of Social Capitalism in America, 70 (2000).
16
Belden & Russonello and R/S/M, Human Values and Nature’s Futures: American Attitudes on
Biological Diversity, December 1996.
17
Belden & Russonello and R/S/M, Human Values and Nature’s Futures: American Attitudes on
Biological Diversity, December 1996.
18
Schultz, P.W., L. Zelezny, and N.J. Dalrymple, “ A multinational perspective on the relation
between Judeo-Christian religious beliefs and attitudes of environmental concern,” in
Environment and Behavior, Vol. 32 No. 4, 576 – 591 (2000); this article is also a good source
of references for other sociological studies that have looked at religious beliefs, environmental
attitudes and behavior.
19
Susan J.Clark, Celebrating Earth Holy Days: A Resource Guide for Faith Communities, 107-
108 (1992).
20
From the NRPE website, www.nrpe.org.
21
22
Tom Crider, A Nature Lover’s Book of Quotations, 8 (2000).
23
Id. At 203.
24
25
Herbert Schroeder, “Spirit of the Forest: Integrating Spiritual Values into Natural Resource
Management and Research,” in Dialogues with the Living Earth, James Swan and Roberta
Swan, compilers, 294-306 (1996).
26
Susan J. Clark, Celebrating Earth Holy Days: A Resource Guide for Faith Communities, 122
(1992).
27
Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, eds. Earth Prayers From Around the World, 175 (1991).
28
Because the U.S. Census does not ask questions regarding religious affiliation, it is difficult to
obtain accurate numbers of current membership of religions and denominations. There is also
a difference between numbers of self-identified membership versus affiliated membership that
organizations report. For a discussion about religious demographics, see www.adherents.com;
see also Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches: Religious Pluralism in the New
Millennium, Eileen Lindner, ed., and National Council of the Churches of Christ, (2000).
29
World Almanac and Book of Facts (1999).
30
Encyclopedia of American Religions (5th ed., 1996).
31
Glen Lauder, “Ecology and Spirituality,” and Jan Kassahn Keeler, “Spiritual Activism and the
Environment,” in Christian Science Journal, Volume 118, No. 7, 5, 7-9 (July 2000).
32
For more information about Evangelicals see the websites Barna Research Online,
www.barna.com, and www.beliefnet.com.
33
Description of parachurch organizations is from Peter Illyn, Christians for Environmental
Stewardship, illyn@aol.com.
Traditions
34
Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, eds., Earth Prayers From Around the World, 103 (1991).
35
Id. At 57.
36
Id. At 371.
37
Roderick Nash, “The Greening of Religion,” in This Sacred Earth, 202 (Roger Gottlieb, ed.,
1996).
38
Id. At 206.
39
Id. At 206.
40
41
42
Sean McDonagh, The Greening of the Church,168 (1990).
43
1996).
44
Id. At 206
45
Id. At 208, 210.
46
Sean McDonagh, The Greening of the Church, 190 (1990).
47
Id. At 17,18.
48
1996).
49
Evan Eisenberg, “The Ecology of Eden” in Our Land Ourselves: Readings on People and
Place, Peter Forbes, Anne Armbrecht Forbes, Helen Whybrow, eds., 111 (1999).
50
51
52
Id. At 255.
53
54
55
Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, eds., Earth Prayers From Around the World, 16-17
(1991).
56
57
Id. At 201
Traditions
T I P S F O R O U T R E A C H
I. Ten Hot Topics
1. THE “religious community”

Perhaps the most basic mistake in outreach to religious groups is the assump-
tion that such groups are all the same, all agree with each other, or all have the
ability to speak for each other. Religious communities are as diverse as any
other communities—often more so. Approach each group as its own entity—
recognizing that even churches from the same denomination in the same town
may be strikingly different from one another.
2. Evolution/Creation
One aspect of the religious community’s diversity is the variety of approaches
to evolution. Many congregations and religious leaders fully accept evolution;
for others, the very term is an anathema. Many congregations talk about
“caring for God’s Creation”—but they may mean very different things by
that term. Find out what is and is not acceptable for a given congregation—
understanding at the same time that groups all across the evolution/creation
spectrum may still be supportive of biodiversity, though for different reasons.
3. Interfaith Coalitions and New Age/Pagan Issues

Another aspect of the diversity of religious life is the broad spectrum of reactions
to interfaith coalitions. Some communities—especially the Jewish community—
prefer to work in interfaith coalitions. Others—especially Evangelical churches
—typically prefer to work independently. It is important to respect these
differences and to encourage participation that is appropriate for a given
congregation or leader. Some congregations and institutions worry that envi-
ronmental groups or interfaith coalitions around environmental issues might be
associated with “New Age” or “pagan” religious practices; other congregations
welcome dialogue with earth-based traditions or new religions. If you are
working with communities where this is a concern, groups like the Evangelical
Environmental Network can supply you with materials that explain biblically-
based reasons for “caring for creation.” You need to make sure not to pressure
religious community members to work publicly with any individuals or groups
that might compromise their religious beliefs.
4. Pro-Life Concerns
Religious groups also have a variety of stances about abortion, birth control,
and other family planning issues. While discussions of population issues and their
relationship to biodiversity should not be considered off-limits, such discussions
are sensitive and probably should wait until trust has begun to build in your
relationships with religious leaders. In some cases, religious leaders will want
to address environmental concerns as part of a broader “pro-life” agenda, an
argument that can be extremely persuasive. It is important, however, for such
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 87 Tips for Outreach
themes to be raised by religious leaders rather than by secular environmental
groups.
5. Diversity Within Environmental Groups

Many religious communities have long-standing commitments to diversity in
their own leadership, reflecting the great diversity within their pews. Such
groups are particularly sensitive to criticisms of the environmental movement
as an elitist concern held by upper-class white males. Be sure to show the
diversity of your leadership to religious leaders—and if your group and leaders
are not diverse, you might think about asking for help from religious leaders to
increase your diversity.
6. Tax Status/Church-State Issues

This pitfall, while by no means limited to environmental concerns, is often
raised by religious leaders who are relatively new to social justice activism.
Many denominations publish very clear guidelines on activism, tax status, and
church/state concerns for their congregation. Though you should not give
detailed legal advice to religious groups, you can point out that religious leaders
speaking out on environmental issues in no way threatens their tax status—the
only activity they must avoid is the endorsement of political candidates.
Similarly, if a religious leader is concerned about crossing church/state bound-
aries, you can point out that, as long as they do not try to establish a religious
test for public office, speaking about how their religious values relate to modern
policy questions does not intrude on church/state separation.
7. The “Enemy”
Especially in the present political climate, it is easy to fall into habits of demo-
nizing one’s political opponents. It is important to remember, however, that in
a given congregation, one may find business leaders as well as environmental
leaders, property rights activists as well as biodiversity activists. If religious
leaders feel that they can’t speak about environmental issues without directly
attacking members of their own congregation, they may avoid the subject
altogether. You can help by giving religious leaders the tools they need to
express concern about environmental issues without ignoring legitimate questions
about the consequences of environmental regulations. And, once trust has been
established, you may find that religious leaders can help bring other sectors to
the table ready to work with you. In other cases, a trusting relationship may
enable a religious leader to actively condemn practices by congregants that do
need condemning.
8. Baggage
Sometimes, the environmentalists approaching religious groups bring more
than one agenda with them. Sometimes, in addition to environmental outreach,
they want to discuss their own religious issues—anything from questions about
God to old baggage from a mean religious schoolteacher. While at least some
of these questions might be appropriate once a trusting relationship is built,
Tips for Outreach 88 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
they often can block the building of that relationship if they become too
prominent too early on, especially when they take on negative tones, denouncing
religion as patriarchy or the like. Make sure that the person making the initial
outreach connection to religious groups approaches them with an open mind
and with only one item on the agenda—building a working relationship on
environmental concerns.
9. Overwhelming
Religious leaders are very busy—and they may not have previously given much
thought to environmental concerns, especially biodiversity. Don’t overwhelm
them initially either with reams of background information or with huge
demands on their time. Make sure your initial contacts are about a time-limited,
specific project. Once you have successfully worked together, you can move
on to more complicated aspects of biodiversity and/or more long-term, time-
intensive projects.
10. Two-Way Relationships

Finally, no one likes to be used, especially someone who already may feel overly
busy with too many demands on her/his time. Clearly show what you have to
offer in this relationship—not only solid information about important subjects,
but exciting possibilities to make a difference on critical issues. And you can
relate anecdotes about how environmental activities have brought new energy,
excitement, and people, especially young people, to other congregations
engaged in caring for creation. Finally, don’t underestimate the value of helping
provide interesting topics for sermons or religious school classes. The more you
can offer, the more likely it is that religious leaders and groups will want to
work closely with you.
T I P S F O R O U T R E A C H
II. Summary of Some Key “How To” Points
Items Secular Groups Can Offer Their Religious Community Partners

In part, secular environmental groups can offer the religious community the
following:
• Exciting possibilities to make a difference on critical issues;
• Substantial, well-documented, and accurate ecological and economic infor-
mation, which can be used for various activities and in religious education
settings; and
• Assistance as religious groups reach out to policy makers and the media.
Tone in Outreach to Members of the Religious Community

• Keep in mind that the religious presence has always been part of the larger
conservation movement.
• When making choices about outreach efforts, make those that will
strengthen the relationship, and if necessary choose maintaining positive
relationships over completing short-term tasks.
• Treat every individual as a VIP.
• Avoid debates that compare values of humans versus flora and fauna.
• Have a sincere respect for religious beliefs and people motivated by them.
• Be careful not to write off people because of religious, class, or education
differences.
Some Internal Religious Community Concerns and Pressures

• Clergy and other religious community leaders are very busy. Be scrupulous
about respecting the time constraints of your religious partners.
• Think about people’s personal and broader needs.
• Understand the current pressures with which congregational leaders are
coping, including diminishing numbers in some cases.
• Show the diversity of your leadership to religious activists.
Communication Tips
• When making an initial call, step back and ask yourself, “What would I be
thinking if I had never before considered doing anything pertaining to
biodiversity issues?”
• Make sure the tone is not, “you’d be useful to me,” but “maybe we can
partner on this to accomplish something.”
• Avoid strident-sounding tones.
• Do not “put down” your opponents as people.
• Reach out to lay members of the religious community as well as clergy.
• Make a connection with issues on which individuals already are working,
e.g., showing the relationship between biodiversity and social justice.
• Emphasize the many reasons biodiversity is important, including species’
inherent value and biodiversity’s importance to people.
• Limit your message to conservation issues only.
• Stress that the involvement of the religious voice often makes a big difference.
Issues Important to Denominations and Other Religious Groups

In part, learn about religious community issues through the following:
• Religious community magazines, newspapers, and newsletters;
• Denominational or organizational web pages; and
• Reading the Saturday religious page in city newspapers.
Working with Individuals

• There’s a temptation to want to get everyone on board. Instead, spend your
energy where it is most fruitful, finding a few who are already inclined to
partner with you.
Partnering to Influence Policy Makers

• When you contact religious community individuals about attending meetings
with policy makers, you are offering to partner with religious community
individuals on a relatively risk-free, time-limited task.
• It is a good idea to end the meeting with policy makers with suggestions for
how to continue the dialogue.
• When religious community individuals meet with their policy makers, you
and others in secular environmental groups can provide a number of crucial
services. For example, you can help schedule meetings, provide ecological
and economic background information and policy analyses, and perhaps
attend the meetings.
Partnering to Reach the Media

• Be careful when encouraging religious conservationists to do media work.
By their very nature, media activities are not private.
• Almost all religious communities have publications, often at the regional or
national levels, and these publications may publish articles.
• Religious community members who are communicating with policy makers or
the media should only be asked to speak from their own areas of expertise.
• Do not tell religious community individuals what their religious community
message should contain, but share information from your own areas of
expertise that may be helpful as the spiritual message is crafted.
Reaching Others in the Religious Community

• Secular environmental groups can be helpful as religious community conser-
vationists reach out to other religious community members. For example,
the secular organizations can supply fact sheets and speakers, co-sponsor
events and conferences, or provide trainings.
Tips for Outreach 92 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Diversity of the U.S. Religious Community
• Probably the most basic mistake in outreach to religious groups is the
assumption that all are the same, all agree with each other, or all have the
ability to speak for each other. Even within seemingly similar parts of the
religious community, there can be significant differences.
Finding Religious Community Partners

There are a number of places to take the first step to find religious community
partners, including the following:
• Within your own environmental organization;
• Through checking the yellow pages of the phone book;
• Through web searches (A good place to start is the Web of Creation website
at www.webofcreation.org, or the National Religious Partnership for the
Environment website at www.nrpe.org.);
• Through calling denominational regional offices;
• In social justice and conservation groups within denominations;
• At colleges and universities affiliated with denominations;
• Through interfaith and ecumenical groups.
G L O S S A R Y
Definitions are from Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1981)

unless otherwise noted.
Born-again: person who has had a conversion experience of knowing Jesus

Christ and sensing the Holy Spirit, and has accepted Jesus Christ as their
personal savior (From www.beliefnet.com)
Clergy: a body of religious officials or functionaries prepared and authorized

and ordained to conduct religious services or attend to other religious duties,
such as ministers or rabbis
Ecumenical: of, relating to, representing, or governing the whole body of

churches, promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity
Evangelical: of, relating to, or being a religious group emphasizing salvation by

faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the
authority of scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted to ritual
Faith-based: individuals or organizations that have belief in, trust in, and loyal-
ty to a supreme being or God; please note that not all religions believe in a
supreme being or God (e.g. Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism)
Fundamentalism: a conservative movement in American Protestantism originating

around the beginning of the 20th century in opposition to modernist tendencies
and emphasizing the literal interpretation and absolute inerrancy of the Bible,
the imminent and physical second coming of Jesus Christ, the virgin birth,
physical resurrection, and substitutionary atonement (From www.beliefnet.com)
Laity: members of a church who are not formally ordained for ministerial positions
Interdenominational: occurring between or among or common to different

churches or denominations
Interfaith: occurring between or among people or organizations of different

religious faiths or creeds
Interreligious: existing between religions
Parachurch: special interest groups that work with churches to serve specific
populations or to champion specific causes (From Peter Illyn, Christians for
Environmental Stewardship)
Religious: 1) relating to that which is acknowledged as ultimate reality;

2) committed, dedicated, or consecrated to the service of the divine
Secular: of or relating to the worldly or temporal, as distinguished from the

spiritual or eternal
Spiritual: of or relating to religious or sacred matters
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 95 Glossary
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
The following items are just a few of the many publications and resources that
discuss the spiritual-conservation connection. For an excellent annotated bibli-
ography, see Earth Ministry’s Handbook for Creation Awareness and Care in
Your Congregation (www.earthministry.org).
Badiner, Alan Hunt, Dharma Gaia: A Harvest of Essays in Buddhism and

Ecology. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 1990.
Bakken, Peter, Joan Gibb Engel and J. Ronald Engel, Ecology, Justice and
Christian Faith: A Critical Guide to the Literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood
Press, 1995.
Bassett, Libby, ed., Earth and Faith: A Book of Reflection for Action. NY:
Interfaith Partnership for the Environment, United Nations Environment
Programme, 2000.
Berry, Thomas, The Dream of the Earth. San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club
Books, 1988.
Berry, Thomas, and Brian Swimme, The Universe Story. San Francisco, CA:
HarperCollins, 1992.
Berry, Thomas, The Great Work: Our Way into the Future. NY: Bell Tower, 1999.
Berry, Wendell, The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture. San

Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books, 1977.
Berry, Wendell, What Are People For? San Francisco, CA: North Point Press, 1990.
Bouma-Prediger, Steven and Virginia Vroblesky, Assessing the Ark: A Christian

Perspective on Non-Human Creatures and the Endangered Species Act.
Crossroads Monograph Series, 1997.
Bratton, Susan, Christianity, Wilderness and Wildlife: The Original Desert

Solitaire. Scranton, PA: University of Scranton Press, 1993.
Callicott, J. Baird, Earth’s Insights: A Survey of Ecological Insights from the

Mediterranean Basin to the Australian Outback. Berkeley, CA: University of
California Press, 1994.
Carroll, John E. and Albert LaChance, Embracing Earth: Catholic Approaches

to Ecology. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press, 1994.
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project 97 Bibliography
Carroll, John E. and Keith Warner, OFM, eds., Ecology and Religion: Scientists
Speak. IL: Franciscan Press, 1998.
Carroll, John E., Peter Brockelman, and Mary Westfall, eds., The Greening of
Faith: God, the Environment, and the Good Life. NH: University Press of New
Hampshire, 2000.
Chapple, Christopher Key and Mary Evelyn Tucker, eds., Hinduism and
Ecology: The Intersection of Earth, Sky and Water (Religions of the World and
Ecology Series). MA: Harvard University Press, 2000.
Christiansen, D. and W. Grazer, eds., And God Saw That It Was Good. United
States Catholic Conference, 1996.
Clark, Susan J., Celebrating Earth Holy Days: A Resource Guide for Faith
Communities. NY: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1992.
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, To Till and to Tend: A Guide to
Jewish Environmental Study and Action. NY: Coalition on the Environment
and Jewish Life, 1993.
Crider, Tom, ed., A Nature Lover’s Book of Quotations. CT: Birch Tree
Publishing, 2000.
Dowd, Michael, EarthSpirit: A Handbook for Nurturing an Ecological

Christianity. Mystic, CT: Twenty-third Publications, 1991.
DeWitt, Calvin B., Earth-Wise: A Biblical Response to Environmental Issues.

Grand Rapids, MI: CRC Publications, 1994.
Forbes, Peter, Ann Armbrecht Forbes, and Helen Whybrow, eds., Our Land,
Ourselves: Readings on People and Place. San Francisco, CA: The Trust for
Public Land, 1999.
Foltz, Richard C., “Mormon Values and the Utah Environment,” Worldviews:
Environment, Culture, Religion, Volume 4, Number 1, Spring 2000.
Fowler, Robert Booth, The Greening of Protestant Thought. Chapel Hill, NC:
University of North Carolina Press, 1995.
Goldsmith, Edward, ed., “The Cosmic Covenant: Re-embedding Religion in

Society, Nature, and the Cosmos,” The Ecologist, Volume 30, Number 1,
January/February 2000.
Gottlieb, Roger, ed., This Sacred Earth: Religion, Nature, Environment. NY:
Routledge Press, 1996.
Bibliography 98 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Grim, John A., ed., Indigenous Traditions and Ecology: The InterBeing of
Cosmology and Community (Religions of the World and Ecology Series). MA:
Harvard University Press, 2001.
Hargrove, Eugene, ed., Religion and Environmental Crisis. Athens, GA:

University of Georgia Press, 1986.
Hessel, Dieter T., Theology for the Earth Community: A Field Guide.
Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1996.
Hessel, Dieter T. and Rosemary Radford Ruether, eds., Christianity and

Ecology: Seeking the Well-Being of Earth and Humans (Religions of the World
and Ecology Series). MA: Harvard University Press, 2000.
Hyde, Orson, “Instructions Concerning Things Spiritual and Temporal,”

Journal of Discourses, President Brigham Young, Volume XI, 1867.
Ignatius, Keith, Our Only Home: Planet Earth. A Bible Study Based on the
Ecology Policy Statement of American Baptist Churches U.S.A. PA: American
Baptist Church, 1990.
International Bible Society, Heaven and Earth: Creation Devotional Booklet:

30 Bible Readings That Exalt God Through Creation; available from IBS at
(800) 524-1588; www.IBSDirect.com.
Kaza, Stephanie and Kenneth Kraft, Dharma Rain: Sources of Buddhist

Environmentalism. Boston, MA: Shambala Press, 2000.
Kellert, Steve, Kinship to Mastery: Biophilia in Human Evolution and

Development. Washington, DC: Island Press, 1997.
Kellert, Steve and Timothy Farnham, eds., The Good in Nature and Humanity:
Connecting Science, Spirit, and the Natural World. Washington, DC: Island
Press, Forthcoming 2002.
Kemper, Kristen, ed., Caring for God’s World: Creative Ecology Ideas for Your
Church. Brea, CA: Educational Ministries, Inc., 1991.
Kempton, Willett, James S. Boster, and Jennifer A. Hartley, Environmental

Values in American Culture. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996.
Kinsley, David, Ecology and Religion: Ecological Spirituality in a Cross-

Cultural Perspective. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.
Kirk, Janice and Donald Kirk, Cherish the Earth: The Environment and
Scripture. Herald Press, 1993.
LeQuire, Stan, ed., The Best Preaching on Earth: Sermons on Caring for
Creation. Judson Press, 1996.
Lindner, Eileen, ed., and National Council of Churches of Christ, Yearbook of

American & Canadian Churches: Religious Pluralism in the New Millennium.
Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
McDaniel, Jay, Of Gods and Pelicans: A Theology of Reverence for Life.

Philadelphia, PA: Westminster, 1989.
McDaniel, Jay, With Roots and Wings: Christianity in an Age of Ecology and
Dialogue. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1995.
McDonagh, Sean, To Care for the Earth: A Call to a New Theology, NM: Bear
& Co., 1987. (out of print)
McDonagh, Sean, The Greening of the Church. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1990.
McFague, Sallie, The Body of God: An Ecological Theology. MN: Fortress

Press, 1993.
McKibben, Bill, The End of Nature. NY: Anchor Books, 1989.
Nash, James A., Loving Nature: Ecological Integrity and Christian

Responsibility. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1991.
Oelschlaeger, Max, Caring for Creation: An Ecumenical Approach to the

Environmental Crisis, CT: Yale University Press, 1994.
Posey, Darrell Addison et al., eds., Cultural and Spiritual Values of Biodiversity.
London, UK: Intermediate Technology Publications, United Nations
Environment Programme, 1999.
Roberts, Elizabeth and Elias Amadon, eds., Earth Prayers from Around the
World. NY: Harper Collins, 1991.
Rockefeller, Steven and John Elder, eds., Spirit and Nature: Why the
Environment is a Religious Issue. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1991.
Santmire. H. Paul, The Travail of Nature: The Ambiguous Promise of

Christian Theology. MN: Fortress Press, 1985.
Schultz, P.W., L. Zelezny, and N.J. Dalrymple, “A multinational perspective on

the relation between Judeo-Christian religious beliefs and attitudes of environ-
mental concern,” Environment and Behavior, Volume 32 Number 4, 2000,
576 - 591.
Bibliography 100 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Schut, Michael, ed., Simpler Living Compassionate Life: A Christian
Perspective. Seattle, WA: Earth Ministry, 1999.
Spring, David and Ellen, Ecology and Religion in History. NY: Harper and
Row, 1974.
Swan, James and Roberta Swan, compilers, Dialogues with the Living Earth,
IL: Quest Books, 1996.
Tielhard de Chardin, Pierre, The Phenomenon of Man. NY: HarperCollins,

1965, 1980.
Thomashow, Mitchell, Bringing the Biosphere Home. Cambridge, MA: MIT

Press, Forthcoming 2001.
Tobias, Michael and Georgianne Cowen, eds., The Soul of Nature: Celebrating
the Spirit of the Earth. Plume Press, 1996.
Tucker, Mary Evelyn and John Grim, eds., Worldviews and Ecology: Religion,
Philosophy, and the Environment. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press, 1994.
Tucker, Mary Evelyn and Duncan Ryuken Williams, eds., Buddhism and
Ecology: The Interconnection of Dharma and Deeds (Religions of the World
and Ecology Series). MA: Harvard University Press, 1998.
Tucker, Mary Evelyn and John Berthrong, eds., Confucianism and Ecology:
The Interrelation of Heaven, Earth, and Humans (Religions of the World and
Ecology Series). MA: Harvard University Press, 1998.
Union of Concerned Scientists, Keeping the Earth, Religious and Scientific

Perspectives on the Environment (27-minute video and discussion guide), 1996.
Warshall, Peter, “There is a River: Judeo-Christian Faiths Face the Earth in

Crisis, An Interview with Paul Gorman,” Whole Earth Review, Winter 1997,
13-23.
Wilkinson, Loren, ed., Earthkeeping in the 90’s: Stewardship of Creation.

Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1991. (out of print)
Williams, Terry Tempest, “Testimony,” Wild Earth, Winter 1995, 6-7.
Williams, Terry Tempest, William B. Smart, and Gibbs M. Smith, eds., New
Genesis – A Mormon Reader on Land and Community. UT: Gibbs Smith
Publishers, 1998.
R E S O U R C E S
Faith-Based Organizations Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit

River of Life campaign
Christian Denominations and Organizations Steve Spreitzer
305 Michigan Avenue
Baptist Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 237-5906
National Ministries Columbia River Pastoral Letter Project
P.O. Box 851 www.columbiariver.org
Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
(800) ABC-3USA ext. 2400 Church of the Brethern
www.abc-usa.org
For resource information: www.nationalmin- David Radcliff
istries.org/mission/church_resources.cfm Shantilal Bhagat
1451 Dundee Avenue
Catholic Church Elgin, IL 60120
(800) 323-8039 ext. 227
National Conference of Catholic Bishops/ www.brethern.org
United States Catholic Conference
Office of Social Development & World Peace Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science)
Walt Grazer
3211 Fourth Street, NE The First Church of Christ, Scientist
Washington, DC 20017-1194 175 Huntington Avenue
(202) 541-3160 Boston, MA 02115
www.nccbuscc.org (800) 288-70990
Portion of website pertaining to conservation: www.tfccs.com
www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm
Exploring Practical Spirituality
For resource information and ordering: www.spirituality.com
(800) 235-8722
Christian Science Monitor
National Catholic Rural Life Conference www.csmonitor.com
Bob Gronski
4625 Beaver Avenue Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Des Moines, IA 50310 (Mormons)
(515) 270-2634
www.ncrlc.com Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
47 East South Temple Street
Catholic Conservation Center Salt Lake City, UT 84150
http://conservation.catholic.org (801) 240-1000
www.lds.org
Episcopal Church Christians for Evangelical Stewardship
Peter Illyn
The Episcopal Church Center P.O. Box 877
Martha Gardner La Center, WA 98629
Jack Winder (360) 574-8230
815 Second Avenue illyn@aol.com
New York, NY 10017
(212) 867-8400 Au Sable Institute
(800) 334-7626 Peter Bakken, Cal DeWitt
www.ecusa.anglican.org Au Sable Institute
Outreach Office
Episcopal Power and Light 731 State Street
Rev. Sally Bingham Madison, WI 53703
c/o Grace Cathedral (608) 255-0950
1100 California Street outreach@ausable.org
San Francisco, CA 94108 www.ausable.org
www.theregenerationproject.org
Evangelical Lutheran Church
Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota
Minnesota Episcopal Environmental Stewardship Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Commission Hunger Education and Environmental Stewardship
Holy Trinity Church 8765 W. Higgins Road
Box 65 Chicago, IL 60631-4190
Elk River, MN 55330 (800) 638-3522 ext. 2708
www.env-steward.com www.elca.org
Evangelical For resource information and ordering:

ELCA Distribution Services
Evangelical Environment Network (800) 328-4648
Rev. Jim Ball
680 I Street, SW Lutheran Office for Government Affairs
Washington, DC 20024 www.logo.org/environ.html
(202) 554-1955
(800) 650-6600 Community Lutheran Church
www.creationcare.org Hedgerow Habitat Trail
21014 Whitfield Place
Christian Environmental Council Sterling, VA, 20165
www.targetearth.org/CEC.htm (703) 430-6006
Target Earth Mennonite Church

Gordon Aeschliman
990 Buttonwood Street, 6th floor Mennonite Environmental Task Force
Philadelphia, PA 19123 722 Main Street, P.O. Box 347
(215) 236-4340 Newton, KS 67114
www.targetearth.org (316) 283-5100
www2.southwind.net/~gcmc/etf.html
104 Building Partnerships with the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
Mennonite Central Committee Presbyterian Resource Services
21 South 12th Street, P.O. Box 500 (800) 524-2612
Akron, PA 17501
(717) 859-1151 Presbyterians for Restoring Creation
www.mcc.org/programs/environment.html Bill Knox
P.O. Box 70170
Orthodox Churches loiusville, KY 40270
www.pcusa.org/prc
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
8-10 East 79th Street Christian Environmental Studies Center
New York, NY 10021 Montreat College
(212) 570-3500 310 Gaither Circle
www.goarch.org Montreat, NC 28757
(828) 669-8012
Orthodox Church in America www.montreat.edu
Education and Community Life Ministries
P.O. Box 675 Quakers (Society of Friends)
Syosett, NY 11791
(516) 922-0550 Friends Committee on Unity with Nature (FCUN)
www.oca.org Ruth Swennerfelt
179 N. Prospect Street
Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew I Burlington, VT 05401
www.patriarchate.org/ENVIRONMENT/ (802) 658-0308
environment. htm fcun@fcun.org
www.fcun.org
Green Orthopraxy: Orthodox Christians
Concerned with Creation Reformed Church
P.O. Box 7238
Cumberland, RI 02864 Reformed Church in America
Rev. John Paarlberg
Presbyterian Church 475 Riverside Drive, Room 122
New York, NY 10015
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (212) 970-3020
Bill Somplatsky-Jarman (800) 722-9977
100 Witherspoon Street, Room 3069 jpaarlberg@rca.org
Louisville, KY 40202 www.rca.org
(502) 569-5809
www.pcusa.org Unitarian Universalist Association
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office Unitarian Universalist Association

Douglas Grace 25 Beacon Street
Associate for Domestic Issues Boston, MA 02108
110 Maryland Avenue, NE (617) 742-2100
Washington, DC 2002 www.uua.org
(202) 543-1126
Seventh Principle Project Jewish Organizations
www.uuassp.org
Coalition on Environment and Jewish Life
The Circle of Simplicity Mark X. Jacobs
www.simplicitycircles.com 433 Park Avenue South, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016-7322
United Church of Christ (212) 684-6950 x.210
coejl@aol.com
United Church of Christ (UCC) www.coejl.org
700 Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Jewish League of Environmental Awareness
(216) 736-2100 Jeff Auerbach
www.ucc.org 3875 Telegraph Road, Suite A115
Ventura, CA 93003
United Church of Christ (805) 647-7660
Justice and Peace Ministry
Rev. Adora Iris Lee Teva Learning Center
110 Maryland Ave. NE 307 Seventh Avenue, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20002 New York, NY 10001
(202) 543-1517 (212) 807-6376
www.ucc.org/justice/index.shtml. teva@tevacenter.org
www.tevacenter.org
Network for Environmental and Economic
Responsibility Washington Area Shomrei Adamah
www.center1.com/NEER/NEER1.html 706 Erie Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
For resources information and ordering
(800) 325-7061 Earth-Based Religions
United Methodist Church Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve

P.O. Box 219
General Board of Church and Society of the Mt. Horeb, WI 53572
United Methodist Church (608) 924-2216
Jaydee Hanson circle@circlesanctuary.org
Virginia Gill www.circlesanctuary.org
Washington, DC 20002 Indigenous Environmental Network
(202) 488-5650 P.O. Box 485
(800) 251-8140 Bemidji, MN 56601
www.umc.org (218) 751-4967
ien@igc.org
www.alienearth.org
Covenant of the Goddess Ecumenical, Interfaith, and Interreligious
P.O. Box 1226 Projects, Organizations, Coalitions, &
Berkeley, CA 94701 Resources
info@cog.org
www.cog.org National
Reclaiming [Goddess/Pagan] Cathedral Films & Video

Reclaiming Quarterly magazine The Greening of Faith: Why the Environment is A
P.O. Box 14401 Christian Concern (video & study guide)
San Francisco, CA 94114 P.O. Box 4029
reclaiming@reclaiming.org Westlake Village, CA 91359
www.reclaiming.org (800) 338-3456
Eastern Religions Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility

Patricia Wolf
Buddhist Peace Fellowship 475 Riverside Drive, Room 566
P.O. Box 4650 New York, NY 10115
Berkeley, CA 94704 (212) 870-2295
(510) 655-6169 www.iccr.org
bpf@bpf.org
www.bpf.org National Council of the Churches of Christ
Eco-Justice Working Group
Soka Gakkai International - U.S.A [Buddhist] Rev. Richard Kilmer
606 Wilshire Boulevard 475 Riverside Drive, Room 812
Santa Monica, CA 90401 New York, New York 10115
(310) 260-8900 (212) 870-2385
www.sgi-usa.org www.ncccusa.org or
www.webofcreation/NCC/workgrp.html
Zen Environmental Studies Institute
P.O. Box 24 National Council of the Churches of Christ
Mt. Tremper, NY 12456 Environmental Justice Resources
(845) 688-7240 P.O. Box 968
zeneco@mro.org Elkhart, IN 46515
www.mro.org (800) 762-0968
National Religious Partnership for the Environment

Paul Gorman
1047 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10025
(212) 316-7441
(800) 206-8858
nrpe@aol.com
www.nrpe.org
North American Coalition for Christianity Partners for Environmental Quality
and Ecology Donald Haberstroh
Earthkeeping News 27 Tallmadge Avenue
Elizabeth Dyson Chatham, NJ 07928
P.O. Box 40011 (973) 635-6067
Saint Paul, MN 55104 http://community.nj.com/cc/PEQ
(615) 698-0349
eudyson@worldnet.att.net Spirit in Nature
www.nacce.org Rev. Paul Bortz
P.O. Box 253
North American Coalition for Christianity 464 E. Main Street
and Ecology East Middlebury, VT 05740
Earthkeeping Circles Project (802) 388-7244
Rev. Finley Schaef www.spiritinature.com
87 Stoll Rd.
Saugerties, NY 12477
(914) 246-0181 Local, State, or Regional – Midwest
schaef@ulster.net
Interreligious Sustainability Project for
North American Coalition on Religion and Ecology Metropolitan Chicago
Donald Conroy Center for Neighborhood Technology
5 Thomas Circle, NW Rev. Clare Butterfield
Washington, DC 20005 2125 W. North Avenue
(202) 462-2591 Chicago, IL 60647
www.caringforcreation.net (773) 278-4800 x.125
clare@cnt.org
Religious Campaign for Forest Protection www.cnt.org
Fred Krueger
409 Mendocino Avenue, Suite A Metropolitan Organizing Strategy for Enabling
Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Strength
(707) 573-3162 9520 Mettetal
www.creationethics.org Detroit, MI 48227
(313) 838-3190
Local, State, or Regional – East Jertoj@aol.com
Interfaith Coalition in Energy Minnesota Earth Sabbath Team

Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphia River Friendly Congregations Program
7217 Oak Avenue Sister Gladys Schmitz
Melrose Park, PA 19027 170 Good Counsel Drive
(215) 635-1122 Mankato, MN 56001-3138
(507) 389-4114
Local, State, or Regional – South Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
EarthCare, Inc. Jenny Holmes
P.O. 23291 O245 SW Bancroft Street, Suite B
Chattanooga, TN 37422 Portland, OR 97201
(423) 697-2560 (TN) (503) 244-8318
(706) 278-3979 (GA) inec@emoregon.org
mail@earthcareonline.org www.emoregon.org
www.earthcareonline.org
Partnership for Religion and the Environment
The Sabbath Project The Wilderness Society—NW Region
10 Briar Branch Road Thea Levkovitz
Black Mountain, NC 28711 1424 4th Avenue, Suite 816
(828) 771-3749 Seattle, WA 98101
bcole@warren-wilson.edu (206) 624-6430 x.224
Tlevkovitz@twsnw.org
Tangier Watermen’s Stewardship for the
Chesapeake Spiritual Alliance for Earth
P.O. Box 242 United Religions Initiative
Tangier, VA 23440 Bill Sadler
P.O. Box 29242
Local, State, or Regional – West San Francisco, CA 94129
Sadler22@pacbell.net
Earth Ministry www.uri.org
Rev. Jim Mulligan
Rev. Nancy Wright
1305 NE 47th Street
Seattle, WA 98105
(208) 632-2426
emoffice@earthministry.org
www.earthministry.org
Eco-Justice Ministries
Rev. Peter S. Sawtell
400 S. Williams Street
Denver, CO 80209
(303) 715-3873
ministry@eco-justice.org
Environmental Ministries
Rev. Peter Moore-Kochlacs
7579 Blue Lake Drive
San Diego, CA 92119
(619) 465-7951
PeterEco@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/PeterEco
Educational or Academic Organizations, Harvard University’s Center for the Study
Projects and Programs of World Religions
Religions of the World and Ecology
ALTERNATIVES for Simple Living publications series
P.O. Box 2787 42 Francis Avenue
5312 Morningside Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138
Sioux City, IA 51106 (617) 495-4486
(712) 274-8875 www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/ecology
(800) 821-6153 (Religions of the World and Ecology publications
alternatives@SimpleLiving.org series is also available through Harvard
www.simpleliving.org University Press, (800) 448-2242)
American Academy of Religions Harvard University’s Pluralism Project

Religion and Ecology Group 201 Vanserg Hall
825 Houston Mill Road, NE 25 Francis Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30329 Cambridge, MA 02138
(404) 727-3049 (617) 496-2481
aar@aarweb.org www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm
www.aarweb.org
Institute for Global Ethics
American Scientific Affiliation 11 Main Street
P.O. Box 668 P.O. Box 563
Ipswich, MA 01938 Camden, ME 04843
(978) 356-5656 (207) 236-6658 or (800) 729-2615
asa@asa3.org www.globalethics.org
www.asa3.org
The Murie Center
Ecology, Religion and Culture P.O. Box 399
Research Focus Group Moose, WY 83012
Interdisciplinary Humanities Center (307) 739-2246
University of California, Santa Barbara muriecenter@wyoming.com
www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~smc/ERC www.muriecenter.org
Forum on Religion and Ecology Theological Education to Meet the

Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim Environmental Challenge
Department of Religion 2001 L Street, NW
Bucknell University Washington, DC 20037
Lewisburg, PA 17837 (202) 778-6133
(570) 577-1205 www.webofcreation.org/temecpage/temec
Forum on Religion and Ecology University of Creation Spirituality

P.O. Box 380875 2141 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02238 Oakland, CA 94612
(617) 332-0337 (510) 835-4827
fore@environment.harvard.edu www.creationspiritulaity.com
http://environment.harvard.edu/cswr/ecology
Whidbey Institute Environmental Organizations, Projects and
Fritz and Vivienne Hull Programs
P.O. Box 57
Clinton, WA 98236 Center for a New American Dream
(360) 341-1884 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900
whidinst@whidbey.com Takoma Park, MD 20912
www.whidbeyinstitute.org (301) 891-3683
newdream@newdream.org
Earth Literacy www.newdream.org
Center for Sacred Ecology Center for Respect of Life and Environment
Earth Literacy Web Earth Ethics newsletter
Sue Levy 2001 L Street, NW
111 Fairmont Avenue Washington, DC 20037
Oakland, CA 94611 (202) 778-6133
(510) 595-5508 crle@aol.com
info@spirtualecology.org www.crle.org
www.spiritualecology.org
Earth Charter USA Campaign
Genesis Farm 2001 L Street, NW
Sister Miriam McGillis Washington, DC 20037
41A Silver Lake Rd. (202) 778-6133
Blairstown, NJ 07825 info@earthcharterusa.org
(908) 362-6735 www.earthcharterusa.org
www.globaleduc.org/genfarm
Earth Charter USA Campaign
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Institute for Ethics & Meaning
Sister Mary Lou Dolan 2109 Bayshore Blvd., Suite 804
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876 Tampa, FL 33606
(812) 535-5160 (813) 254-8454 or (888) 538-727
elm@smwc.edu roberts@meaning.org
www.smwc.edu www.transformworld.org
Earth Day Network

811 First Avenue, Suite 454
Seattle, WA 98104
(260) 876-2000
earthday@earthday.net
www.earthday.net
Endangered Species Coalition

Allied Voices Workshop for the Religious
Community
Suellen Lowry
suellen@northcoast.com
(707) 826-1948
Environmental Protection Agency United Nations Environment Programme
Energy Star Congregations Earth and Faith: A Book for Reflection and Action
Center for Energy and Environmental Education DC2-803, United Nations
University of Northern Iowa New York, NY 10017
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0293 (212) 963-8210
(319) 273-2573; (800) 288-1346 uneprona@un.org
EPA Energy Star Hotline: 1-888-STAR YES www.unep.org
www.epa.gov/energystar.html
The Wilderness Society
Environmental Protection Agency 1615 M Street, NW
Environmental Justice Programs Washington, DC 20036
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/main/ej/index.html (800) 843-9453
www.wildernesss.org
Global Action Plan
P.O. Box 428 The Wilderness Society
Woodstock, NY 12498 Stories of the Land website
(914) 679-4830 www.tws.org/ethic/stories.shtml
info@GlobalActionPlan.org
www.GlobalActionPlan.org World Resources Institute
EcoStewards newsletter
Soil and Water Stewardship Week 409 Mendicino Avenue, Suite A
National Association of Conservation Districts Santa Rosa, CA 95401
P.O. Box 855 (707) 573-3160
League City, TX 77574 wsi@ecostewards.org
(800) 825-5547 ext.28 www.ecostewards.org
www.nacdnet.org/pubatt/stewardship/index.htm
World Wildlife Fund and Alliance of Religions and
National Wildlife Federation Conservation
Backyard Habitat and NatureLink Programs Sacred Gifts for a Living Planet
Education Outreach Department www.panda.org/livingplanet/sacred_gifts
8925 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22184
(703) 790-4483
www.nwf.org
Union of Concerned Scientists

Keeping the Earth video and discussion guide
Two Brattle Square
P.O. Box 9105
Cambridge, MA 02238
(617) 547-5552
www.uscusa.org
Publications Comprehensive Web Sites
EarthLight: Magazine of Spiritual Ecology Adherents.com – Religious and Church Statistics

Lauren de Boer, editor www.adherents.com
111 Fairmount Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611 American Religion Data Archive
(510) 451-4926 www.thearda.com
www.earthlight.org
Beliefnet: The Source for Spirituality, Religion,
Orion: People and Nature and Morality
195 Main Street www.beliefnet.com
Great Barrington, MA 01230
(413) 528-4422 or (888) 909-6588 Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature
www.orionsociety.org www.ReligionandNature.com
(Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, edited by
Orion Afield: Working for Nature and Community Bron Taylor and Jeffrey Kaplan, is to be
195 Main Street published in 2003 by Continuum International)
Great Barrington, MA 01230
(413) 528-4422 Harvard Pluralism Project
www.orionsociety.org www.fas.harvard.edu~pluralsm
Science & Spirit: Connecting Science, Religion and Ethics Newsweekly

Religion, and Life www.pbs.org/wnet/relgionandethics
Jennifer Derryberry, editor
P.O. Box 269 Web of Creation
Geneva, IL 60134 www.webofcreation.org
(630) 208-7255
editor@science-spirit.org
www.science-spirit.org
Worldviews: Environment, Culture, Religion

Brill Academic Publishers
112 Water Street, Suite 400
Boston, MA 02109
(800) 962-4406
YES! The Magazine of Positive Futures

P.O. Box 10818
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(800) 937-4451
yes@futurenet.org
www.yesmagazine.org
Catholic Retreat and Education Centers EarthLinks
Betty Ann Jaster, OP and Cathy Mueller, SL
These are just a few retreat centers in the U.S. that 623 Fox Street, Suite 101
offer celebrations for the earth, host environmental Denver, CO 80204
education programs, and model sustainable land (303) 389-0085
use practices. Genesis Farm and Saint Mary of the Connect@EarthLinks-Colorado.org
Woods offer academic programs in Earth Literacy. www.EarthLinks-Colorado.org
Sisters of Earth is a networking organization of
women involved with earth spirituality, many of An experiential earth education organization that
whom have started ecology programs and centers. reaches out to inner city residents with garden pro-
grams, nature hikes, local journeys and regional
Benedictine Sisters, Monastery of St. Gertrude explorations.
Sister Carol Ann Wassmuth, OSB
HC 3 Box 121
Cottonwood, ID 83522-9408 Ecozoic Monastery
(208) 962-3224 Sister Gail Worcelo
P.O. Box 146
Promotes responsible stewardship through forest Weston, VT 05161
stewardship, environmental education, and sustain- srgail@together.net
able living.
Is in the process of designing a monastery that will
include earth liturgy and celebrations, a chapel made
The Bridge-Between of natural materials that will include the Universe
Earth Friendly Garden Story and the Christian story in its design, vegetarian
4471 Flaherty Lane food, and community supported agriculture.
Denmark, WI 54208
bridgebetween@itol.com
EverGreen
Sinsinawa Dominican ministry that practices land Sister Barbara O’Donnell, HM
stewardship and certified organic gardening. P.O. Box 206
Villa Maria, PA 16155-0206
(724) 964-8920 ext. 3350
Crown Point Ecology Center BODonnell@humilityofmary.org
P.O. Box 484
3220 Ira Road Conducts celebrations of the Universe Story, educa-
Bath, Ohio 44210 tion on sustainability and simple living, and advo-
(330) 668-8992 cacy for the health of the Earth and humanity.
cptfarm@aol.com
Offers programs in science, faith and ecology, youth Franciscan Earth Literacy Center
education, and organic gardening and farming. 194 St. Francis Avenue
Tiffin, OH 44883
(419) 448-7485
earthliteracy@tiffinohio.com
A model program for practicing Earth Literacy that

includes a master plan that addresses spirituality,
natural resources, organic farming, wildlife preser- La Casa de Maria
vation, waste and water resources, energy and 800 El Bosque Road
transportation issues. Santa Barbara, CA 93108
(805) 969-5031
Fax: (805) 969-2759
Franciscan Sisters of Allegany
St. Elizabeth Motherhouse Interfaith retreat center with certified organic
115 East Main Street orchards.
Allegany, NY 14706
(716) 373-0200
Marianist Environmental Education Center
Supports a Community Supported Agriculture proj- 4435 East Patterson Road
ect that employs biodynamic and organic farming Dayton, Ohio 45430-1095
practices. (937) 429-3582
Fax: (937) 429-3195
meec@udayton.edu
Genesis Farm
Sister Miriam McGillis Sponsors research and ecological restoration proj-
41A Silver Lake Road ects, awareness programs and presentations, and
Blairstown, NJ 07825 skills development to promote the preservation,
(908) 362-6735 restoration and enhancement of our landscapes,
(Tuesday - Friday, 1:30pm - 5:00pm) and their life sustaining systems.
www.globaleduc.org/genfarm
A Dominican retreat center that models Earth Michaela Farm

Literacy in practice—includes sustainable housing, P.O. Box 100
a Community Supported Agriculture project, Oldenburg, IN 47036
organic farming, and a 12-week graduate certificate (812) 933-0661
program. michaelafarm@seidata.com
Serves as a center for organic food production

IMAGO through a Community Supported Agriculture
3208 Warsaw Avenue project, hosts environmental education workshops
Cincinnati, OH 45205 in permaculture and sustainable building practices,
(513) 921-5124 etc., and is a center for spiritual renewal.
www.imagoearth.com
Sponsors workshops and seminars, and is develop- Prairiewoods: Franciscan Spirituality Center
ing a model for sustainable urban living. 120 East Boyson Road
Hiawatha, IA 52233-1206
(319) 395-6700
Fax: (319) 395-6703
Invites people of all faiths to experience the beauty

and healing of the woods and prairie.
Saint Benedict Center Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
4200 County Highway M Sister Mary Lou Dolan
Middleton, Wisconsin 53562-2317 Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
(608) 836-1631 (812) 535-5160
info@sbcenter.org elm@smwc.edu
www.sbcenter.org www.smwc.edu
Benedictine center with nature trails, wetlands and Offers a Master of Arts degree in Earth Literacy.
prairie restoration projects, and ongoing discussions
in ecospirituality.
Shepherd’s Corner
877 N. Waggoner Rd.
Saint John’s Arboretum Blacklick, OH 43004-9505
John Geissler shepcorner@juno.com
New Science Hall 106
Saint John's University Serves as a place for connection with the natural
Collegeville, MN 56321 environment, self, humans, and the Creator who
(320) 363-3133 made them all.
jgeissler@csbsju.edu
Benedictine site that preserves native plant and Sisters of Earth

wildlife communities, models practices of sustain- Sister Kathy Erard
able land use that provides opportunities for educa- 707 East Sienna Heights Drive, Apt. 16
tion and research, and makes accessible a natural Adrain, MI 49221
environment which invites spiritual renewal. (517) 263-1376
kerard@tc3net.com
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods A networking organization that began in 1993,

White Violet Center for Eco-Justice Sisters of Earth now has over 200 members, women
Sister Ann Sullivan, Director who are involved in earth spirituality and many
1 Sisters of Providence who have started ecology centers and programs.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
(812) 535-3131 ext. 525
wvc@spsmw.org
www.spsmw.org
The White Violet Center for Eco-Justice offers

Earth Literacy education in the preservation,
restoration and reverent use of all natural resources
through organic agriculture practices, beekeeping,
Community Supported Agriculture, wetlands
restoration, eco-justice education programs, and
social advocacy.
(608) 250-9876
(608) 257-3513 fax

Building Partnerships With The Faith Community: A Resource Guide For Environmental Groups

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T H E B I O D I V E R S I T Y P R O J E C T

The Biodiversity Project

The Biodiversity Project is a unique public education strategy project. We

Our mission is to advocate for biodiversity through designing and implement-

Our work is focused on three strategies:

• Develop the strategy and resources to implement an integrated outreach

• Integrate biodiversity messages into ongoing outreach campaigns in the field

Written for The Biodiversity Project

Revisions by Marian Farrior and Suellen Lowry

Coordinator: Marian Farrior

The Biodiversity Project

Printed on recycled paper

Marian Farrior, Coordinator

Cassandra Carmichael, Copy Editor

Beverly Fowler, O.P., Research Assistant

And thanks to our text reviewers and contributors:

Building Partnerships with the Faith Community:

I. The Value of Partnerships Between the Environmental and the Religious

II. Outreach Approaches and Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

III. Types of Activities for Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

IV. Introduction to Aspects of the U.S. Organized

VI. Hebrew and Christian Scripture Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

VII. Excerpts from Additional Religious Traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

I. Ten Hot Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

II. Summary of Some Key “How To” Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

About This Resource Guide

Each of us comes to this dialogue from a different perspective; each brings

Building Partnerships mental groups”: The

I. The Value of Partnerships Between the Environmental and

A. The Religious Presence Has Always Been There

C. Policy Makers Are Inclined to Listen to the Religious Community Voice

The diversity and

Every shape and form,

The attraction, the

The fascination that

With awe and

Rev. Daniel Martin 19

II. Outreach Approaches and Tone

If you are part of the environmental community, remember that it is entirely

A. Services the Environmental Community Can Offer

5. Church and State Guidelines

2. Some Internal Concerns of Clergy and Lay Members

c. It is important to understand the current pressures with which clergy and

3. Communication—How to Engage in Dialogue • Make sure the tone

c. Deliver your message without appearing to be “putting down” your opponents

d. Do not seek to communicate only with clergy. Influential religious community

4. Communication—What to Talk About and Avoid Discussing

g. Do not invoke scripture or theology unless you have a theological background

5. Work with Individuals, One Step at a Time

C. Finding Religious Community Partners

1. Religious Community Partners within Secular Groups

2. Finding People Within Denominations and Organizations • Reading the

c. Look up the denomination on the web (see Profiles of Faith-Based

Among our shared

From the Green Group

III. Types of Activities for Partnerships

3. Religious Community Publications

When you facilitate conversations and dialogue between your environmental

Examples of organizations who engage in long-term dialogues:

D. Reaching Others in the Religious Community

E. Place-Based Projects and Programs

Place-based projects are the result of grassroots organizing by religious groups