Winter A • 2010-2011
The ELCA and the Environment
The ELCA addresses environmental concerns from a
simple platform of caring for creation. As created beings
of God, humans need to care for creation. Humans
are caregivers of the world in which we were created.
Humans are connected to creation through God as
proclaimed by scripture (see, for example, Genesis 1:31,
Psalm 24:1, Psalm 104). God loves creation and as
beloved siblings, creation and humans must love and care
for one another.
When human consumption is the main element of our
relationship to creation, the result is devastating. We
exchange the caring relationship God means for us to
have with creation for a relationship of misuse, depletion
or pollution. The ELCA uses information and education
as the tools with which to repair the relationship of
humans and creation. Through the hope given to us by
God the ELCA seeks information and education that will
result in change as we look forward to transformation in
our relationship with creation.
Staying Informed
Many ELCA congregations list on their Website
connections to good information about the present
crisis areas of interaction between humans and creation.
The information connects congregational members to
organizations that advocate for change, ways to make a
difference individually or communally and statistics in
areas of crisis. Information has three general themes in
ELCA congregations.
◆ A greener earth through changing consumption and
recycling is one theme that congregations adopt. This
shows itself in congregations through fewer, shorter,
reused bulletins, no foam cups or collecting aluminum
cans. By “doing”, congregational members begin to
put in place actions that have measurable results.
◆ Earth honoring is another way that information is
given in the ELCA. Earth honoring emphasizes rituals
and relationships that identify the beauty of nature.
Earth honoring is a way for humans to reinstate their
relationship to food, nature and the cycles of life.
Community gardens that reestablish the connection
between growing and consuming would be one way
earth honoring takes place.
SR-00-WA-10-L-ELCA and the Environment
1
©2010 by Morehouse Education Resources • All rights reserved • www.livingthegoodnews.com • 1-800-242-1918
◆ Advocacy in partnership is embraced by the ELCA
as a way to obtain good information and to act
together responsibly. Environmental coalitions such
as www.saveourenvironment.org, are listed on church
Websites. ELCA members work in these organizations
to pass on information to congregations that result in
advocacy to make change. Acting to make changes in
governmental policy and worldwide relationships is an
important part of creation care.
Education
At the core of the ELCA is the emphasis on education.
The priesthood of all believers calls us to work together
to know more at the congregational level. Creation care
is not something left to Churchwide leadership, but the
responsibility of each individual member of the ELCA
equally. Education is the way this is achieved. Education
about the environment happens at the seminaries,
through Augsburg Publishing and through the National
Church Office.
The Seminary Green Initiative began at Lutheran
School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) with Professor
David Rhoads. The goals are twofold for the Seminary
Green Initiative. First, to educate pastors, at any place
in their call, to the important work of creation care.
Secondly, The Green Initiative believes that the church
has a distinctive place in the reversal of our unhealthy re-
lationship with creation. One way in which the Seminary
Green Initiative helps is through their Website, www.
webofcreation.org, which offers “Ecology Resources to
Transform Faith Communities and Society”.
Augsburg Fortress, the ELCA publishing house, has a
new venue for educating children and families about the
environment. Rather than just talking about environment
through publication, the curriculum ReNew is a green
Vacation Bible School (www.augsburgfortress.org/store/
item.jsp?clsid=204813&productgroupid=0&isbn). ReNew
uses recycled paper and plastics. Materials can be used
multiple years and in multiple ways. The New Testament
story, the Parable of the Sower, teaches through scripture
topics on the environment. Through curriculum, ReNew,
educates children and helps congregations walk the words
of environmental change.
 Winter A • 2010-2011

The ELCA and the Environment

At the national level, the ELCA publishes materials for Summary

Greening congregations through stewardship of the earth
and through retreat. Awakening to God’s Call to Earth-
keeping is a four-session small group study (archive.elca.
org/stewardship/teaching). This study helps participants see
the parallel between good stewardship and earth keeping.
Also offered at the national level are retreats at Outdoor
centers. Ghost ranch in Abiquilu, NM has offerings
covering greening issues such as Envisioning Paradise:
Beauty and Restoration in the Earth Honoring Faith series
(www.ghostranch.org).
The ELCA provides good information and education to
help congregations move toward transformation in caring
for creation. Greening the world, honoring the earth
and advocating for policy changes are all ways the ELCA
works to heal the relationship of humans and earth.
God’s presence brings hope that creation and humans can
one day coexist in harmony.

“God, who made the creation and made it good,

has not abandoned it. Day after day God sustains
life in this world, and the powerful vitality of
God’s creation, though defiled, is not destroyed.
The life-giving power of God's creative goodness
remains at work, even in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Spirit will continue to renew the face of the
earth (Psalm 104:30). All who care for the earth
and work for the restoration of its vitality can be
confident that they are not pursuing a lost cause.
They serve in concert with God’s own creative and
renewing power.”
––The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
“Gulf Coast Oil Spill: Responding to the Challenge” June 28, 2010

©2010 by Morehouse Education Resources • All rights reserved • www.livingthegoodnews.com • 1-800-242-1918