"Green Church" Shouldn't Be Oxymoron
For several weeks this year, I was in several different settings where the classic hymn “Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation” was performed.
With all the talk today about our environment and becoming “green,” I realized the often-missed connection between our environment and the Creator God in which I give my praise. Sadly, I have not heard much about being “green” in my local church. Weren’t we called to be stewards (caretakers) of God’s creation?
Just the idea of global warming seems to polarize many Christians. Whether you believe Al Gore or not, you have to admit these issues are on the minds of the world and are creating increased anxiety and fear.
I found it interesting to poll my Christian college students on what they worry about. One of their top answers was the weather and natural disasters. Yet, it is an alarming reality that many Christians are not even interested in or willing to investigate the issue. All too often, environmental subjects are dismissed as mere political spin.
On his blog, Nathan Davis mentions two important points that I believe Christians need to address:
• Evangelicals have a traditional, deeply rooted affiliation with right-wing politics, which in the past has disputed the validity of environmental concerns. Under this influence, they parrot statements fed to them that dismiss or minimize any danger we may face.
• Many are affected adversely by their belief that the world will one day fall into destruction and be done away with by God and that the world will waste away under his judgment.
This belief, of course, can contribute to a careless attitude toward the earth due to the impending doom already set before it. The church is suffering for having such views, whether political or religious.
Along with Davis, I see these views leaving the church insensitive, selfish and even hateful. The church is often considered to be turning a deaf ear to what many believe to be a moral issue. Are not moral issues to be addressed by the church? And even more, do we not care how the church is seen by the world?
Since its beginning, the Christian church has been about helping people know Jesus Christ. Part of that process is for them to interact with Christians like you and me. If they don’t trust us, how will they ever put their trust in Jesus Christ?
As a Christian who is striving to be more “green,” I believe many of our attitudes and responses to environmental issues are damaging our effectiveness and even inciting negative stories about us and our motives.
On his blog, Davis includes three points that I believe the church must consider before it concludes that it wants to be non-environmental:
• Our indifference is being viewed as immoral, insensitive and selfish by the majority of the people in our nation.
• Our indifference is communicating to outsiders we don’t care about the condition of the earth our children and grandchildren will inherit.
• Our indifference and inaction is being perceived as wastefulness, destructiveness, greed and violence against nature (creation) and therefore paints the picture of hypocrisy for those who claim a love for the Creator.
This may not be the reality, but this is the perception of those who see this as a concern. Just maybe, by becoming a bit more concerned and embracing a “greener” lifestyle, the church may enhance how it praises the Lord almighty, the king of creation.
With all the talk today about our environment and becoming “green,” I realized the often-missed connection between our environment and the Creator God in which I give my praise. Sadly, I have not heard much about being “green” in my local church. Weren’t we called to be stewards (caretakers) of God’s creation?Just the idea of global warming seems to polarize many Christians. Whether you believe Al Gore or not, you have to admit these issues are on the minds of the world and are creating increased anxiety and fear.
I found it interesting to poll my Christian college students on what they worry about. One of their top answers was the weather and natural disasters. Yet, it is an alarming reality that many Christians are not even interested in or willing to investigate the issue. All too often, environmental subjects are dismissed as mere political spin.
On his blog, Nathan Davis mentions two important points that I believe Christians need to address:
• Evangelicals have a traditional, deeply rooted affiliation with right-wing politics, which in the past has disputed the validity of environmental concerns. Under this influence, they parrot statements fed to them that dismiss or minimize any danger we may face.
• Many are affected adversely by their belief that the world will one day fall into destruction and be done away with by God and that the world will waste away under his judgment.
This belief, of course, can contribute to a careless attitude toward the earth due to the impending doom already set before it. The church is suffering for having such views, whether political or religious.
Along with Davis, I see these views leaving the church insensitive, selfish and even hateful. The church is often considered to be turning a deaf ear to what many believe to be a moral issue. Are not moral issues to be addressed by the church? And even more, do we not care how the church is seen by the world?
Since its beginning, the Christian church has been about helping people know Jesus Christ. Part of that process is for them to interact with Christians like you and me. If they don’t trust us, how will they ever put their trust in Jesus Christ?
As a Christian who is striving to be more “green,” I believe many of our attitudes and responses to environmental issues are damaging our effectiveness and even inciting negative stories about us and our motives.
On his blog, Davis includes three points that I believe the church must consider before it concludes that it wants to be non-environmental:
• Our indifference is being viewed as immoral, insensitive and selfish by the majority of the people in our nation.
• Our indifference is communicating to outsiders we don’t care about the condition of the earth our children and grandchildren will inherit.
• Our indifference and inaction is being perceived as wastefulness, destructiveness, greed and violence against nature (creation) and therefore paints the picture of hypocrisy for those who claim a love for the Creator.
This may not be the reality, but this is the perception of those who see this as a concern. Just maybe, by becoming a bit more concerned and embracing a “greener” lifestyle, the church may enhance how it praises the Lord almighty, the king of creation.
First appeared in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, November 15, 2008
Robert S. Henry
Robert S. Henry
Comments
Post a Comment