Christian Stewardship

Tuesday, 4:54 pm

By Kate

Long ago and far away, I attended an evangelical Christian college called Houghton College. While our theology has diverged on several critical points, I still have a tremendous respect for the institution and what they teach. When the college president and one of my former professors endorse something, I take note.

It is an endorsement that suggests a mainstream evangelical position. Which is to be differentiated from a number of the radical Christianist positions which I emphatically do not think are Christ centered or rational.

Recently I discovered that President Daniel Chamberlain and Professor John Leax became signatories to An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation, sponsored, in part, by the Evangelical Environmental Network and Creation Care Magazine.

This is, I believe, worthy of note. In this day and age when people like Frist and DeLay can’t think of enough ways to vote against the interests of the environment and all the people who are influenced by them— or find enough ways to drive a wedge between Christians of their persuasion and ‘others’, I am extremely pleased to find, within the Evangelical Environmental Network’s Evangelical Declaration, this:

We call upon Christians to listen to and work with all those who are concerned about the healing of creation, with an eagerness both to learn from them and also to share with them our conviction that the God whom all people sense in creation (Acts 17:27) is known fully only in the Word made flesh in Christ the living God who made and sustains all things.

Think about that one. No wedge issue. No us vs. them. Rather, let’s pull together and we can each learn from the other. We don’t discount knowledge because the person does not agree with our spiritual view.

What a breath of fresh air.

Even more so that they join in lending their voices and concerns to Earth Day 2005, to be celebrated in their various churches, institutes of higher learning, and organizations on April 24—the closet Sunday to earth Day which falls on April 22. Called Creation Sunday the call begins by saying:

Creation Sunday is a unique part of our ministry intended to help churches and individuals develop an understanding of the Christian joy and responsibility of caring for Christ’s creation.

Over the past several decades many churches have begun to celebrate the gift of God’s creation on the Sunday that falls closest to Earth Day, which is always on April 22. This once a year emphasis we call Creation Sunday. We encourage churches to celebrate Creation Sunday when it best suits their circumstances. (For 2005 we are suggesting April 24.)

You know, I don’t care what they call it. That doesn’t matter. The substance of what they are doing does matter. This is positive news that cheers me enormously.

There is some very interesting reading on the Evangelical Environmental Network’s website. I’d recommend it to Christians and non-Christians, alike. Also look at the list of signatories supporting the Evangelical Environmental Network. There are some surprises there.

This is the way things can be, should be. I am encouraged.