Biodiversity 101Biodiversity 101

What is it?What is it?

Variety of lifeVariety of life Safety NetSafety Net God-givenGod-given BeautifulBeautiful

The Bean QuestionThe Bean Question

Coral Reefs in Coral Reefs in TroubleTrouble

Corals rely on algae Corals rely on algae for color and energyfor color and energy

Stressed corals drop Stressed corals drop their algae and their algae and “bleach”“bleach”

Bleached corals dieBleached corals die Different kinds of Different kinds of

algae can tolerate algae can tolerate different different temperaturestemperatures

Bleached ReefBleached Reef

Friendly BacteriaFriendly Bacteria

God’s Good CreationGod’s Good Creation

The value of biodiversity is apparent in The value of biodiversity is apparent in the Biblethe Bible The creation storyThe creation story Noah’s arkNoah’s ark Job’s theophany (Job talks with God)Job’s theophany (Job talks with God)

Let us remember Let us remember whosewhose creation it is creation it is

And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures . . .

. . . And let birds fly across the dome of the sky . . .

Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind

H. I. P. P. O.H. I. P. P. O.

HHabitat Lossabitat Loss IInvasive Speciesnvasive Species PPollution (COollution (CO22))

PPopulation Growthopulation Growth OOver-harvestingver-harvesting

I Corinthians, 12:14-25I Corinthians, 12:14-25

““Indeed, the body does not consist of one Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, member but of many. If the foot would say, ‘because I am not a hand, I do not belong to ‘because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body . . . The members of the body part of the body . . . The members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable . . . that seem to be weaker are indispensable . . . If one member suffers, all suffer together with If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”together with it.”

Bible StudyBible Study

Genesis 1Genesis 1 Genesis 6:17-22Genesis 6:17-22 Job 38:39-39:30Job 38:39-39:30 Romans 8:19-23Romans 8:19-23

What is God’s What is God’s relationship to relationship to creation?creation?

What is our What is our relationship to relationship to creation? To God?creation? To God?

What kind of hope What kind of hope does this passage does this passage inspire in you?inspire in you?