it's god's world: christians, care for creation, and global warming

It’s God’s World: Christians, Care for Creation and Global Warming

Contents

Introduction....................................................................................................................................................page 1

Session 1: “And God Saw That It Was Good” ......................................................................................page 2

Session 2: “The Whole Creation Groans”............................................................................................page 4

Session 3: “Standing at the Crossroads” ............................................................................................page 7

Session 4: “Reconciling the World”......................................................................................................page 10

Session 5: “A New Heaven and a New Earth”....................................................................................page 13

This resource, first published in1997 by the National Council of theChurches of Christ in the USA, waswritten by Vera K. White, a ChristianEducator and revised in 2002 bymembers of the Eco-Justice WorkingGroup of the NCCC.

The Eco-Justice working Groupconsists of representatives of twenty-three participating Protestantand Orthodox communions. For moreinformation on the Eco-Justice WorkingGroup go to www.webofcreation.org.The phone numbers are 212-870-2385or 2386. The address is 475 RiversideDrive, New York, NY 10115.

Those who wish suggestions onhow to respond to climate changein their own homes, in congregationsand by joining with others as wellas updates on important federallegislation are urged to join theInterfaith Climate Change Network.Learn more by going on line atwww.protectingcreation.org.

Those using this resource arealso encouraged to order the following:

■ The Global Warming Strategy andInformation Packet contains avariety of materials you can use inyour congregation. Order numberEJ9900. Price $3.00.

■ God’s Creation and GlobalWarming is a 12 minute videotape on the nature of the problemand why people of faith careabout it. It is an excellent supple-ment to this study. Order numberEJ 0017. Price $10.00.

These materials can be orderedfrom Environmental Justice Resources,National Council of Churches, POBox 968, Elkhart, Indiana 46515,800-762-0968.

Scripture quotations are from theNew Revised Standard Version of theBible copyrighted 1989 by the Division ofChristian Education of the NationalCouncil of the Churches of Christ in theUSA and are used with permission.

1It’s God’s World

Introduction

We have been hearing a lotabout threats to the environment.Is this merely the opinion of envi-ronmental fanatics or is our worldfacing real crises?

Often people tune out thewarnings. It’s so confusing. Itcan’t be that bad. It’s a shameother people are trashing theearth, but what does this have todo with me. There are enoughpressing social problems to keepme busy for a lifetime. Whatgood does it do to worry aboutthe environment? The earth is abig place and one person can dovery little.

It is understandable that peo-ple react this way. But Christianscannot ignore the prospect thatthe environment is being serious-ly harmed by our industrial/con-sumer way of life.

Using This Resource

This resource contains five sessions designed to help Christians make some sense of theissues relating to global warming from the perspective of their faith. For each session thereis a suggested format for a one-hour study session. Leaders may want to adapt the study tofit another time frame.

It’s God’s World: Christians, Care for Creation, and Global Warming can be used:

■ by an adult church school class

■ as part of a retreat

■ by an adult Bible study group

■ for a Lenten study

■ as the basis for a sermon series

■ by a women’s group or men’s group

■ for personal study and devotions

■ for an environmental justice group

■ for an ecumenical study group

A chalkboard or newsprint pad will be useful for the leader, and each participant willneed a Bible. Please photocopy the pages of this resource you will need for group study.

■ As Psalm 24 tells us, “the

earth is the Lord’s and all thatis in it.” We are called by Godto treasure and care for theearth as a sacred trust.

■ Jesus instructed us to “love

our neighbor as ourselves.”Harm to the earth bringsharm to people, and we areresponsible for each other’swell being.

■ God requires that we deal

justly with one another.Environmental harm fallsmost heavily on the poor, andwill fall even more heavily onthose yet to be born.

We are only now coming torecognize many of the ways ourindustrial/consumer society isharming the earth and its people.

One of the most challenging isglobal warming: a rise in theearth’s temperature because gasesthat trap heat are being added tothe atmosphere by human activity.

Global warming has beenhard to detect with certainty. Itseffects are delayed. It is irre-versible on a human time scale.Everything on earth will beaffected in ways that cannot beknown until they happen. Theonly way to slow global warmingis to stop adding more heat-trap-ping gases to the atmosphere.This won’t happen unless we allresolve to act together, in our per-sonal lives, in our local communi-ties, and in the global community.


2 It’s God’s World


Session Plan

20 minutes Open with prayer.Introduce yourself. Introduce thetheme of the study, It’s God’sWorld: Christians, Care for Creationand Global Warming, using someinformation from the Introductionon page 1. Describe the theme ofsession 1.

Ask participants to introducethemselves by telling their namesand describing an aspect of God’screation that gives them particu-lar joy. If your group is ecumeni-cal or interfaith, you may askpeople to name their faith com-munity when giving their intro-ductions. If the group is large, theintroductions can be done insmall groups of 5 or 6 peopleeach. Then ask these questions ofthe whole group:

1. How has the natural worldmade you more aware orappreciative of God?

2. How does nature help you tounderstand the character ofGod?

Comment that nature is com-plex and at times seems unpre-dictable to human beings.Destruction can be a part of thenatural world. Then ask the fol-lowing questions:

1. When have you experiencedthe fearsome or destructivequality of nature and how didyou feel?

2. What was your experience ofGod during this situation?

10 minutes Comment thatalthough we know that God iswith us always and in all places,there has been a tradition goingback to biblical times of peoplehaving an experience of God inthe natural world. Remind theparticipants that as people of faith,we understand that the creationhelps us to experience God, butwe do not worship the creation.

Ask :

■ What examples can you name

of biblical characters who haveencountered God within thenatural world? Examples may

include: Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11), John the Baptist (Matthew3:1-6), Moses (Exodus 3:1-6,19:1-6), Hagar (Genesis 16:6-13), Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-15),etc.

If people are not able to sug-gest examples themselves, askvolunteers to look up some of theBible passages.

10 minutes Ask a volunteer toread aloud Genesis 1:1-2:3. Sincethis reading is long, you maychoose to have two readers readalternate verses. Lead a groupdiscussion using the followingquestions:

1. What parts of God’s creationare “good” and what makesthem good?

2. What does this suggest abouthow humans are to treat thecreation?

15 minutes Ask the followingquestions:

1. What qualities are needed forhuman life to flourish?

2. What qualities are needed forthe natural world (plants, ani-mals, land, etc.) to flourish?

Distribute copies of page 3.

Ask a volunteer to readaloud, “What Is Climate and Howis it Shaped?” on page 3. Thenlead a discussion using theQuestions for Discussion.

5 minutes Close by readingPsalm 148 responsively by dividing the group into halvesand have the two groups readalternate verses.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3, Psalm 148

Theme: The earth was lovingly created by God who called it“good.” The creation exists in a delicate balance, suitable to thenurturing of all life. We experience the nature of God throughthe creation.

Materials Needed:■ Bibles

■ newsprint and marker or chalkboard and chalk

■ copies of page 3

Session 1: “And God saw that it was good.”



1. From your reading of Genesis1:1-2:3 and “What Is Climateand How is it Shaped?”whatcan you gather about God’sintentions for the balance ofnature?

2. What is the greenhouse effect?

3. How does God provide for thesurvival of all living species?

4. What do you think happens tothe created world when thisbalance is disrupted?

Questions for discussion

What is Climate and How is it Shaped?

Climate is the sum of all theweather conditions in a certainplace over a period of years. Itincludes all the variations in dailyand seasonal weather, and unusu-al events such as tornadoes,floods or droughts. Climate isshaped by complex interactionsamong many factors. Theseinclude the sun’s energy, the rota-tion of the earth, and conditionsin the atmosphere, the oceans,and on land surfaces. Climateseems to vary from year to year,but over a period of years it isusually quite stable.

The earth’s climate system isdriven by the light and heat of thesun. Warmed by the sun, theearth sends heat back towardspace. The atmosphere containsvery small quantities of carbondioxide (CO2), and even smallerquantities of a few other gases

that absorb some of the earth’sheat that would otherwise escapeinto space. For thousands of yearsthere has been just enough CO2 inthe atmosphere to keep the earthabout 60 degrees F warmer thanit would otherwise be. This heat-trapping feature of CO2 is calledthe greenhouse effect, and it isnecessary for life as we know it.

CO2 has another vital func-tion. It provides carbon neededby plants to make cells throughphotosynthesis. Because of pho-tosynthesis, carbon circulatesover time between the atmos-phere and the biosphere, which ismade up of all living things andthe organic matter they create.Plant growth helps regulate theamount of CO2 in the atmosphere.Plankton in the ocean and forestson land are particularly importantin balancing the carbon cycle.

The carbon cycle is only one ofmany biological cycles that helpcreate stable conditions on theearth so that living communitiescan flourish.

When people hear about cli-mate change, they often thinkabout what’s been happeningwith the weather. But weatherand climate are two different con-cepts. Weather changes constant-ly - by the hour, day, season andyear. Climate changes too. Untilrecently, any climate changes thatoccurred were due to naturalcauses: shifts in the intensity ofthe sun’s rays, the position of theearth in relation to the sun, andthe shape and location of the con-tinents. As climates graduallychange, plant and animal speciesevolve new forms to adapt to newconditions, and the wonders ofGod’s creation continue to unfold.

The atmosphere, containing carbon dioxide (CO2), and other gases, actsas a blanket trapping just enough of the sun’s heat so life can flourish andpermitting the extra heat to escape into space.

Before Industrialization: The Greenhouse effect



Session Plan

5 minutes Open with prayer.Review session 1. Introduce thetheme of session 2.

20 minutes Divide the partici-pants into five small groups.Assign to each small group one ofthe following scripture passages:

■ Genesis 1:27-31

■ Genesis 2:4-9, 15-25

■ Genesis 9:8-17

■ Psalm 24

■ Leviticus 25:1-12

Have each small group meetfor ten minutes, reading its pas-sage aloud and discussingQuestions for Discussion No. 1.

3. How do you think humanbeings have done in their roleas servant-stewards of God’s

creation?

18 minutes Read aloud “HumanCreatures as Part of the Whole ofCreation” on page 6. Read aloudRomans 8:18-25. Use Questionsfor Discussion No. 2 to lead agroup discussion. Pray the uni-son prayer on page 6.

Bring the entire group backtogether, and ask the smallgroups to report on their discus-sions. Then ask the participants:

■ What have you learned

about the role that humanbeings are called to play

within the creation?

17 minutes Distribute copies ofpages 5 and 6. Ask a volunteerto read aloud the article,“Global Warming: the HumanFactor” while others followalong. Ask the group to look atthe two drawings on page 5.Then ask the following ques-tions:

1. What is climate change?

2. How does human activityupset the balance of creation?

Scripture: Genesis 1:27-31, Genesis 2:4-9, 15-25, Genesis 9:8-17,Psalm 24, Leviticus 25:1-12, Romans 8:18-28, Genesis 8:22, Psalm104:27-29, Psalm 74:16-17

Theme: Humans are called to be servant-stewards of creation.Because they have neglected this call, the earth is suffering fromaccelerated climate change that is having harmful effects on manyparts of creation.


■ copies of pages 5 and 6

Session 2 “The whole creation groans”


In 2001, 2500 scientists of theInternational Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC) officially con-firmed what many expected washappening: humans are contribut-ing to rapid climate change due toour expanding numbers and tech-nologies. When automobiles,power plants and industries burnfossil fuels, carbon is added to theatmosphere. Since the middle ofthe last century, the concentrationof CO2 in the atmosphere hasbeen increasing steadily, and theearth has warmed about 1 degreeF. There has also been a rise in sealevel of about 7 inches, and globalprecipitation has been increasing.

The climate change that isnow occurring is different fromearlier episodes of climate changedue to the speed of global warm-ing. Plants and animals may not

be able to adapt to changes thatoccur so quickly. Human activi-ties are also adding other green-house gases to the atmosphere,like methane, nitrogen dioxide,and synthetic chemicals. Thoughthe amount of these other gases ismuch less than CO2, they absorbmore heat than CO2, thus addingsignificantly to the size and com-plexity of the problem.

Scientists are certain that theearth is warming, but there is noway to be certain about the rateor effects of future warming. TheIPCC projects that there will be anincrease in global temperature of3 - 10 degrees F and a rise in sealevel of 10 - 30 inches by 2100.Over land and at higher latitudes,temperatures are apt to increasemore than the global average.Evaporation and precipitation

will increase, creating more fre-

quent and severe heat waves and

heavier storms and floods.

Extreme events will damage

crops and limit the ability of nat-

ural systems to adapt. The distri-

bution of vegetation and wildlife

is already beginning to shift.

With rising temperatures, insects

and rodents that carry diseases

move into new areas. Recent US

outbreaks of dengue fever, malar-

ia, and encephalitis have been

linked to climate change.

Scientists have estimated that

greenhouse gas emissions must

be reduced by at least 60% to sta-

bilize their concentrations in the

atmosphere, and that global

warming and its effects will

become increasingly severe until

emissions are reduced.

Global Warming: The Human Factor

Before Industrialization Today

The atmosphere, containing carbon dioxide, (CO2) andother gases, acts as a blanket trapping much of theneeded warmth provided by the sun and permittingonly some of the sun’s ray’s to escape back to outerspace.

A thicker atmospheric blanket has been created as weadd carbon dioxide (CO2) and other emissions fromautomobiles, power plants and industries which burnfossil fuels. More heat from the sun is being trapped.This is warming the earth and causing climate changes.




Climate change reminds usthat we are frail creatures in aworld of precarious balanceordained and sustained by theCreator. According to the biblicalwitness, God’s creation is bothreliable and fragile. “As long asthe earth endures, seedtime andharvest, cold and heat, summerand winter, day and night, shallnot cease” (Gen. 8:22). But God’screation is reliable only for thereason that God guarantees itsorder. Everything on earth owesits life to God and depends onGod’s faithfulness. “These alllook to you to give them theirfood in due season....Whenyou...take away their breath, theydie and return to their dust” (Ps.104:27-29).

Many biblical passages praiseGod for maintaining and con-stantly renewing the order of cre-ation. “Yours is the day, yoursalso the night; you establishedthe luminaries and the sun, youhave fixed all the bounds of theearth; you made summer andwinter” (Ps. 74:16-17). As humanbeings, we have to respect thisorder if we are to live on earth.When the limits set by God aretransgressed, the fragile balancecan easily be broken. Climatechange drives this lesson home. Itmakes the vulnerability of humanexistence plain and suggests thatwhen humans think of them-selves as masters of creation theyhave taken the course of self-destruction.

Human Creatures as Part of the Whole of Creation

Humans are creatures whoselife flourishes only as they respecttheir connection with the whole.Eating and even breathing remindus of our dependence on thecycles of nature.... With ourunique freedom, however, wetend to forget or deny our contin-uing dependence on the rest ofcreation. The patterns of behaviorand industry that we establish forourselves are often at odds withthe ecological cycles into whichthey need to fit. These cycles havetheir own time scales that we can-not change; particularly importantare the times required for nature’sregenerative processes.

Accelerated climate changedemonstrates dramatically thedisruption that comes whenhuman agency violates naturalprocesses. We human beings havetransgressed the cycles of naturethat provide the framework for allcreated life.

(From, “Human Creatures as Partof the Whole of Creation,” Sign ofPeril, Test of Faith: AcceleratedClimate Change, WCC, 1993, p. 32.)

Questions for Discussion # 1

1. How are human beings calledto treat creation?

2. How have human beings violated creation?

3. According to this reading,what is the hope forhumankind and for creation?

Questions for Discussion # 2

1. What does this scripture passage suggest about therelationship of God to theentire creation?

2. What does it suggest aboutthe relationship of humanbeings to the rest of the creation?

3. What examples from contem-porary life can you give thatshow a proper relationshipbetween human beings andthe creation? What examplescan you give that showhuman abuse of the creation?

Unison Prayer

Creator of the Universe, your creation is too wonderfuland great for our small and finite human minds to compre-hend. We find that the only response to the magnificence ofcreation we can muster is a humble awe. O God help us torealize our smallness in the face of a vast universe. Help usto join in the rest of your creation in singing your praisesto eternity. Amen.



Session Plan

5 minutes Begin with prayer.Review sessions 1 and 2.

Introduce the theme of session 3.

10 minutes Distribute copies ofpages 8 and 9. Read aloud Hosea4:1-3 as participants follow along.Then read verse 3 only and pauseto ask “Why?” Tell the groupthat verse two gives an answer.

Read verse two. Ask “Why?”Explain that verse one contains ananswer. Read aloud verse one.

Read the responsive readingon page 8 as a group. Use theQuestions for Discussion to lead a

group discussion.

10 minutes Ask a volunteer toread aloud the article “ChristianCare for Creation” On page 8.Lead a group discussion usingthe following questions:

1. How do the values of our cul-ture get in the way of caringfor creation?

2. How faithful has the churchbeen in caring for creation?

3. What is the connectionbetween care for creation andpersonal or congregational

spiritual growth?

10 minutes Ask volunteers toread aloud “Global Warming andthe Community of Nations” onpage 9. Ask these questions:

1. What is the responsibility ofwealthy, highly-developednations such as the UnitedStates in responding to climateissues?

2. What responsibility do youthink the church has regardingglobal warming and the com-munity of nations?

20 minutes Read responsivelythe litany on page 9 that is basedon Jeremiah 4. Suggest that one ofthe lessons we can learn from thebook of Jeremiah is that there is atime to complain. Such complain-ing is called lamentation inJeremiah and elsewhere in theBible, and it consists of crying outagainst injustice. Create your ownlamentation in a responsive read-ing format using the followingprocess:

1. Ask participants to tell abouttheir biggest fears or sadnessesconcerning the abuse of cre-ation? Make a list of the ideasoffered on newsprint.

2. Choose one line from Jeremiah4 to repeat as a response.Consider using one of the fol-lowing: “The earth shallmourn” (4:28) or “I looked onthe earth, and lo, it was wasteand void” (4:23) or “I cannotkeep silent” (4:19).

3. Alternate a statement createdfrom the list of concerns men-tioned by the group with theresponse line. Write theresponsive reading on a chalk-board or newsprint. Suggestthat the lament be used as partof a worship service at yourchurch.

5 minutes Read responsively thelament that the group has written.Then read aloud “Declaration ofHope” on page 8.

Biblical background: Hosea 4:1-3, Jeremiah 4, 6:13-16

Theme: Theme: Human greed and misuse of resources areamong the causes of global warming. Christians in the US havespecial responsibilities. People of faith confess their sins againstthe Creator and seek the shalom and healing of God’s creation.



■ copies of pages 8 and 9

Session 3 “Standing at the Crossroads”



Christian Care for Creation

The Christian churchhas been criticized for beingslow to show concern forthe ecological problems fac-ing our world. Yet peopleof faith have a unique rea-son to care about the natur-al world and Christianshave taken the lead in help-ing our society to deal withmany forms of injustice.

Because of our faith, weunderstand that healing theearth is a spiritual issue.The selfishness and greedthat have contributed todamaging the earth alsoseparate us from God andfrom each other. FrederickW. Kreuger, in his book TheLord’s House: A Guide toCreation Careful Management

of Church Facilities, con-cludes that “prayer mustpave the way for any last-ing ecological changes. Wecannot grow in any sub-stantial caring for creationwithout a correspondingincrease in our caring forthe Creator.”

Those of us who live inthe US constitute about 4%of the world population.Our nation produces 21%of the annual global emis-sions, more than any othercountry. As Christians wehave a special responsibili-ty. Let us begin to removethe beam from our own eyeso we can see more clearlyhow to help our neighbors

with the speck in theirs.

We have been guilty of greedand materialism. We have abusedand abandoned the creation thatGod called good. Jeremiah con-demned the people of ancientJudah with these words: “Fromthe least to the greatest of themeveryone is greedy for unjustgain.... They have treated thewound of my people carelessly,saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when thereis no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:13-14)

Yet God’s promises are trueand eternal. God responds tounfaithfulness with these words:“Stand at the crossroads, andlook, and ask for the ancientpaths, where the good way lies;and walk in it, and find rest foryour souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

We are standing at a cross-roads. Let us seek the good wayand find healing for all God’s cre-ation.

Declaration of Hope

Questions for Discussion

1. According to this passage, whatare some results of turning ourbacks on God?

2. What is the relationship betweenfaithfulness to God and the pros-

perity of the creation?

Leader: “The land mourns, and all who livein it languish; together with the wild animalsand the birds of the air, even the fish of thesea are perishing.” (Hosea 4:3) Why do theland and its creatures suffer?

People: “Swearing, lying, and murder, andstealing and adultery break out; bloodshedfollows bloodshed.” (Hosea 4:2)

Leader: But why should such terriblethings occur?

People: “There is no faithfulness or loyalty,and no knowledge of God in the land.”

(Hosea 4:1b)

Responsive reading


Leader: A destroyer of nations has set out;he has gone out from his place to make yourland a waste.

People: Because of this put on sackcloth,lament and wail.

Leader: A hot wind comes from the deserttoward my poor people, not to winnow orcleanse—a wind too strong for that.

People: Woe to us, for we are ruined!

Leader: Your ways and your doings havebrought this upon you. This is your doom;how bitter it is!

People: Disaster overtakes disaster, thewhole land is laid waste.

Litany (from Jeremiah 4)

Leader: I looked on the earth, and lo, it waswaste and void; and to the heavens, and theyhad no light.

People: I looked on the mountains, and lo,they were quaking, and all the hills moved toand fro. I looked, and lo, there was no one atall, and all the birds of the air had fled. Ilooked and lo, the fruitful land was a desert.

Leader: For thus says the Lord: The wholeland shall be a desolation.

People: Because of this the earth shall

mourn.

Global Warming and the Community of Nations

A Framework Convention on ClimateChange was adopted by 160 nations at theRio, Brazil, Earth Summit in 1992. Its sets agoal of reducing greenhouse gas emissionsuntil their concentrations in the atmosphereare stabilized, and provides for annual con-ferences to achieve this goal. TheFramework Convention was signed by for-mer President Bush, and ratified by theSenate in 1993.

The first major agreement under theFrame-work Convention, called the KyotoProtocol, was negotiated in 1997 in Kyoto,Japan. In it each industrialized countryagreed to meet a specific reduction targetby 2012, for a global reduction of 5% below1990 levels. The rules to implement thisagreement were to be negotiated at laterconferences.

In July 2001, in Bonn, Germany, 178nations agreed on rules to implement theKyoto Protocol. This agreement wasreached even though President Bush said

the Protocol was "fatally flawed," and theUS did not participate in the negotiations.Agreements on rules were completed inMarrakech, Morocco, in November, 2001.The Protocol is now ready for ratification.

To take effect, the Protocol must be rati-fied by more half the industrialized nationsthat are responsible for more than 55% ofthe world’s greenhouse pollution. This canhappen without US participation. The U.S.is the only industrialized country not sup-porting the Protocol that ratified theFramework Convention.

The agreements in Bonn and Marrakechsent a strong signal to the global corporatecommunity to begin reducing its green-house pollution. Some US states and cor-porations are setting voluntary reductiontargets. But it will not be possible to reachthe global target of 5% reductions below1990 levels without full US cooperation,since the US is responsible for about 25% ofall greenhouse pollution.




Session Plan

5 minutes As people enter thegathering space, give each one asmall slip of colored paper. Usethe following colors in this ratio(numbers are based on therebeing 20 people in your group.Adjust the numbers proportion-ately depending on the expectedsize of the group):

■ blue: 12 slips

■ pink: 2

■ red: 1

■ green: 2

■ yellow: 3

Do not explain the reason forthe paper slips at this time. Beginwith prayer. Review the first threesessions. Introduce the theme ofsession 4.

10 minutes Ask the followingquestion, listing the responses onnewsprint:

■ What are the natural

resources upon which you

depend during your daily

life?

Choose two resources fromthe list, and ask:

■ How would your life be dif-

ferent if your supply of this

resource were:

• temporarily unavailable,

• permanently depleted,

• more expensive?

20 minutes Prepare in advancea buffet table of snack foods suchas fresh fruit, cookies, cheese,crackers, fresh vegetables with

dip, juice, water, etc. Althoughthere should be choices of food,you do not need large quantities.If you want to simplify the buffet,only the crackers (like Saltines)and water are essential plus onemore desirable treat, such ascookies. You may wish to havethe food covered with a tableclothto conceal it as people enter theroom.

Remove the tablecloth andask the person with the slip of redpaper to come to the buffet tableand fill a plate or napkin withsnacks. Encourage that person totry some of everything even ifhe/she is not hungry. Then invitethat person to take the most com-fortable seat in the room rightnext to the snack table even if youhave to ask someone else tomove.

When that person has fin-ished making selections, removeone item from the table and invitethose with yellow papers to comeup and help themselves and thengo to their seats. (If you have cho-sen to provide a simplified snacktable, do not remove an item atthis time.)

Next, remove everythingexcept the crackers and water,and invite those with greenpapers to come forward and helpthemselves and return to theirseats.

Finally, remove all except afew broken bits of crackers and asmall amount of water and invitethe rest of the group to come up.While they are up, remove theirchairs from the room so that they

will have to sit on the floor.

Scripture: Micah 6:8, Colossians 1:15-20, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Theme: There is injustice in the use and distribution of theworld’s natural resources. God’s plan of redemption is for theentire creation. People of faith are called to be part of God’s ministry of reconciliation and justice.



■ small slips of blue, pink, green, yellow, and red paper

■ snackitemssuchasfreshfruit,cookies,cheese,crackers,freshvegetableswithdip, juice,water,etc. (seeactivitybelow)

■ small plates or napkins

■ tablecloth (optional)

■ Copies of page 12

Session 4 “Reconciling the world”



Explain that the distributionof food at your snack table rough-ly represented the distribution ofmaterial resources including food,water, housing, fuel, and technol-ogy in the world. The person withthe red paper represented the res-idents of the United States andCanada; the yellow-Europe;green-Latin America; blue-Asia;pink-Africa. Write the colors andplace names on the chalkboard ornewsprint.

Ask these questions:

1. How did you feel about thedistribution of food andchairs?

2. What changes do you thinkshould have been made in thedistribution?

Read aloud the article,“Distribution of Resources” onthis page. Ask:

■ What does this inequality of

resources have to do with the

abuses to the environment

which have led to global

warming?

Note: During the simulation game,there may be requests or evendemands that the food be shared moreequally. Allow the participants todiscuss the issue without any inter-ference from the leader until a resolu-tion is reached. Then ask:

1. How did you resolve your dis-agreement?

2. Were you satisfied with the reso-lution? Why or why not?

If this kind of a discussionshould occur, it can be an importantlearning activity, and you probablywill not want to discourage it.However, you may find that yourtime will be limited for the rest of thesession activities.

10 minutes Distribute copies ofpage 12. Ask a volunteer to readaloud the article “Global Warm-ing and the Earth’s Bounty” onpage 12.

Ask the following questions:

■ What issues of injustice are

apt to be caused by global

warming?

■ What national or international

conflicts might result from

these issues?

■ How are Christians called to

respond to the needs of those

who are suffering?

10 minutes Explain that Godhas a plan for the redemption ofall of the creation in Christ Jesus.People of faith have a calling tobe a part of that ministry of rec-onciliation. Have two volunteersread aloud Colossians 1:15-20 and2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Ask the fol-lowing questions:

■ What is the good news for

creation?

■ What is the human role in the

redemption process?

5 minutes Close by reading theunison prayer on page 12.

Distribution of Resources

Food is only one of the resources that is unequally distributedin the world.

Plumbing is a luxury in parts of Mexico City. Human wasteshave contaminated much of the drinking water supplies, spread-ing diseases.

Many people in Africa have to gather scarce firewood eachday in order to cook their family meals on outdoor stoves orcampfires. The deforestation is causing land erosion.

There are people in Calcutta who have spent their entire livesout of doors, never living in a house.

Technology is slow to catch on in many parts of the world.The country of Malawi has no television stations. TVs are expen-sive and hard to come by.

Medical care is unavailable in many places. When available,it may be lacking in sterile equipment and standard medicineswe take for granted.

Bicycles are luxuries in parts of China. People walk whereverthey have to go or, occasionally, use public transportation. Manyhave never ridden in a car.



Global Warming and the Earth’s Bounty

Since 1850, when CO2 levels began toincrease, the human population has grown fromabout 1 billion to 6 billion. During this time,automobiles, airplanes, refrigerators, vaccines,antibiotics , televisions and computers havebecome part of everyday life in the US.

During most of the past century, food pro-duction has increased faster than population dueto irrigation and new technologies, but this is nolonger happening. Yields from ocean fisheriesare now declining. There are water shortages inmany places, and the pollution of water by agri-culture and industry continues. Each year moreforests are cut and more garbage and trash is putin dumps and landfills. These are the circum-stances in which global warming is beginning todisrupt climate.

Higher temperatures cause increased evapo-ration and changing rainfall patterns. Heavierrains contribute to flooding. Inland regions aresubject to more frequent and prolonged droughtwhich affects farming and reduces the waterflow in streams and rivers. As water suppliesdiminish and are used more heavily, theybecome more susceptible to contamination.

The sea level will continue to rise becauseocean water expands as it warms and becauseglaciers are melting. Flooding due to sea level

rise and more severe storms are already havingdisastrous results for thousands of people eachyear, especially in densely populated coastalregions and small island states. A new kind ofrefugee is emerging - the environmentalrefugee. Many of these displaced people willgather in squatter settlements in large cities, plac-ing huge strains on urban infrastructure, andeven on international relations as nations seek toprotect their borders.

Deaths due to heat waves compounded byurban air pollution are increasing. As tempera-tures rise, tropical diseases such as malaria, car-ried by mosquitoes, and cholera, spread by cont-aminated water, are occurring at higher latitudesamong populations with little natural resistance.

Everyone and everything will be affected byglobal warming, but the first victims already arepoorer nations and impoverished people wholack the technical, financial and social resourcesto adapt. In the US, those who are economicallydisadvantaged, especially the elderly and thechildren, will be disproportionately affected byheat waves, storms, floods, and disease. Theissue of global warming is not just a scientificstudy of temperature charts and chemical con-centrations. It’s also a story of God’s childrenfacing homelessness, disease, and starvation.

Unison PrayerO God of heaven and earth, you desire a reconciliation of the

whole creation. We confess that we too often make choices

that separate and destroy. Forgive us our selfish ways. Help

us to seek justice, O God, and to walk humbly beside you as

we seek a life that is more simple and more centered on You.

Help us to join joyfully in your work of bringing new life to a

broken world. Amen.


Session Plan

8 minutes Open with prayer.Review the previous sessions.Introduce the theme of session 5.Read aloud Isaiah 65:17-25 andRevelation 21:1-4.

Comment that God isredeeming and transforming theentire creation. Christians areblessed to be witnesses and par-ticipants in the plan for the trans-forming all of creation.

20 minutes Explain that peopleof faith who become aware of theabuses of God’s creation feelcalled to join in the process ofrestoration and rebuilding.Sometimes, however, Christianscome to this decision reluctantly,fearing that they are being askedto sacrifice the comforts and luxu-ries that the society values.

Distribute copies of pages 14to 17. Ask a volunteer to read

aloud the articles “What Does theLordRequire?” and“RediscoveringChristian Teaching.”

Then divide the group intofive small groups. Read aloud theintroduction of “Be Glad andRejoice” on page 14. Ask each ofthe groups to read one of the sec-tions of the article, “Be Glad andRejoice” on pages 14 and 15. Usethe discussion questions provided.

When the entire group recon-venes, ask each small group totell something about their smallgroup discussion.

Ask the question:

■ What benefits can you see in

making lifestyle changes for

the sake of God’s creation?

20 minutes Divide the groupinto four small groups. Assign toeach group one of the stories toldin “Stories: Making a Difference”

on page 16. Ask each group todiscuss the following questionwhich should be written on thechalkboard or newsprint:

■ What does this story teach

about how congregations or

Christian groups can work to

restore God’s creation, slow

global warming, and promote

justice?

Then have each group reportwhat they have learned to thewhole group.

12 minutes Distribute pencils.Ask participants to read silentlythe article “What Can We Doabout Global Warming?” on page17. After considering prayerfullythe commitments they feel led tomake, have each person writetheir ideas in the first section of“Making a Commitment.” If vol-unteers would like to tell the restof the group what they intend todo, encourage them to do so.

Then discuss actions that youcould take as a congregation orcommunity group in working toheal or restore the creation, andwrite your ideas on the secondpart of “Making a Commitment.”Close by reading aloud Ezekiel37:1-14 and praying the unisonprayer on page 17.

Scripture: Jeremiah 6:16, Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:8-11, Isaiah65:17-25, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Rev. 21:1-4

Theme: God is creating a new heaven and a new earth and callsus to joyful participation in the ministry of redemption and rec-onciliation.

Materials needed:■ Bibles


■ copies of pages 14, 15, 16, 17

■ pencils

Session 5 “A new heaven and a new earth”




“And what does the Lord require of you butto do justice, and to love kindness, and to walkhumbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8) Thosewho love and serve God cannot help feeling con-cern that the effects of global warming will bemost harmful to the most vulnerable of theworld’s people. We cannot help feeling concernthat human activities may destroy much of theexquisite unfolding of God’s creation on earth.

Global warming calls us all to these tasks inour personal lives and as US citizens:

■ to take responsibility in our own choices and

actions before expecting or demanding this

of others;

■ to reduce our use of energy and of things we

don’t really need that require energy to make

and to use;

■ to help those in need improve their quality of

life without using more energy from damag-

ing energy sources;

■ to inform ourselves about public policy relat-

ing to global warming at all levels - local,

regional, national and international.

Some may ask “why should I be making

sacrifices? I worked hard to buy my car and my

house. I take pleasure in new clothes and shoes.

I like steak and having strawberries in February.

Why should I change my lifestyle?”

Our society tells us to seek fulfillment

through material goods. We are urged to find

community in shopping malls and happiness in

our possessions. But if we examine our experi-

ences carefully, they give us a different message

entirely. Lasting fulfillment and joy seldom

comes from acquiring new possessions, but from

pursuing a vision, serving others, sharing time

and experiences with those we love, and discov-

ering God’s presence through the creation. This

understanding is the basis for the suggestions

and questions in this session.

What Does the Lord Require?

Rediscovering Christian Teaching

“The ecological crisis calls into question thevalues of acquisition and material accumulationthat pervade modern technological civilization.Harmony with the created order depends uponan attitude of restraint toward wealth and con-sumption. As we seek to respond to this chal-lenge, we realize that the gospels provideresources which Christians in recent times havelargely neglected.

Jesus invites the disciples to a lifestyle ofsimplicity sufficient for their needs. The beautyand the gifts of creation are for all to enjoy, butJesus warns against becoming slaves of the mate-rial world. This leads to an illusion of securityand inevitably causes injustice.

‘Take heed and guard yourselves from allcovetousness, for a man’s life does not consist in

the abundance of his possessions.’ (Luke 12:15)A simple lifestyle of sufficiency encourages coop-eration and friendship in community, enjoymentof nature, and worship of God. The ascetic tradi-tion has been a self-evident part of Christianteaching for centuries. We may rediscover itsmeaning for today. . . .”

“Technology will be a blessing if it meets themost important needs, serves God’s createdorder, and respects the cycles of nature.Technological development must not be regardedas an end in itself but as an instrument in the ser-vice of life. Climate change confronts us with thetask of rediscovering technology’s servant role.”

(From, “Sign of Peril, Test of Faith: AcceleratedClimate Change,” WCC, 1993, p. 33-34.)



Living a simpler, more God-centered lifestyleshould not be viewed as a sacrifice. Those whomake such changes discover rich rewards. Hereare five ways, with related questions, that livingmore in harmony with the Creator and the cre-ation can enrich life:

1. Living in community. Something is lacking

in our technology-driven consumer culture. Weare rich in material possessions but we pay a bigprice: in stress, isolation, busyness and missedopportunities to experience and celebrate thecreation. Living in community with humankindand otherkind and with God is essential forphysical and spiritual health.

1. What recent experience have you had ofenjoying the presence of family, of friends, ofnatural surroundings?

2. Where do you find the sense of communitythat is so necessary to nurture faith?

3. What lifestyle changes would help you putless emphasis on things and more on experi-ences and relationships?

2. Envisioning a future. Vision is one of God’s

gifts. With vision, we receive the inspiration andguidance to learn and grow, and the confidenceof having something to offer others. “Withoutvision the people perish.”

1. Where to you turn to seek a vision of God’splan for the earth and your offering to fulfillit?

2. How does your vision of God’s plan influenceyour actions?

3. How do you share your vision with others—in your family, church, community?

3. Creating a better world. Technology

has provided innumerable benefits tohumankind. Few of us would want to livewithout modern medicine, transportation, orcommunication. However, technology hasmade inordinate demands upon both natureand human nature.

1. In what ways has technology improved orenhanced your life?

2. In what ways has technology complicatedyour life or made you feel you have become aservant of technology?

3. What “conveniences” could you give up athome, work, or church to reduce energy con-sumption so as to care for the creation? Howcould this be done so as to enhance yourexperiences and relationships?

4. Showing our faith to the world.Christians are called to live joyfully in a wayGod intends, and to show that way to others.Making needed lifestyle changes can be a way ofwitnessing to the joy of our redemption in JesusChrist.

1. How might you initiate or support activitiesin your church, neighborhood, or workplaceto live more in harmony with God’s creation?

2. What witness can Christians make to our larg-er society by taking on more simple and faith-ful lifestyles? How might such changes setyou apart from others in your neighborhoodor workplace?

3. How will what you have learned about globalwarming as a religious issue affect your atten-tion to and involvement with public policy?

5. Honoring the Sabbath. Honoring theSabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. TheBible emphasizes its importance as a gift fromGod for all creation, not just humans. Animals aswell as humans are to rest on the seventh day.Crops are not cultivated, allowing the land torest, during the Sabbath year.

1. Why is the Sabbath essential for all of cre-ation?

2. How do you honor the Sabbath in your ownlife?

3. What happens when individuals and societiesneglect to honor the Sabbath?

Read aloud Genesis 2:2-3 and Exodus 20:8-11.

“Be Glad and Rejoice”



I. The Augustana LutheranChurch Energy ConservationStory

Members of AugustanaLutheran Church in Hyde Park,Illinois, decided that they needed todo more than just discuss their envi-ronmental concerns. They took on amajor project to reduce unnecessaryenergy consumption within theirchurch building. The congregationbegan with a thorough energy auditof the church facilities tomeasure the results in energy andmoney savings.

When the audit showed thatwork was needed in the areas ofheating, lighting, and water con-sumption, the committee proposedreplacing inefficient incandescentbulbs in the sanctuary, outdoors, andin the exit signs with lower wattagehalogen and florescent bulbs. Timerswould also save energy on nighttimeillumination. Although some mem-bers are skeptical when proposedchanges were estimated to cost$3,000, the congregation agreed toauthorize the alterations.

Church members provided asmuch of the labor as possible, build-ing community and deep friend-ships in the process. Following theupgrades, energy consumption hadbeen reduced by 40 percent whichtranslation into a savings of $1,200as compared with expenditures. Thereduction in carbon dioxidereleased into the atmosphere wasthe equivalent of removing ten carsfrom the streets of Chicago.

Dr. Job Ebenezer, the director ofenvironmental stewardship for theEvangelical Lutheran Church said,“If 2,000 congregations made simi-lar renovations, it would be like tak-ing 20,000 cars off the road, and itwould save $2.4 million annually.”

Stories: Making a Difference

II. Dr. Wes Jackson and theLand Institute

Dr. Wes Jackson traded in apromising career in botany at theUniversity of California atSacramento to return to his 28-acrefamily farm near Salina and hisdeep roots in the United MethodistChurch. He and his wife Danaturned the small farm into aresearch center for sustainable agri-culture and land stewardship.

The institute looks to nature asa model for an agriculture that willsave the soil, support a diversity oflife, and rebuild the endangeredrural community. Dr. Jacksonbelieves that modern farming withits accent on monocropping, fossilfuels and chemicals is ‘unnatural.’In the process both soil and humancommunity are destroyed. Heclaims that for every bushel of grainproduced in America today, twobushels of soil are lost. In fact threebillion tons of topsoil are washedand blown away each year in theU.S.

Because of the loss of topsoiland the high cost of agriculture, thesmall family farm has all but disap-peared putting at risk the entirerural way of life that is so much apart of the American tradition.

III. Fowler Camp andConference Center

The Fowler Camp andConference Center of the ReformedChurch in America in New York’sAdirondack Mountains models alifestyle “that is built upon God’scommand that we care and keepGod’s earth. It is also a lifestyle that isjoyful and liberating and creative. Itis a lifestyle of wonder!” according tocamp program director Ken Busman.

The camp helps children gain agreater understanding of their role

in caring for God’s creation. Atmeals children are urged to helpthemselves to only the amount offood that they think they can eat. Atthe end of each meal, the foodscraps are weighed and the totalamount is announced to the wholegroup. A cheer can be heard echoingthrough the dining hall at a particu-larly low number. The weight of dis-cards is posted on a chart each day.

The collected food scraps arethen carried to the compost centerwhere they are mixed with leavesand soil. In eight weeks food scrapshave turned to soil which is thenused for the next summer’s veg-etable garden, illustrating to thecampers the cycle of food to com-post to soil to food again.

IV. Ecumenical Ministries ofOregon

Rapid population growththreatens the quality of life thatattracts many to Portland MetroArea of Oregon. Fortunately, theregion has the means to plan for ajust and sustainable future throughits regional government, Metro, theonly elected regional government inthe nation.

The Interfaith Network forEarth Concerns and other religiousgroups are giving voice to the criti-cal moral issues involved in urbanplanning. Six religious leaders gavetestimony in support of a plan tohelp reverse sprawl and urbandecay which included a proposedlight rail system designed to pro-vide an alternative to heavy vehicu-lar traffic and reduce carbon diox-ide emissions. The leaders’ concernscentered on watershed protection,street designs promoting a sense ofcommunity, and provision ofaffordable housing in all areas ofthe region.



What Can We Do About Global Warming?

As congregations we can...■ Become an Environmental Justice Covenant

Congregation - promising to engage in environ-

mental ministries through worship; teaching

and learning; congregational lifestyle; and com-

munity, national and global involvement.

Covenant Congregations receive periodic mail-

ings from the NCC about caring for creation.

■ Make a commitment to good energy stewardship

in your congregation’s facilities by improving the

efficiency of your building and equipment, and

by curtailing unnecessary energy use. The NCC

offers an Energy Stewardship Guide for

Congregations that suggests steps you can take

and resources for guidance to use less energy.

■ For the Energy Stewardship Guide for

Congregations, see the Web of Creation

(www.webofcreation.org) or call 800-762-0968

and ask for Form EJ 9960. The price is $2.00.

As individuals and families we can...■ Use electricity and water, especially hot water,

only when needed.

■ Use thermostat settings and insulation to con-

serve energy with heating, air conditioning, and

hot water heating.

■ Use a car less and a bike, bus, train or the side-

walk more.

■ Buy the most efficient appliances, lighting

equipent, and cars available.

■ Discover new ways, and rediscover old ways, to

have fun and enjoy God’s creation without using

electricity or fuel.

As US citizens we can...■ Inform ourselves about public policy issues

relating to global warming, which may include

agriculture, defense, economics, energy, taxation,

trade, and transportation.

■ Attend candidate forums and ask questions.

■ Vote.

■ Write letters to industry and government officials.

■ Volunteer time with faith-based and secular citi-

zens’ groups.

As global citizens we can...

■ Remember that God is the God of all creation;

there are no boundaries in the atmosphere.

■ Inform ourselves about negotiations and agree-

ments to reduce greenhouse emissions.

■ Work with people of faith throughout the world

toward strong international agreements and sus-

tainable life-styles for all.

Making a Commitment

1. As a follower of Jesus Christ

within a broken world, I can

2. As members of congregation

, we can

Unison Prayer

Healing God, forgive us that wesee dry bones in the placeswhere you see the full vitalityof life. Help us to rememberthat life comes from you alone.You alone are the Creator ofthe universe; you alone are theSavior of the whole world.Help us to celebrate the visionof life and to tend to the needsof your world. Amen.

it's god's world: christians, care for creation, and global warming

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new earth

global community

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