From Alternet, an essay by Dr. Matthew Sleeth, "a former emergency room doctor who now helps lead the eco-evangelism movement from his home in Monroe, N.H," that takes a look at some of the hard questions facing an environmentalist-evangelical partnership, as well as areas that we can find some common ground. Dr. Sleeth's telling of his own story demonstrates a truly inspiring example of choosing to live according to one's calling.
One thing that strikes me that I don't think I've seen discussed: the environmental movement could really score some points with evangelicals and conservatives in general by highlighting the notion of self-reliance inherent in much environmental activism. We Americans love to think of ourselves as self-reliant and pioneering, and practices such as small-scale energy production and local food and economies could sell well among our more conservative brethren. Of course, I still agree with John Laumer's idea that we really have to take some time to get to know these folks and their concerns and desires. This partnership certainly isn't a done deal, but we definitely need to think about how to negotiate with these folks rather than expecting them to accept all of our positions now that some of them are "coming around." We might even learn something...
Technorati tags: environmentalism, evangelism
For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care at Powells.com
