09/25/06 Christianity and the Environment

It has always frustrated me that Christians typically haven't taken an active role in protecting the environment. The bible teaches that God gave man dominion over nature then plopped man in a garden, not the woods, or a savannah so obviously He expected man to cultivate and care for creation. Of course we made a mess of things, for it seems we revel in the dominion aspect but recoil when it comes to responsibility. Thankfully the tide is changing, churches like the Vineyard Christian Fellowship, pastors like Rick Warren and groups like the Evangelical Environmental Network are urging their organizations to incorporate a passion for the natural world into active Christianity. The Vineyard Christian Fellowship church in Boise has been in the spotlight recently for their recycling programs, noxious weed irradiation and trail preserving campaigns. In unpredicted move a Sierra Club representative was invited to speak at their event. While it is doubtful that most mainstream protestants will ever call themselves environmentalists for fear of being "radical," in the coming years pro-life could take on a new meaning in regards to the environment.