Creation Care A Sometimes Inconvenient Mission

1. Creation CareA Sometimes Inconvenient Mission Luke Corwin Christian Graduate Student Alliance The Ohio State University Royer Activity Center – Feb. 16, 2007 All Scripture Quotations from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted

2. Perspective • 1990 February 14 • Voyager 1, 1500mm lens • More than 4,000,000,000 miles from Earth. • “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance” (Isaiah 40:15, KJV) You are here!

3. Outline • The Problem • Scriptural Motivation - From: • Two Prongs • Direct Environmental References • Indirect Effects on your Neighbors • Practical Suggestions

4. Problem: Abuse of Power • Humans wield greater power to damage the land, air and water than we often realize. • Examples • Smog: “Asian Brown Cloud” (UNEP) • Extinction currently at rates unprecedented in the fossil record since the extinction of the dinosaurs. (Baillie et al.; Pimm & Brooks; Morell) • Deforestation and erosion in Madagascar (Hsu & Yee)

5. Scriptural Basis: Direct, OT • “This is God’s world, and any damage that we do to God’s world is an offense against God Himself” (ECI). • Adam was placed “in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15) • “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1) • God’s Land • He commanded a Sabbath for the land every 7 years (Lev. 25:2-7) • Disobedience determined the length of exile (Lev. 26:43; II Chr. 36:21) • God’s Animals • He sent Jonah (grudgingly) to Nineveh out of “pity” for “more than 120,000 persons…and also much cattle” (Jonah 4:11)

6. SB: Direct, NT • “…his beloved Son…is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible …For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:13-20) • “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21)

7. SB: Indirect, Poor you did not do it to me.” – Jesus (Matthew 25:45) “You shall not wrong a sojourner …. You shall not mistreat any widow or father-less child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, (Hsu & Yee) and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you …” (Ex. 22:21-24) “I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, (Keep America Beautiful)

8. SB: Indirect, Neighbors • “…who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29) • All who breathe what comes from your tailpipe. • The population of Bangladesh. • All who depend on endangered plant and animal species. • The victims of the animals displaced by your suburb. • Those downriver/downwind from your power plant, bottling plant, coal mine, oil well, land fill, or paper mill. • All who enjoy the beauty of national parks. • “…applies not just to our neighbors who are living now, but our neighbors who are going to follow after.” – Ed Brown

9. Practical Actions (General) • Pray • Do your homework (bibliography) • Reduce • Reuse • Recycle

10. Practical Action (Specific) I am Jenny. God gave me a fur coat, but I often shiver without this sweater. That tells you where the local bipeds keep the thermostat! • Reduce • Give up gasoline for Lent! • Lower your thermostat. • Do the math: Will an expensive energy efficient product (e.g. good insulation, CF light bulbs, Energy Star) save money? • Advocate for and use bike paths, mass transit (Buck ID). • Duplex printing • Perhaps we could walk to dinner after CGSA tonight • Reuse • Use blank paper as scratch paper (grocery lists, etc.) • Buy rechargeable batteries • Recycle (find and use receptacles in your buildings)