BioLogos is always a good source for information from scientists about God’s creation. A couple of articles we have noted recently:

If you have struggled with jet lag (many Pollinator readers have!), you might appreciate learning more about the different ways that God has embedded clocks within his creation.

Or how about a little microscopic weirdness? “There might not be spinning planets and singing blackholes in the microscopic world, but there are spinning atoms, dancing and singing molecules, and microbes with comet tails that zoom around. If you ask me this is just as exciting and spectacular as the grandeur of the cosmos…” Check out Seven Wonders of the Microcosm.

Or in a different direction, but just as important, the podcast series Creation Groans | World of Wounds. Here’s the description:

How should we respond to a problem that seems unsolvable? This is the question we ask in a series about the environmental crisis as we explore the fine line between hope and despair. In this episode we explore some of the wounds to the planet that often go unseen and we realize that the path to hope begins with the acknowledgement that the wounds are deep and troubling. 

The National Association of Evangelicals (the US affiliate of the World Evangelical Alliance) has just reissued it’s Loving the Least of These report (click here for a free download). Authored by Dr. Dorothy Boorse of Gordon College, a longtime friend of the LWCCN, who also wrote the first edition more than a decade ago.

The theology and science in this document are impressive, but even more so the case-study sidebars. This should be a useful resource for anyone preparing a talk on this topic, or to share with others who are not yet quite convinced that climate change and creation care are indeed central to the Christian faith.

The update has received a surprising (and welcome!) amount of media attention:

This from the Washington Post:

The National Association of Evangelicals has unveiled a sweeping report on global climate change, laying out what its authors call the “biblical basis” for environmental activism to help spur fellow evangelicals to address the planetary crisis.

“Creation, although groaning under the fall, is still intended to bless us. However, for too many in this world, the beach isn’t about sunscreen and bodysurfing but is a daily reminder of rising tides and failed fishing,” reads the report’s introduction, penned by NAE President Walter Kim. “Instead of a gulp of fresh air from a lush forest, too many children take a deep breath only to gasp with the toxic air that has irritated their lungs.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/08/30/evangelicals-climate-change-bible/

And from The Hill:

The National Association of Evangelicals (NEA) called climate action a Christian responsibility in a 50-page report this week, a call to action for a demographic far less likely than the general population to consider climate change a threat. 

The NAE’s report, “Loving the Least of These,” addresses the scientific evidence for the reality of climate change and the role of greenhouse gas emissions in driving it, as well as examining and debunking common arguments against the objectivity of climatologists. 

The report goes on to address the issue from a theological and personal perspective, outlining biblical arguments for environmental stewardship.  

https://thehill.com/policy/3621459-major-evangelical-organization-says-christianity-demands-climate-action/

The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration of prayer and action for our common home. Together, the ecumenical family around the world unites to pray and protect God’s creation.

The season starts 1 September (this week!), the World Day of Prayer for the Care of
Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.

Check out the video below and click over to the Season of Creation website, where you’ll find a host of resources, a list of events around the world (and a form to register your own event).

Season of Creation was started by our friends in the Orthodox churches a number of years ago, then picked up by Pope Francis and a number of protestant churches and denominations. We don’t see why they should have all the fun. This is a great opportunity for evangelical congregations around the world to remind our own people of the beauty – and fragility – of God’s creation, as well as to reach out to our brothers and sisters in other faith traditions in support of what is truly “our common home”.

And we thought – why should churches in Indian have all the fun? What about the rest of the world? Here’s Kuki’s message, with resources linked below. We’re not sure how many of you can use the Hindi versions, but you might find the English helpful. If you’d like to communicate with Kuki, send us a note at creationcare@lausanne.org and we’ll send it on to her:

We are facing the destruction of the environment and loss of biodiversity like never before – destruction of land and forests, increase in pollution, the climate crisis, and overuse of natural resources. The resources and natural systems that we depend on are starting to collapse. Pandemics, like the current COVID-19 crisis, will threaten us more frequently if biodiversity loss is not slowed. It is more urgent than ever to restore damage to creation. 

It is that time of year when we observe one Sunday in the month of June as Eco-Sunday. The theme for this year is “LIVING IN PEACE WITH NATURE”. When God created the world he placed human beings in a garden – which had all that was needed for sustainable living – a storehouse of all the needs, a beautiful place where all creation lived in harmony.

We invite you to join us this year to focus on Nature – how can we as Christians take care of God’s beautiful creation and all that live on this planet. We hope the package we have prepared will open our eyes and help us to think deeper on this. Due to the restrictions of the lockdown we are also aware that churches will not be able to meet together. Also unlike previous years we are not able to print the package – which in many ways also helps in preserving forests as we use less paper. Please use these resources as appropriate for your congregation or group. 

Check the following materials (poster, booklet, sample sermon, feedback form). We’ve left out the Hindi versions, but if you want those, just ask!

Most of us who have been involved in missions are familiar with Community Health Evangelism. They have just produced a comprehensive and free Corona Virus Disease teaching manual.

From the Introduction:

This manual is written for families, churches and CHE workers in communities impacted by coronavirus disease. The manual teaches ways to prevent coronavirus disease, how to care for people who are sick, and gives ideas for sharing your faith in Christ and overcoming fear and grief.

Check it out and download (free) here. Even if you are not directly involved in caring for Covid victims, someone in your church or community probably is.