In The Beginning: Creation Appreciation #6

Due to a week at camp and a week at the beach, I've fallen behind on my posts about our Sunday morning class on creation care theology. Let me return to our discussion from a couple of weeks ago.

In this lesson we examined some data to consider the state of God's creation. These slides are pretty self-explanatory.






Granted, this data is only recent data when considering the history of the earth. Some of this data shows only minimal, almost expected fluctuations in our environment (although the amount of deforestation is shocking to me).

Still, when we know that 9,000 square miles of the Amazon rain forest disappears each year, and when we have data that suggests that humans are having a radical affect on their world, as Christians, we ought to take notice and speak out on behalf of God's creation.

Consider these short videos:
This is a brief overview of global warming from National Geographic.


Here is the perspective of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which provides climate data to the UN.


Finally, here is an ad for what looks like an interesting series on ABC that imagines what the world might be like in the future.

Just gloom and doom politics? Maybe. Scientists definitely differ on their estimates about the future of our world. As this topic is debated and discussed throughout the world, it's important for Christians to have a voice. It's an issue of justice, of loving one's neighbors and future generations, and of honoring God's creation.

We sometimes limit the parable of the steward to discussions of money, talents, or spiritual gifts. Doesn't stewardship apply to all the blessings with which the Master entrusts us?

How are we doing as stewards?