Loving Nature: Is God Green?

James Nash, considered a Christian “ecotheologian,” wrote a book in 1991 called Loving Nature: Ecological Integrity and Christian Responsibility. He was troubled by the way stewardship of nature was becoming equated with practices of dominion and control.

More recently, Brian Borger, of Hearts and Minds book blog, posted a list of readings in “Learning to Love What God Loves: Creation Care and Christian Discipleship,” noting “it should be evident that the Bible teaches what might be called a green theology.”

Does God really love creation? If so, what does that mean?

How did “green” become synonymous with “pagan pantheist”? Or maybe “Godless liberal”?

Should churches be thinking and talking about things like energy usage, divestment of pensions invested in fossil fuel, environmental policy, sustainable food sheds, deforestation?

What did Paul mean in Romans 8 when he spoke of a groaning creation?

How does our eschatology shape our view of ecotheology?

This month we’re inviting bloggers to share posts on Loving Nature: Is God Green?

Feel free to share thoughts from time spent outdoors this summer, or from psalms, books, poems, whatever sets you thinking. This can be as political – or apolitical – as you choose.  And if the questions above are helpful, feel free to consider them. If not, ignore them!

The date of this month’s synchroblog is the third Wednesday of the month, September 18

If you wish to participate, leave a comment below with your name, and the link to your blog post. Please do this by the evening of Tuesday, September 17 to make sure you’re included.

We ask each participant to include an introduction stating that their post is part of the “September Synchroblog – Loving Nature: Is God Green?” (you may want to include a link to this post for a full explanation) and a list of all the participants with their links at the end of your post.  The list of links can be copied and pasted at the end of your post after they are published on this site in a separate post on September 17.

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September 2011 Synchroblog Link List – The Devil Made Me Do It!

Here’s the list of links.  All those participating should add the list to the end of your post.  Thanks for participating and reading!

Next month will be called “Downward Mobility” and will focus on the idea of following Jesus into the low and messy places of people’s experiences.  (If you need a reference check out Down We Go by Kathy Escobar.  You could even write a review of Down We Go for this synchroblog)  There will be a more detailed description out in a few days.

THE LIST:

Jeremy Myers at Till He Comes – The Devil Made Me Go To Church

K.W. Leslie at More Christ – Devilish Misinformation

Marta Layton at Fidesquarens – The Christian Jihad

Sonnie Swenston-Forbes at A Piece Of My Mind – The Devil Made Me Do It

Bill Sahlman at Creative Reflections – The [one who will go unnamed] Made Me Do It 

Kathy Escobar at kathy escobar – the stranger (who’s a little too familiar) & the shepherd

Liz Dyer at Grace Rules – Have You Inhaled Demon Spirits?

Leah Chang at desert spirit’s fire – devils, demons, et al

September 2011 Synchroblog – The Devil Made Me Do It

 

 

 

… what are some weird, whacky or just plain different things you’ve heard taught about Satan as you’ve been a member of this tribe called Christian?  What do you think of those ideas?  How have they shaped your perspective (or not) about Jesus and this tribe?  This month is wide open for being fun or being serious … because this subject could run in many different directions depending on the tradition you come from.  So as you write and as you read, please remember to have grace in abundance for the journey that each has been on.

Join in the September Synchroblog by submitting your name, name of blog, title of post and link in the comment section right here by 6 p.m. EST 9/13/2011. The list of participants will be compiled and posted on 9/14/2011.