Some Creation Care Resources

The theme of Antioch New England's final Focus the Nation presentation was looking at climate protection activism through the eyes of Jewish and Christian faith traditions. Below is an online version of the handout I prepared for the event. The first section offers some useful websites on Judaism, Christianity, and environmental activism and the second section offers some relevant quotations from Jewish and Christian scripture.

Some Useful Websites on Environmental Activism and Jewish and Christian Faith

Association for Religion, Ecology, and Society
Coalition for the Environment and Jewish Life
Episcopalian Ecological Network
Evangelical Environmental Network
Forum on Religion and Ecology
Green Faith
Jewish Environmental Perspectives
National Council of Churches’ Eco-Justice Programs
National Religious Partnership for the Environment
Noah Alliance
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation
Restoring Eden
Quaker Earthcare Witness
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for the Earth
US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Environmental Justice Program

Some Relevant Quotations from Jewish and Christian Scripture

Genesis 1:10-25: “God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good. Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good… And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.' So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.' … And God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.' And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”

Psalm. 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."

Psalm 96:1, 11-12: "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth . . . Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy."

Leviticus. 25:24: "'Throughout the land that you hold, you shall provide for the redemption of the land.'"

Isaiah. 55:12-13: "'You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.'"

Hosea 4:1-3: "Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: 'There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying."

Isaiah. 24:5: "The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth."

Jeremiah. 4:18-28: "'Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!'... Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins . . . 'My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.'"

Micah. 6:8: “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?”