Uniting people of faith in common prayer

"The earth is the Lord's, and all that is in it." (Psalm 24:1)

The delicate ecology of the earth is being strained in new ways.

Global warming. Deforestation. Ozone holes. Pollution. Daily, environmental threats increase in severity and number. Human civilization bears the responsibility for many of these dangers, and human civilization must bear the burden of responding to them. And because our cultures are dependent in numerous ways on our natural habitat, societal and economic stability is intrinsically linked to environmental stability. Tragically, not only do ecological disasters threaten the beautiful systems with which God has blessed us, but they also impact humanity, particularly (and disproportionately) the poor and the marginalized.

Christian theology teaches that humanity has a responsibility to the earth. Genesis 1:28 enshrines in Scripture the obligation of humankind to preserve and care for, rather than exploit and destroy, the environment. For some, this entails merely the theological counterpart of political environmentalism; for others, it necessitates a religiously-intense ethic of Creation Care. For all Christians, it must be a priority, and it is priority that is shared with people of faith around the world.

The Environmental Issues Group of the SGPI distributes information on environmental issues around the world. With relevant knowledge in hand, Christians and others are empowered to seek God's guidance and wisdom in confronting the ecological and environmental problems that face us like never before. We pray for a broader acknowledgment of humankind's responsibilities among people of faith; we pray that the wisdom of God will guide our actions as we pursue our goals; and we pray for the ability to appreciate anew the majesty of God's creation, that our actions might live out an ethic informed by a sense of wonder at the "heavens that declare the glory of God."

The "Environmental Issues" group is coordinated by Rich Warden. If you are interested in being involved with this group, please fill out the general SGPI sign-up form, or email Rich at prosper772@comcast.net