When the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) decided a few years ago to go green, it wasn't clear to John Davidson how serious the commitment was to theologically based environmentalism.
"Everybody voted for it," he said, "but they didn't know what it was."
If there is any lingering confusion about what it means to live green, worship green and preach a green Bible, it should be cleared up this week when more than 6,000 Disciples gather in Indianapolis for a biennial convention. A key theme is showing what the church can do to help heal the earth. Attendees will get tips on developing community gardens that can feed the poor and help the faithful reconnect to the earth.
Davidson and others will teach how to make church buildings more earth-friendly -- from adding insulation in old chapels to making sure new buildings aren't any bigger than necessary. They will learn about climate change's impact around the globe and will hear, again and again, that the Bible repeatedly makes the case for caring for creation.
"We are kind of circling back to our roots of thrift and using and reusing things," said the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins, general minister and president of the Disciples, which she notes was founded on the American frontier. "Now we understand that it has a kind of ultimate importance as it plays a role in contributing to the health of the planet." more>>
