All blog posts
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Preaching Discipleship in a Climate Emergency
Humanity has an extremely short window of time in which we can make a course correction regarding the climate emergency. Preaching discipleship in this time is one of the most critical and effective things that pastors can do to support, encourage, and challenge their people to respond.
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Review of Emboldened by Christ, edited by April Bumgardner
I ‘met’ April Bumgardner, the editor and contributor of this new book, Emboldened by Christ: Women Writers on Discipleship and Spiritual Formation after we were both published in a journal on Christianity, women and environment, and began following each other on Instagram. We have since had a few conversations about faith and nature; I enjoy…
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Finding Joy in Discipleship (and the Kitchen)
If you follow me on social media, you know that I have been more intentional lately about making more plant-based meals for myself and my family. My spouse and I are moving toward a primarily plant-based diet, for both health reasons and, especially, as a response to the ecological crisis and climate change. Industrial agriculture…
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Book Review of EcoActivist Testament by H. Paul Santmire
The Author’s Early Work I first encountered the work of the Rev. Dr. H. Paul Santmire when I began my M.A. in Theology, 20 years ago. By then, Santmire had already been publishing academic books of ecotheology for 40 years, with his first book, Brother Earth: Nature, God, and Ecology in a Time of Crisis…
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Religious Diversity in the Earth Community
This past Monday, Hindus in India and around the world celebrated Diwali (or Divali), the “Festival of Lights.” One of the most widely celebrated festivals within Hinduism, it symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world, with more than a billion followers. It…
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As You Sow: A Scripture Reflection on Galatians 6:7-10
“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will…
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Whale Song: When Creation Praises God: A Sermon
Scripture Text: 1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things.His right hand and his holy arm have gained him victory.2 The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.All the ends of the earth have seen the victory…
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Book Review of Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle by Lloyd Alter
In the climate emergency, we are being called to limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2030, and to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We cannot stop the rise in global temperatures anymore; our best efforts now are to try to mitigate the rise. On our current trajectory, we are headed for catastrophe…
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The Climate Crisis, Individual Change, and the Abundant Life
In my most recent newsletter to subscribers, I talk about the value in maintaining our current vehicles, most of which are gasoline powered (internal combustion engines) for as long as we can, before buying electric vehicles, because of the significant embodied carbon costs in building new cars, whether they are conventional or electric vehicles. In…
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The Role of Worldview in the Ecological Crisis
How did we get into this mess? The question of how we have got to this state of ecological and climate crisis that has caused irrevocable change and is shutting down the very life systems of the planet is a very complex question without simple answers. People in every possible field of research, as well…
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Responding Faithfully in Climate Crisis: A Sermon
Scripture Text: 15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing…
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Fireworks, Being a Good Mom, and Discipleship
I like to think that I am a good mom. Every day, I tell and show my kids that I love them. I feed them heathy and tasty food; I clothe them and give them a warm, safe home; I show interest in their activities and encourage them to get outside; I read to them…
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Frugality and Discipleship of Earth Healing
I like to be frugal. I try to buy things second-hand or, even better, receive them as gifts through the Buy Nothing group on Facebook. I don’t shop for clothes very often, and prefer to use scarves and jewellery to dress up a modest wardrobe. Our cars are older, and we hope to drive them…
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Book Review of “Saving Us” by Katharine Hayhoe
I first learned of Katharine Hayhoe and her book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World[1] when she was interviewed by Nora McInerny on the podcast “Terrible, Thanks for Asking”. The host admitted that she had been getting a lot of requests for an episode about the ecological…
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Ecological Self-Care and Caring for the Earth
I have been extremely fatigued lately. There are a few reasons for it, most of which I am aware of. When talking with a good friend who knows all too well about fatigue and the wear it can take on the body and spirit, she said to me, “there’s also an emotional weight to the…
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Finding Hope in the IPCC Report on Climate Change
What I know about climate change scares me. I know that we are headed for disaster as greenhouse gas emissions spew forth and global warming rises precipitously. I know that the CO2 that is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels is a major part of the problem, and also that the methane from cows…
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How to Have Hope During Ecological Crisis
How can we have hope in the face of the ecological crisis? How can we have hope in a world of global warming that is increasing unabated? …Where is there hope when humanity is on a crash course to catastrophe?