The word “environmentalism” seems like a bad word for many evangelicals in the US. It’s been my experience that when topics like climate change, recycling and energy conservation come up, a joke or snide remark is sure to follow by someone in the group. Just a few weeks ago someone told me how they’d purposefully left their lights on during a voluntary blackout while they were away from home.
How do you respond to the word “environmentalism”?
What have been your experiences in Christianity concerning the environment?
To hear more about how Tri implemented caring for the environment into his church, check out Tri’s other clip.
Updating…
Tri Robinson is the Senior Pastor of Vineyard Boise and blogs about sustainable living at Timber Butte Homestead.
Wonderful piece here, Craig… a great bridge-builder.
My experience with environmentalism among deeply conservative evangelicals has been an interesting “reverse hubris,” if you will. By that I mean, a very common mindset in those circles is that there is no way that humanity is capable of making a dent in God’s creation, therefore any attempt to say otherwise is an affront to our freedom and a step towards big government. Accordingly, we should use the resources God has given us with very little discernment because there’s no way that we can damage our environment… to think that we can would be arrogant (supposedly).
And yet I’m always left scratching my head in these conversations as we face the undeniable realities of air-pollution related illnesses, toxic chemicals present in newborns, ground water contamination, massive polymer pollution in our oceans, etc.
If we could divorce politics from the conversation, there’s MUCH to be concerned about…
I *love* this video, Craig and Tri! I love the way you, Craig, allow us to see Tri in this really humanizing light. I love the way you, Tri, are so beautifully honest and open about your thoughts and emotions and process.
I love the idea that people are waiting for someone to give them permission to love what they love, and that their response to getting this permission is a standing ovation. I want to be a permission giver like that!