Colorado Springs has an impressive religious community. Change of any sort will require this large well-organized sector of our society. Change towards a more sustainable Colorado Springs presents a distinctive challenge because the religious community often is a hard sell when to comes to environmental issues. This paper will look at the important role the church plays in the community and how that role could become an essential part of building public support for environmental issues. It will discuss some of the reasons for a general lack of interaction between the environmental and religious communities as well as some of the potential for common ground. A symposium designed to promote discussion between the two communities will provide the start of a solution aimed at increased cooperation. In addition, a local sustainability project in which the two groups work together and that promotes community involvement will help to improve our larger sense of community. It will also provide an example of cooperation between these two groups that typically do not work together.

An essential element of any city that wishes to be sustainable is a strong community. Small groups of dedicated people can only stay dedicated for so long, it is no kind of long term solution. No amount of good ideas or careful planning will be effective without the support and interest of the people who are affected. The people who live there must care about the place they live; it must be something worth some time and effort.

They also must know each other and know how to work together. A single person nor a "family alone can not bear all the burdens and perform all the functions of itself and the community" (1). People of different views must be able to work together for a common concern for the community. This necessitates avenues of communication between groups of people that have different values, backgrounds, and ages.

Historically, churches have held an important role as the center of community. In addition to their religious roles, churches acted as places of socialization and as physical centers of common ground. Now churches form little pockets of community and are active in limited aspects of the community at large. Churches are involved in a variety of charity and community service projects. For members of the church it provides a sense of community, even if fellow members of the congregation are not necessarily their neighbors. People of different ages are able to interact with each other on a personal level.

Colorado Springs has an impressive religious community. We are home to 25 National Religious Organizations who employ over 3000 people, six Christian radio stations (2), and 585 churches (3). If we assume that an average congregation is 300 people (New Life church has over 10,000 members (4)) then about 175,000 people in this city belongs to a church.

With such a large religious community and considering the importance of community and "loving thy neighbor" to most churches, it seems like we should be an incredibly tight community. Instead, there is apathy and disconnectedness. Voter apathy is about 70%. Like much of the United States, it is possible to live next door to someone for years and never know their name. Our lives are filled with school, work, and the commitment to our small nuclear families and friends of similar interests and values. We have divided ourselves up into little pockets of rough sketches of communities and tend to ignore the community at large.

Across the country and in many parts of the world environmentalists and the religious community divide themselves into such circles. As a result, environment and sustainability tend to receive little attention in religious circles. Differences tend to follow political party lines and honest, respectful communication between these circles is rare.

If we are going to achieve the community level needed for this town and the world to be sustainable, we must find a way to reduce divisiveness and work together and mobilize people. If so many of the people belong to churches, why not look to these existing pockets of community? Change requires every sector of human society, particularly one of the largest and best-organized sectors, the church.

I propose a massive symposium designed to promote dialogue between the "conservative religious" and "progressive environmentalist" communities in Colorado Springs. The goal being a community based approach to improving the sustainability of Colorado Springs, which rises up from within churches and joins with others in the community for a common cause. This may seem an impossibly utopian proposition, but I think it is possible. We must first look at some of the reasons for divisiveness between religious and environmentalist circles in order to form a solution that is applicable. This includes historical and value based reasons for conflict, the current perpetuation of discord, and the lack of attention to environmental issues within the religious community. A new emergence of faith-based environmentalism can provide some direction as well as some new challenges.

Environmentalists and the religious community each have a passionate interest in community, but they do not share it. There seems to be a divisiveness that splits these two factions of society and pits them against each other. To an outside observer of our culture it seems odd that religion, an entity that in other cultures and times has the primary function of connecting people to the natural and spiritual world and each other, and environmentalism, a movement dedicated to sustainable relationships between people and their natural and civilized surroundings should not be allies. But history and sociology combined do not allow for predictable outcomes and we find ourselves in a situation in which the dominant religions in our culture and environmentalism tend to alienate each other from their respective circles.

The environmental movement alienated itself from the religious community at the onset. Lynn White’s 1966 essay, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis" points to Christianity as being single-handedly responsible for the rape of nature. "We shall continue to have a worsening ecological crisis until we reject the Christian axiom that nature has no reason for existence save to serve man" (5). White argues that in valuing the spiritual over the natural and Christian’s current focus on the corruption on the earth and humanity meant Christians had become ‘so heavenly minded as to be of no earthly use’ (6).

Many environmentalists took this to be the answer they were looking for and "considered the case closed [becoming] as narrow—minded as any religious zealot" (7). Environmentalism now had a scapegoat. Rejecting Christianity probably seemed natural given the political winds at the time. Environmentalism, free-love, and peace were all wrapped up together in a rejection of whatever was main-stream. Environmentalists failed to notice White’s acknowledgement of the variety within Christianity and some strains which were more ecologically gentle (7). They also failed to notice White’s conclusion in which the remedy to our anthropocentrism "must also be essentially religious" (7).

Eco-feminist literature such as Carolynn Merchant’s The Death of Nature puts Western religion at the source of the simultaneous fall of both nature and women. Some Christians argue that it is just as easy to correlate the unprecedented exploitation of the earth’s resources with a decrease in the power and influence of religion in public life. Regardless of how much truth there may be to these arguments, the result was further alienation of western religions from the environmental as well as the feminist movement. It also served to reinforce the connection between environmentalism and other "liberal" issues.

The effects of White’s article had far reaching impacts within the religious community. In blaming the religious community for our ecological woes, the religious community became naturally self-defensive and distanced itself further from the environmental movement. Nearly every environmental statement from religious circles includes a reference to White’s article; it seems to have struck a deep chord. But it also served to "[wake] the Christian theological community up to the new challenge of ecology and Christianity’s place within it" (6).

In alienating the religious community, the environmental movement has developed, for the most part, without their input. Some of the values associated with environmentalism are not compatible with those of Western religion. As a result, the religious community has responded to the environmental crisis in its own terms. Faith- based environmentalism has emerged within the religious community in order to address these value differences.

Some common values of main-stream environmentalism that faith-based environmentalism often has issue with include:

-human relationship to nature

The biblical passages of Genesis, in which God commands man to have dominion over the earth and subdue it, has been the center of much of the debate between theology and environmentalism. For some this is seen as clear license to exploit the earth for man’s own purposes and it is understandable to wonder how the earth can ever be saved with this sort of philosophy at the heart of our world’s dominant religions (8). But many from the religious community would argue that this is a commandment of "sacred responsibility to God’s creation" and that "man’s rule and dominion over the earth is that of steward and caretaker, not a reckless exploiter" (8).

According to some in the religious community, man’s relationship to nature has been confused in two ways (8,9). The first can be described as a Naturalistic or Evolutionary World View in which survival of the human species is the ultimate value (8) and that the natural order is merely instrumental in [mankind’s] aims (9). This presents a problem in that "because man will produce only that which he needs, the rest of nature can be discarded" (8). This also presents direct conflict with passages in the bible. "God declares all creation ‘good’ (Gen. 1:31); promises care in a covenant with all creatures (Gen. 9:9-17); [and] delights in creatures which have no apparent usefulness (Job 39-41) (29).

The second, called the Pantheistic or New Age worldview, sees all of nature as equal; while elevating nature this view simultaneously degrades man and will ultimately degrade nature as well (8). "Pantheism fails because it makes no distinctions between man and nature" and as a result greatly limits the action that can be taken to curb an environmental crisis (8). "Nature deserves our respect but not our worship" (9). This view also conflicts with the bible, which states that man was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). It is this image, which separates mankind from nature, although he is a creature and identified with other creatures (8). "Because the environmental movement has been co-opted by those in the New Age movement, many Christians have begun to confuse interest in the environment with interest in pantheism and have hesitated to get involved." (8).

Elements of both the "Evolutionary" and "Pantheistic" worldviews can be seen throughout mainstream environmentalism. The direct contradictions to biblical references make it difficult for many within the western religious community to accept. The moral issues raised and apparent contradictions make it difficult for anyone to reconcile.

Another common complaint from the religious community is the unfair treatment of the world’s poor with regard to environmental policies. There is the fear that environmentalism will act as neo-colonialism where ecological concerns will be used to keep poorer nations in permanent subordination; ‘the idea (popular among some western environmentalists) that developing countries would do better to live within their limited means is a cruel illusion’ (10). In addition, contamination facilities are more likely to be located in communities where poor people and people of color live (10). This has lead many faith-based environmental organizations to include a commitment to the poor and social justice as part of their mission statement (10, 11).

Environmentalism has found itself with the extra baggage of being a "liberal issue". Whether environmentalism itself is or is not fundamentally offensive to western religion, it is now linked to a number of issues, which are in direct conflict with the religious community. This includes abortion, gay rights, many feminist issues, as well as an acceptance of many non-western religions’ values. Faith-based environmentalists must "attempt to convince their co-religionists that joining the movement for care of creation will not lead to excessive worldliness, one-world government, the New-Age, pantheism, political correctness, or a diminution of the importance of humans compared to animals, most notably in the promotion of abortion… Christians do not want to surrender the field of evangelism to environmentalists who would lead many to the ‘inadequate worldviews’ of…creation spirituality, …‘we are all gods’ gospel, … or a vision of man’s moral equivalence with animals, not to mention New Age or Eastern religions" (12).

This indirect linkage of environmentalism to certain values, issues, and stereotypes closes off the minds and ears of much of the population (religious or not) to understanding environmental issues. In understanding these differences, it should be easier to understand each other and work together.

Historical, social, and political reasons have combined to create a rift between the environmental and religious communities. Each side seems to have committed itself to preaching to its own choir rather than talking to others outside their circle in an honest respectful way. Each wants to approach their own concerns with the world on their own rather than risk talking to each other, even when so many of their goals and values do overlap.

The environmental community often assumes that the religious community is the enemy or that it does not care. "For almost thirty years most professional environmentalist stubbornly, almost proudly, denied to reach out to the religious community" (7). Environmentalists have formed a sort of clique that alienates the very people that are needed to resolve the issues they dedicate their lives to. As a result the religious community gets ignored. "Christians aren’t heard — or made to feel welcome. Some of us have even taken the time to have a look at these movements and felt deeply offended by the anti-Christian, pantheistic views, which drive or motivate them. Joining their ranks is therefore not an option" (13).

The religious community often assumes environmentalism is somebody else’s issue or that there is no room for environmentalism in the churches. Churches have their hands full with poverty and family issues, not to mention the task of saving lost souls (13). In addition, many Christians are openly skeptical of the reality of any environmental crisis (8).

We are in the midst of a perpetual cycle in which the environmental community fails to reach out and alienates the religious community and the religious community assumes environmentalism has no place for them and certainly no place in their churches. The cycle will continue until some form of dialogue between circles takes place.

There is greater effort when this sort of interdisciplinary debate occurs, but it is nonetheless important. "There seems to be greater effort by people to explain themselves. They use words and ideas in ways that are more understandable, more concise. Greater patience as well as care is taken to communicate with one another. Interdisciplinary dialogue requires a proactive type of communication that promotes cooperation---more cooperation than often occurs in dialogue within a particular academic discipline" (14). "The scientific and religious communities should work together on issues of population, consumption and the environment [because] both communities have a significant contribution to make to their common endeavor; moreover, interdisciplinary dialogue is motivated by recognition that the problems of the real world cut across the boundaries of academic disciplines" (15).

Real answers to our environmental problems require that we step out of our stubborn habits and talk to each other.

Despite the obvious differences and more subtle reasons why environmental and religious circles do not often mingle, there is much room for common ground. In addition to human commonalities such as self interest and dedication to our children’s future, both see the importance of community, both feel a responsibility to the earth/ God’s creation, and both have a distaste for over-consumption. Faith-based Environmentalism is a small movement that has emerged within the religious community in order to address the environmental issues in terms of their own faith without the extra baggage often associated with mainstream environmentalism.

A number of national organizations have emerged in order to join churches and congregations together towards a commitment to the environment. There is usually a statement addressing the biblical passage giving man dominion over nature in which it is understood to mean steward and caretaker of the earth. This idea of stewardship is one of the fundamental ways in which environmentalists and the religious community can cooperate in order to overcome differences in their view towards man’s relationship to nature. The religious community might argue that man should be caretaker because it was a commandment from God and man is separated from the other creatures because he was created in the image of God. Whatever religious or secular viewpoint those in the environmentalist community uphold, they can agree that mankind has a responsibility to the earth simply because mankind is at the root of our environmental problems and is the only "creature’ with the resources and ability to fix it. In this way, everyone can agree that there is something unique about people in relation to the current environmental problems.

There is also usually a commitment to the poor and to environmental justice within faith-based environmentalism. This is another way that the environmental community and the religious community can work together. This can be especially true when brought into the context of a commitment to the Colorado Springs community and the poor in our town. A community garden in every churchyard that donated food to the homeless or lower income families would be a great way to resolve this. Another way would be to incorporate the support of alternative transportation into the idea that lower income families depend on such modes of transportation and that a church responsibility to the poor and a commitment to stewardship of the earth can overlap. Many of those in the religious community of Colorado Springs seemed put off by the idea of the church becoming involved in environmentalism until it took on a relationship to their preexisting commitment to the poor and the community (16,17).

Faith-based environmentalism has not taken root locally to much extent. Some of the more progressive churches in town have incorporated aspects of it into their ideals. First congregational Church has formed a "whole earth committee" and a handful of churches have worked with the Colorado Springs Justice and Peace Commission’s Voluntary Simplicity courses (18). These courses can be tailor made to apply to particular belief systems and fit well into Western religious ideology about preferring the simple life to over-consumption. Although the majority of the local religious community has not heard of faith-based environmentalism or its ideals (16, 17), there are individuals within these congregations with a personal interest in the environment and these people may be able to serve as liaisons in an attempt to work with churches on environmental issues. (4, 18)

Benefits to Environmental Community

There is much that the religious community has to offer the environmental cause. "Every church, synagogue, mosque, and temple [could] be a model of energy efficiency and recycling, use environmentally safe products, and raise awareness of environmental justice issues" (19). Some churches and individuals within the religious community have already made commitments to reducing consumption and buying responsibly. The Eco-Justice Working Group has put out an "Energy Stewardship Guide for Churches" as well as "The Environmental Justice Covenant Congregation Program" designed to "heal and defend God’s creation" via worship, learning and teaching, personal and congregational lifestyles, and community, national, and global involvement with specific ideas of how to implement each component of the covenant (10). Churches and environmental groups in Boston sponsored an anti-SUV rally with signs reading "What Would Jesus Drive?" (20). Dr. Job Ebenezer, Director of Environmental Stewardship in the Division for Church in Society of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has established rooftop gardens above the ELCA parking garage in Chicago in order to serve as a role model in creative use of urban space (21). "A campaign is underway to draw a parallel between choosing to live simply, a key virtue in all religions, and stemming the tide of over-consumption that takes a toll on the environment" (22). The ELCA calls upon congregations to be creation awareness centers that could "convert existing lawns into nature trails and community gardens,…engage the youth of the church to grow vegetables for soup kitchens on church grounds,…colleges and universities can be a reservoir of talents to come up with creative solutions to creative problems" (25).

In addition, the religious community is more receptive to moral reasons for action than other groups and is therefore slightly more immune to economic constrictions. An argument of "it’s the right thing to do" will hold much more weight in these circles than it will when talking to businesses, for example, where economic arguments take precedent. This offers the potential for more morality and social responsibility to be brought into environmentalism. "The environmental movement has been a secular movement, and now I see it becoming, not a theological movement, but a movement based on ethical values and beliefs" (22).

Working with the religious community on environmental issues avoids fighting an unnecessary, unbeatable, time and energy consuming battle. "What people do about their ecology depends on what they think about themselves in relation to things around them. Human ecology is deeply conditioned by beliefs about nature and destiny, that is, by religion", (6). Gaining the support of the predominant religious community is an essential element of gaining the needed support for sustainability issues in Colorado Springs.

Benefits to Religious Community

The benefit to the religious community is somewhat dependent upon the extent to which faith-based environmentalism takes root and morality towards the earth becomes a religious value. If this occurs, upholding environmental values would coincide with upholding religious faith and would have value in itself. In doing so, religion could take on more relevance to people’s daily lives and their connection to the land and each other. It also provides the opportunity to "evangelize many lost souls" that would otherwise be lead to "inadequate worldviews"(12). It also offers an opportunity to participate more fully with the community at large (often a church commitment) with access to a larger, more diverse group outside of their circle, a benefit regardless of whether they embrace a commitment to the environment.

Benefits to the Colorado Springs Community

Religious and environmental communities working together may start as their own self-interest, but it is the community who truly wins out. It offers a way to build a "citizen’s army" with an interest in their own local community growth and sustainability. Dispelling fears of the "other side" allows for an opportunity to find common ground and could increase a sense of community at large and get us out of our small pockets of community. An increased sense of community could reduce political apathy, and promote neighborly interaction by fostering an interest in our physical environment and communities. Interdisciplinary dialogue allows for learning and teaching for those outside of our regular circles. This could promote increased awareness and understanding on issues other than environmentalism. In having two major groups within the community who often fall to opposite ends of the spectrum working together, those in "the middle" might be forced to look at themselves as well. It provides an opportunity to reach nearly everyone because it involves issues of the spirit as well as the home and community. An approach that is grass roots and local based means no legislation and no taxes, a benefit to nearly any community. A place with a community that cares about it will be a nicer, more beautiful, friendly, and sustainable place to live. In this world, that translates to an increased and more stable economy.

Benefits to the Outside World

Answers to global environmental problems start with local understanding and action. If Colorado Springs as a whole made and effort to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious global issues ranging from greenhouse gas emissions to over consumption, to humanitarian issues could benefit. This could also set and example for the nation and the world of unprecedented unity across party lines, religions, ages, races and professions for what they have in common: their humanity and their community.

Implementation

How do we go about promoting dialogue between the religious and environmental communities on a local level? Up until this point we have seen that they are divided by:

1. Mutual alienation perpetuated by a lack of communication
2. Differences in value systems based on

b. lack of concern for the poor

c. connection to other issues of direct conflict

In creating a symposium designed to promote discussion between the two circles, the cycle of preaching to your own choir is broken and a step towards repairing the mutual alienation can start. The religious community will be exposed to environmentalism in a non-threatening atmosphere in terms that correlate with their own faith. Environmentalists will be able to see the potential and value in the church community and be more likely to include them in their activities.

There is enough common ground with a shared interest in community and (if the proposal meets its goals) the environment/God’s creation that it should be possible for people to agree to disagree for the sake of their common interest. Reasons for interest will not be so important as genuine interest. Issues such as abortion, gay rights, and the intricacies of various religions will have to be left outside for the sake of productive discussion.

The logistics of our local atmosphere provides some new challenges.

The Plan

GOALS:

1. Organize a group of people from within the whole spectrum of churches, religious organizations, and groups dedicated to interfaith/ community cooperation in Colorado Springs with a personal interest in the environment. They could be a church leader or a member of the congregation. Ideally this should include a number of representatives from the Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, as well as Evangelical Christian faiths, somebody from Focus on the family, New Life Church, the Navigators, the Net, Pikes Peak Justice and Peace, and the Pikes Peak Interfaith Council. Possibilities might include Angela Kantola (a pro-environment Christian with connections to Target Earth who has been active locally (23)), Sherrie Walker (author of "Greening the Church" in the local newspaper who has been working within some of the more conservative churches in town for a personal interest in environmentalism (18)), Paul Carpenter (head of the whole earth committee at First Congregational Church (4)). Churches that will likely be easier to work with are: First Congregational Church, the Unitarian Churches, Sunrise Methodist Church and the Broadmoor Community Church (4, 18). Colorado College students who belong to on campus religious organizations that are active in the community might be interested in working in the group or as liaisons to find more interested members. One or two people trained in environmental science should be included in order to keep the group legitimate.
2. These are the people who will organize the symposium and other projects. Their insights as insiders will be the source of many decisions.
3. Design a project to be presented to the public at the symposium. The project should have local implications that benefit the environment and the community, be something that the religious community can get excited about and that promotes interaction of the whole community. It should be something that allows churches in the community to work together and each plays and active role in. It will serve as an answer to "what can I do about all this" as well as providing physical proof that there is common ground between various religions and environmentalists. People are much more likely to see that they agree on something of they can agree on a project. Other areas of discourse (abortion, gay rights, etc) might be avoided.

Likely candidates for projects are:

1. Community organic gardens located at churches in which the food is donated to charity.
2. Promotion for carpooling and getting to know your neighbor in which church parking lots are used as Park-N-Rides.
3. Better recycling options in Colorado Springs- churches could be sites of recycling bins and education.
4. Plan a symposium.

Get 5-7 local church leaders to serve as the steering committee. They would be used not to plan the symposium, but to legitimize the event to other churches and the people within them. An effort should be here to include church leaders from the conservative end of the spectrum- ideally Ted Hagard, pastor of New Life Church and somebody from Focus on the Family could represent this end. Also one or two respected representatives of environmental groups, perhaps the Green Party, or the Nature Conservancy could serve to legitimize the event to environmentalists.

Invite two to three different Faith-based environmental organizations. Gordon Aeschliman, President of Target Earth has expressed interest in participating if time allows, although this is a more liberal organization and is focused more on international issues. The Evangelical Environmental Network seems to be the most conservative of the organizations I have found. The Interfaith council for the Environment should be avoided as it is "simply a front for a conservative group of people who are anti-environment [and try] to appear green when in fact putting up a ruse" (23), have no scientific accreditation, and subtly twist environmental issues into nonexistence in order to propagate Libertarian ideals (a real danger in this town). Other legitimate (as far as I can tell) Faith-based groups include: the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Working Group, the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Coalition for the Environment and Jewish Life, The National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Earth Ministry, and the Green Cross. Care should be taken to research these organizations by the people within churches who form the designing group as I do not notice the subtleties that might cause serious offense. They should also be researched from the standpoint of having real scientific backing to their environmental claims. The Environment Office of Holy Cross School of Theology hosted a large meeting on religion and the environment this spring and may have suggestions and connections (24). The Michigan Ecumenical Consultation on Christianity and Ecology and the Christian Environmental Council in Portland have also held recent conferences (25).

Book authors that might be good to invite are: Calvin Dewitt, author of The Environment and the Christian and Caring for Creation: Responsible Stewardship of God’s Handiwork who seems to have gained considerable respect within the evangelical community; one of the editors of Consumption, Population and Sustainability- Perspectives from Science and Religion, it offers a variety of viewpoints, emphasizes the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to solutions, has a genuine respect for religion, has scientific accreditation, and gives good overviews of some of the most pressing environmental issues. There are a number of other books that could be available for sale.

Representatives of the local environmental groups should be invited to set up information booths.

Someone from the Voters Network should be there to inform people of how to take a more active role in their local governments.

Someone from the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission should be there to present what they do and their custom made Voluntary Simplicity bible courses.

A short-sweet compilation of the present state of the environment of Colorado Springs as it relates to the U.S. and the rest of the world could be presented as well as an easy to understand brochure on the most pressing environmental issues of the world and how they relate to personal and local action.

Guides to what individuals, congregations, businesses, schools, etc can do that are applicable to Colorado Springs and would help the environment and the community could be presented.

Guidelines for forming church covenants or existing church covenants for a commitment to the environment could be available (10).

Food, music, and/ or pony rides, etc could be there in order to keep people lingering.

Shuttle- busses, carpooling, and other alternative modes of transportation should be encouraged and assisted to the extent possible.

One or two of the Christian radio stations could be there giving away prizes and doing other radio promotional gimmicks. Focus on the Family supports at least two of the six radio stations in town, so getting their support might open the door to one of these stations.

Local television news stations should be invited to publicize the event, its goals, and ways to participate. It could possibly be an entire weekend event so that word has time to travel and more people can participate.

It should be advertised by as many avenues as possible: Christian and non-Christian radio stations, newspapers, church newsletters, and newspapers.

It should be held at one of the larger, more conservative churches possibly at New Life’s "campus". This will make it "safer" and more accessible to the largest religious groups in Colorado Springs. Another option is a sports field or fairgrounds, someplace that feels welcoming to the whole community. The Colorado College campus is not a welcoming enough place for much of the religious community, but the CSU campus might be more neutral.

5. Maintaining continued interest.

Time 0: Forming the group

Start gathering interested members of the community. Advertise in the local paper as well as church newspapers and newsletters. Word of mouth will probably be most effective, so getting inside will be essential.

One month:

Have first meeting of interested members. Identify gaps in representation and make a plan of how to fill those gaps. Start identifying interested church leaders and organizations. Form a mission statement that includes a statement of mutual respect, and a commitment to the environment and the local community

Over the next eight months:

Continue to meet every two weeks with the following assignments. Assign people to particular tasks.

1. continue to gather interested people, Church leaders, religious organizations, and environmental groups with a mission to include the whole spectrum of the community. Once the group has reached an appropriate level of organization, contact the media in order to spread interest and start the "hype".
2. decide on a project to present at the symposium and begin working on the practical components of putting it together
3. designing the symposium: this includes advertising, researching and contacting appropriate speakers/presenters, finding an appropriate location, contacting churches, forming a steering committee of religious leaders whose reputations can be used to legitimize it to the religious community and meeting a few times with them.
4. design the website.

A real Challenge that I do not know how to address involves the idea of "greenwashing"(23). The Interfaith Council for the Environmental Stewardship in Conjunction with the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty (a libertarian organization) have sponsored the Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship and published a book called Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition: Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant wisdom on the Environment. This is "simply a front for a conservative group of people who are anti-environment. "Their actions fit the idea of ‘greenwashing’ ie tying to appear green when in fact simply putting up a ruse" (23). They twist ideas and scientific language and uncertainty in order to make the argument that there is really no such thing as global warming, species extinctions, or overpopulation. It basically lets people off the hook on all environmental action except maintaining and expanding their own private property rights. This sort of thinking is very prevalent in the conservative world even if a person is not religious. (I am inclined to wonder if it was not funded by the Bush administration, I certainly think these are the people advising him on his environmental policy since these are the very arguments he makes.)

Focus on the Family has taken an almost identical viewpoint. They have published articles that promote the "fallacy" of global warming and species extinctions (26, 27, 28). "Focus on the Family has also published against the environment. They are not so much a "family" organization as they are a conservative organization with a bundle of political agendas wrapped up in a family blanket" (23).

Publications like these are a real danger in a town such as this, although I think most of their effects have already taken root. Addressing these attitudes up front with solid scientific and religious backing from the legitimate faith-based organizations might be an option. You could either write a book that addresses each of the twisted scientific arguments one by one or a book that simply writes the truth and presents it in a similar manner. A worry in writing a backlash book is that it might draw attention to it in the form of conflict (which the media would love) and the book would gain more ground than it has already. I am skeptical that in this town with a libertarian newspaper and Focus on the Family having such influence, publicizing the event will be incredibly biased, make environmentalists out to be crazy, and further separate the religious and conservative community from environmental issues. A better and bigger solution would be to take this attitude and these scientific" arguments head-on on a national level where the scale is more balanced towards the "liberal" end. At the same time try to "get inside" by showing the religious community the local and community value of environmentalism. Because the symposium is designed to get people talking and focuses on local and community issues it may not be at such risk of being shot down by this sort of attitude as action on more global issues. In presenting environmental and sustainability issues in a local context, the first step towards getting people to trust those words (environment and sustainability) could be taken.

1. Kunstler, James; Home From Nowhere

2. The Greater Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation 10-17-2001.

Printed by: The Chamber: Colorado Springs

3. Colorado Springs Yellow pages 200/2001

4. Coriell, Bruce- Colorado College Chaplain (personal correspondence)

5. White, Lynn "Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis"

Science, vol 155 pp 1203-1207; 10 Mar 1967

6. Pelusa; "Lynn White and the ‘Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis’"

7. Pope, Carl; "Ways and Means: Reading Beyond Ourselves"

Sierra Magazine-Sierra Club, Nov/Dec 1998 (http://www.faithnet.freeserve.co.uk/lynnehite.htm)

8. Bohlin, Dr. Ray; "Christian Environmentalism" Probe Ministries International 1992

(http://www.leaderu.com/softcopy/probe/ecology/txt)

9. Sirico, Reverend Robert A.; Receiving the Gift of Stewardship" Acton Institute for the

Study of Religion and Liberty (Vol. 11, Number 2) Mar/April 2001 (Special

issue on the Environment)

10. National Council of Churches: Eco Justice Working Group

(http://www.webofcreation.org)

11. Target Earth (http://www.targetearth.org)

12. Carolan, Matthew; "Environmental Piety No Substitute for Technique"

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19. Author not listed; "Last Words."

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20. Gardner, Marilyn: "Anti SUV Query: What would Jesus Drive?"

21. ELCA: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: "History of Rooftop Gardens"

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22. Johnson, Treebe; "Redefining the Bond Between Religion and Ecology."

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23. Aeschliman, Gordon— President of Target Earth; Gordon@targetearth.org (personal correspondence)

24. Environment Office of the Holy Cross School of Theology

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29. Evangelical Environmental Network (http://www.creationcare.org)