In his introduction to Wendell Berry’s recent book, Bringing it to the Table, Michael Pollan observes that one of Berry’s favorite quotes comes from British agronomist, Sir Albert Howard. He urges us to think of “the whole problem of health in soil, plant, animal and man as one great subject” (p. xi). In a world in [...]

The summer issue of the Concordia Journal (published by the faculty of Concordia Seminary) has just come out and its centered on the theme of “Caring for God’s Groaning Earth.”  It’s a terrific issue (of course, I am a bit biased). In addition, it provides a balance Biblical approach to the topic. It doesn’t say [...]

While at the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, a gentleman from Southern Illinois approached me after my presentation and asked, “why hasn’t the church taken the lead on issues regarding our responsibility for creation?” It is not the first time that someone has asked me that question. Their questions implied that the church should [...]

Norman Wirzba develops the theme of extending hospitality to all of God’s creatures in his book, The Paradise of God. He notes that hospitality in the Old Testament involved in part the inviting of sojourners into the home, in brief, making room for them. God carved out spaces (land, air, water) for all of his [...]

Earth Day last month made me wonder why we don’t have a similar day within the church. We wouldn’t have to call it “Earth Sunday” or anything. We could call it “Creation Sunday” or have a “Season of Creation.” Currently, the first half of our church year rightly focuses on the life of Jesus. The [...]