Creation Care and All Soul's

Some time ago, it seemed that someone should comment on Doug's sermon which included a discussion of our Christian responsibility to take care of the environment. In light of Dr. Matthew Sleeth's scheduled appearance with members of All Soul's at 4:45 pm Sunday May 6 and the recent Earth Day, it is the hope of a number of us that our body will seriously consider this matter and support Dr. Sleeth as he speaks to us. He will also be in Knoxville this entire coming weekend and his tentative schedule is as listed:

• Thurs (5/3) 5-6pm: “Live at Five”, WBIR TV (Ch 10)
• Fri (5/4) 6am: “Hallerin Hill” Radio Show, WNOX (100.3FM)
• Fri (5/4) 8:30-9am: Meeting with Mayor Ragsdale
• Fri (5/4) 1-3pm: Workshop: Central BaptistBearden Church Fellowship Hall , 6300 Deane Hill Dr
• Fri (5/4) 5-6pm: “Drive at Five” Radio Show, Joy 62 (620 AM)
• Sat (5/5) 9-11am: Workshop, Church Street United Methodist, Church Life Center Rm 120, 900 Henley at Main
• 5/5 1-3pm Book Signing, Carpe Librum Booksellers, 5113 Kingston Pike
• Sun (5/6) 4:45pm All Soul's
• Mon 5/7 8:30-10:30am Workshop, Cherokee Health Systems Conference Center, 2018 Western Ave.

The subject of Creation Care or environmentalism has been viewed by many Christian evangelicals with skepticism, suspected as being part of a broader movement which had been thought of as secular and thus, antiChristian. (As an aside, the environmental movement thinks of Christians as anti-environment.) The Bible, however, offers many passages which confer a responsibility upon man (or the believer) to take care of creation. Some of the biblical passages seem to be less obvious than others and the arguments used by some seem stretches from the seemingly original meaning of the quoted biblical texts. However, Dr. Sleeth and others argue that as Christians we are still bound to the two great commandments that Jesus discusses - Love God and Love your neighbor - and today, when we do not responsibly care for the environment and selfishly indulge ourselves, we both dishonor and hurt God and our neighbor.

Hopefully, there will be those who will further pursue and discuss this subject, take the time to hear Dr. Sleeth's message and make lifestyle changes to honor both God and our neighbor.