Christian Ecology Link prayer topic for today
Between 2000 and 2005 the world lost forests at a rate of 7.3 million hectares a year. Clearance of every hectare of forest releases between 217 and 640 tons of carbon into the atmosphere. Paying farmers and land managers for afforestation projects and avoided deforestation is key to reducing carbon emissions and protecting carbon sinks. Costa Rica increased its forest cover from 21% in 1986 to 51% in 2006 by the use of markets that make payments for ecosystem services and ecotourism. The Copenhagen Summit needs to see agreement on the REDD programme (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation & Degradation) which currently faces major difficulties.
Important Lessons from the Bible
Why Jesus came:
"that the world might be saved through him"
John 3:17
Who Jesus is going to use to save the world:
"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God."
Romans 8:19
Our role on earth:
"The LORD God put the man in the Garden of Eden to take care of it and to look after it."
Genesis 2:15
The Five Pillars of A Christian Theology of Sustainability
1. God is the creator, sustainer and redeemer of creation.
2. Covenantal Stewardship (we have a covenant with God as stewards of the earth).
3. The creation-fall-redemption paradigm (God made a good world; human failure broke the relationships between god, man and creation; Christ provides hope for all creation).
4.Bodily resurrection(we will rise with bodies, not as spirits)
5.New Creation (a new Heaven and new Earth refers to a renewal and an earthing of heaven, not starting over).
Adapted from When Enough is Enough: A Christian Framework for Environmental Sustainability, Edited by R.J. Berry, Published by Inter-Varsity Press, 2007, Nottingham p43+
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