Bishops' Pastoral Letter

Committee on the Environment

SELECTED RESOURCES ON RELIGION AND ECOLOGY
Appendix # 2 to the Pastoral Letter from the Episcopal Bishops of New England
“ To Serve Christ in all Creation”

WEB SITES: A Sampling
• Episcopal Church [http://www.episcopalchurch.org/peace-justice/envstewardship.asp].
The Environmental Stewardship office provides educational, liturgical and action ideas to facilitate the Church’s commitment to stewardship of Creation. For more information, contact Martha Gardner ( or 800/334-7626 x 6056).
• Episcopal Power and Light [http://www.theregenerationproject.org/epl.html.] A not-for profit organization working for the use of green energy throughout the Episcopal Church.
• Energy Star for Congregations [http://www.epa.gov/congregations/]. An EPA program promoting stewardship of congregations’ financial and natural resources (1-888-STAR-YES). Excellent free handbook, “Putting Energy into Stewardship,” available for downloading.
• Environmental Partnerships [http://www.environmentalpartnerships.org]. A coalition of eastern Mass. faith and secular environmental organizations, affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of MA, and temporary host of Web-site of the Diocesan Committee on Faith and the Environment (with resources for implementing the 2002 diocesan resolution to reduce use of toxic chemicals in care of parish buildings and grounds).
• Evangelical Environmental Network [http://www.creationcare.org/]. EEN is “a unique evangelical ministry whose purpose is to ‘declare the Lordship of Christ over all creation (Col. 1:15-20).’” Publishes Creation Care, a quarterly Christian environmental magazine, and Fruits of Creation, a packet that includes resources for preaching and worship (800/650-6600).
• Interfaith Climate Change Network [http://www.protectingcreation.org/]. A project run by COEJL and NCCC (see below). Provides a variety of faith statements and resolutions on climate change and environmental care.
• National Council of Church’s Eco-Justice Working Group [http://www.webofcreation.org/home2.htm]. Provides resources in ecology for worship, preaching, religious education, congregational and personal lifestyles, public ministry and advocacy. Offers links to eco-justice position statements of faith-based groups (800/762-0968).
• National Religious Partnership for the Environment [http://www.nrpe.org/].
An alliance of major faith groups and denominations across the spectrum of Jewish and Christian communities and organizations in the United States. Web-site provides links to its four founding partners: The U.S. Catholic Conference, the National Council of Churches of Christ [NCCC], the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life [COEJL], and the Evangelical Environmental Network [EEN].
• North American Coalition for Christianity and Ecology [http://www.nacce.org/homepage.html]
Seeks “to address effectively the greatest moral issue of our time: our continuing destruction of the Earth; to teach reverence for God’s creation . . . [and] to bring Christians into a loving relationship with the Earth.” Provides information and resources in the context of biblical theology and contemporary science. Promotes church partnerships with local, regional and national organizations concerned with ecology and social justice.
• Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation [http://creationethics.org]. A coalition of faith-based organizations joined by a common concern for forest conservation as a religious issue. Offers a link to faith statements from a variety of religions about the value of wilderness and forests.
• Religious Witness for the Earth [http://www.religiouswitness.org]. An interfaith, activist network dedicated to non-violent public witness in defense of Creation, with particular emphasis on global climate change. Sponsors the New England Interfaith Call for Climate Action.
• Center for a New American Dream [http://www.newdream.org]. “More fun, less stuff.” Seeks to reduce and shift personal and U.S. consumption and production patterns. Its faith-based program helps people of faith change the way they consume in order to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.
• Earth Ministry [http://www.earthministry.org/main.htm]. A Christian, ecumenical, non-profit organization based in Seattle. Publishes Earth Letter five times a year, a “mini-journal” of Christian environmental spirituality. Offers Handbook for Greening Congregations, and recommends curricula and resources for churches, and for children and youth.
• Ace alternatives for Community and Environment [http://www.ace-ej.org/index.html]. A pioneer in environment justice, ACE works in partnership with low- income communities and communities of color. Provides legal and technical support, educational programs, and ongoing assistance to community groups throughout New England to solve environmental problems and develop local environmental leadership.

JOURNALS/HANDBOOKS: A Sampling (in addition to those listed above)
• Caring for Creation: An Earth Ministry Handbook. The Committee on the Environment, Diocese of Connecticut, 2002. Cost: $5.00. Lynn Fulkerson ( ).
• EarthLight: The Magazine of Spiritual Ecology (Center for Sacred Ecology, Darlene Pagano, Earth Literacy Web Coordinator, 111 Fairmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611).
• Earth Ethics: Evolving Values for an Earth Community (Center for Respect of Life and Environment, 2100 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20037.)
• The Ecozoic Reader (Center for Ecozoic Studies, 25165 Winningham Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.) Fall 2001 issue focuses on the Earth Charter.
• “The Earth Charter: Values and Principles for a Sustainable Future.” Available for a donation of $1.00 per copy to The Earth Charter Fund/TCP, Claire Wilson, P.O. Box 648, Middlebury, VT 05753.
• “Theology and World Ethics: A Symposium on the Theology of the Earth Charter,” June, 1999, Meadville/Lombard Theological School and the University of Chicago Divinity School (Divinity School, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637).

VIDEOS and EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: A Sampling
• “God’s Creation and Global Warming,” National Council of Churches. 12 minutes, $10.00. 1-800-762-0968.
• “God’s Earth: Our Home,” National Council of Churches. Order #EJ9411, $7.00.
• “The Greening of the Faith: Why the Environment is a Christian Concern” (two programs, 1994), Cathedral Films, P.O. Box 4029, Westlake Village, CA, 91359.
• “Keeping the Earth: Religious and Scientific Perspectives on the Environment,” 27 minutes, Union of Concerned Scientists, 1996 (800/666-8276).

Go to Bishops' Pastoral Letter on the Environment