“So, does anybody have a new Adult Ed idea for this fall?” you may be asked. If you’re stumped, the Creation Care commission has a great suggestion for you.
At a time when Christians’ concern for the environment is at its height, there is a curriculum that explores the flawed theology at the heart of the environmental crisis and guides Christians in developing a practical response.
“A Life of Grace for the Whole World” explores a pastoral teaching on the environment by the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church.
The five-session curriculum was developed by the Rev. Stephanie M. Johnson, former Environmental Stewardship Minister for Province One and currently convener of the New England Regional Environmental Ministries Network and the Rev. Jerry Cappel, Environmental Ministries Network Coordinator for Province IV of the Episcopal Church, in consultation with bishops, clergy and lay leaders from around the church. Each session of the curriculum is devoted to a different section of the bishops’ pastoral teaching, which was approved at their meeting in September 2011.
“The environmental crisis is borne out of poor choices and injustice, but these are spiritual matters as well, “says Rev. Cappel, “Poor stewardship, commercialism and materialism are all rooted in a faulty view of God and God’s work in the world.”
The five sections of the curriculum are:
- A Time for Repentance and Renewal
- A Time for Grace for the Whole Creation
- A Time for Justice and Sustainability
- A Time to Renew Ancient Practices
- A Time to Commit and Act
The full letter is an addendum to the curriculum, and the sections can be covered in a five-week parish program.
“In its pastoral teaching, the House of Bishops issued a call for confession, compassion, and attention to the present environmental crisis,” says Rev. Johnson. “They also challenged us, as individuals and as communities of faith to identify ways to speak and act on behalf of God’s good creation. The curriculum speaks to both of those needs.”
Each of the curriculum’s five session includes excerpts from the pastoral teaching, followed by a series of reflections and questions. A facilitators’ manual offers suggestions on how to draw on the Book of Common Prayer and short Bible studies in each session.
You can purchase the pamphlets from Church Publishing, or Amazon, in hard copy or ebook. There is also a Youth version for a Youth Ed program. Be sure to order the right version for your group.
Learn more and purchase the curriculum here: