How Churches Can Integrate Ecology into Ministries

My PhD studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies this fall as well as working with incredible scholars in the field of Ecology and Religion have deepened my understanding of ecological issues and reinforced my belief that the Church must be at the forefront of ecological discussions and action in their ministries and community roles. My field of Ecology and Religion is, of course, concerned with processes and theories around this push, but I often hear church leaders confused about where to start with real and actualized implementation of emphasis or programs around ecological concerns or issues. 

Connected with that is a real blurring of understanding about the terms “environmental” and “ecological” because of the fairly newness of “Ecology and Religion” as a field of study and practice as well as the fact that most seminaries don’t require much in the way of coursework around ecological issues (though that is changing across the North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe (I’m not aware of programs in Australia but I’m sure they exist). 

First, For those seeking answers on how to include ecological concerns or awareness into ministries, I highly recommend picking up a copy of John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker’s important work “Ecology and Religion.” Grim and Tucker were instrumental in establishing the field of Ecology and Religion with a series of conferences at Harvard in the 1990s, followed by the establishment of Yale’s Forum on Religion and Ecology (sadly, it was instituted a few years after I graduated there in 2002 but I was able to take several ethics courses and classes on phenomenological philosophical considerations that grew this spark of passion). 

“Amid the challenges of modernity and the growing environmental crises, the ecological dimensions of religions are becoming clearer. Scientists and policymakers, along with religious practitioners and scholars, recognize that religions have shaped views of nature for millennia. Simultaneously, religions themselves have been formed by their interactions with landscapes and the life therein. This is what we will explore as religious ecologies (Tucker and Grim 2014, 1–2).”

By embracing ecological considerations, churches can fulfill their calling to be caretakers of God’s creation, promoting a message of hope and restoration in a world that desperately needs it.

Churches have a unique position of influence and can lead by example in the following ways:

Education and Awareness: Hosting seminars and Bible studies on environmental stewardship can enlighten congregations about the spiritual imperative to care for creation.

Sustainable Practices: Simple changes like adopting energy-efficient systems, reducing waste, and supporting sustainable agriculture can make a significant impact.

Community Engagement: Collaborating with local environmental groups for clean-up drives or tree-planting events fosters community spirit and environmental responsibility.

Advocacy: Churches can use their voices to support policies that protect the environment, emphasizing that ecological care is a matter of faith and moral duty.

This is a rapidly developing and fascinating field of integrated studies and methodologies. Churches and church leaders would be wise to explore ecological (and decolonial) methodologies of worship and to become community examples. Wide-ranging concern in the wake of Hurricane Helene, heat outbreaks, unusual weather patterns, and an awakening of ecological consciousness in the mainstream culture despite political divides are at the forefront of many peoples’ minds these days as they contemplate their faiths and spiritualities. 

Changing Conceptions of Marriage and Church Marketing

Fascinating stats here for same-sex and different-sex marriages. To think of marriage as a trophy or celebration of what two people have accomplished in life that come together into a new stage directly flies in the face of so much of what churches of all stripes and sizes (but especially my beloved Baptist tradition) have supported:

According to the Census Bureau, the median age at first marriage—the age at which half of all marriages occur—was 27.4 for women and 29.5 for men in 2017. That’s higher than at any time since the Census began keeping records in 1890. It is six years higher than when I got married in 1972 (at the typical age of 24). In my era, a young couple usually got married first, then moved in together, then started their adult roles as workers or homemakers, and then had children. (I scandalized my parents by living with my future wife before I married her.) Now marriage tends to come after most of these markers are attained.

Source: Andrew Cherlin: Marriage Has Become a Trophy – The Atlantic

In an era where church attendance is declining and church donations aren’t keeping up with expenses, it’s interesting to ponder what something like the institution of marriage might mean for the future health of congregations based on their marketing and messaging.

YouTube Donation Cards for Nonprofits

We recently began rolling out donation cards to US creators, which let your subscribers and viewers donate directly from your videos. Just add a donation card, pick a nonprofit, and start doing good. You can choose any United States, IRS-validated 501(c)3 public nonprofit organization and they receive 100% of the money donated. We’re excited to take this first step and look forward to expanding into other countries so creators across the world can power nonprofits they care about.

Source: YouTube Creator Blog: Transform a view into a donation

I could see this being a nice secondary stream of donations for nonprofits and churches in 2016…