Merry Lea at forefront of ‘creation care’ discussion

WOLF LAKE, Ind. – Christians have not only a responsibility to care about how the world was created but also whether people living on it give importance to “creation care” and ecological responsibility.

Eleven top evangelical Christian scholars concerned with these issues, from seven states and Canada and with specialties in theology, environmental science and ethics, gathered for a two-day roundtable discussion Nov. 28-29 near Wolf Lake, Ind., at the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College.

Topics included understanding God’s relational role with all created things and how that informs the stewardship of creation, how the definition of stewardship affects responses to climate change, and why it is important for Christian churches to take leadership in dealing with environmental issues.

The stage was set for the roundtable in May when Dr. Paul Corts, president of the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities, visited Merry Lea. He discussed with Luke Gascho, Merry Lea’s executive director, the need for a scholarly work to develop the theological underpinnings of Christians’ responsibility for creation care and ecological responsibility.

Corts shared the idea of starting the project by bringing 12-15 scholars together to identify the topics and the writers needed, and Gascho offered Rieth Village, Merry Lea’s 1-year-old, $2 million educational facility, as a good place to hold the roundtable.

The resulting conversations “were very engaging, with the passion for caring for creation being very high,” said Gascho. “Each participant has a great story as to why they see creation care as so important within the context of their work.”

The concept of “creation care” as compared with “environmentalism” is one some people are more comfortable with. “‘Creation’ has a spiritual element as a term, but doesn’t say how creation occurred, just that it is,” explained Gascho.

The roundtable group wound up selecting six categories with subtopics that are to be pursued in more detail in follow-up work. The main creation care categories that the group developed are: meta-narrative and theology, ecological knowledge and literacy, ethics and practice, vocation and calling, justice, and worship practices.

“We identified audiences within the broader evangelical movement for which curriculum should be developed,” said Gascho. “We began with the notion of a book based on these categories, but determined that other media would be important too, such as the Web, videos and workbooks.”

The roundtable is one more example that Merry Lea, with its slogan of “where Earth and people meet,” has established itself as a “thought leader” in environmental education and ecological practice in ways that also include providing nature programs for all ages, emphasizing energy efficiency and sustainability in its facilities, and offering a new master’s degree program in environmental education.

"I was greatly stimulated by the work with this outstanding group of evangelical leaders, and what an honor to hold this roundtable here at Merry Lea and in Noble County," said Gascho. "The group loved the setting."

- By Dave Knopp

Editors: For more information about this article, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

###

Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.