Environmental problems that exists today have stemmed from humanity’s current and past greed. Science and technology are being abused and threaten to make problems worse, even though they have the power to make things better. American Baptists advocate that we must be stewards of our home and not abuse it if we wish to continue on as a species. In order to fix what humans have caused, we are called to recognize and preserve the earth and natural resources we have.
The Bible is filled with examples that demonstrate our responsibility to care for all creation on our planet. From Genesis to the parables of Jesus, it is explicitly stated that we must be caring stewards of the earth. In order to reverse the damage that humankind has done, the Church of the Brethren is calling its own members and all people to action. In addition, they are also calling upon the government to be more supportive of environmental policies and clean up.
In 1982, the Christian Action Commission of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) released a document titled “Care for the Earth: Theology and Practice.” This was given to General Synod, who then passed several resolutions outlining the Reformed Church in America’s stance on environmental issues. The Action Institute wrote the article below that discusses the resolutions that were passed.
John Hill, from the Board of Church and Society at the United Methodist Agency, narrates the video below about their recent green roof addition. The series of squares used covers the entire area of the flat roof, reducing energy consumption, making the building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. In addition, and equally important, it reduces storm water runoff. When it rains, the water remains in the roof rather than adding pollutants into the nearby watershed, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
General Board of Global Ministries discuss their vision and span of their work on their website. Their areas of impact run the gamut for a multitude of environmental and social justice issues:
"Connection is at the core of our work. Global Ministries connects The United Methodist Church, its people and congregations to partner with others engaged in God’s global work, which takes place in a variety of settings, countries and cultures.
Global Ministries works through missionaries and partners in more than 60 countries around the world. "
