Beatitudes Blog

Searching for the Coolest Congregation

Submitted by Chad Crawford on December 9, 2008 - 6:13pm.

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From Sustainablog - This Fall, The Good Book Goes Green: A Review of The Green Bible

Submitted by Chad Crawford on July 30, 2008 - 3:24pm.

Let me be clear. You don’t need a new eco-friendly Bible to be a green Christian. Keeping that old tattered Bible you got when you were baptized or confirmed is still greener than purchasing one made with recycled paper. If your childhood Bible has completely fallen apart, there are millions of barely opened Bibles that end up lining the shelves of your local used bookstore. Another option, in an era when literature is available on iPods and mobile devices, is to download the Bible. I’m much more likely these days to use free online search engines to find a passage of scripture than to thumb through pages.

As a minister who is concerned that Christianity has become much too comfortable with consumerism, which is incompatible with the way of Jesus, I don’t advocate purchasing all the religious stuff that’s out there for gifts. Sadly, Bibles too are given makeovers everyday and marketed like everything else. The message from the industry is the same as the message about your toaster. “It’s outdated. You need a new one.” I have been given all kinds of Bibles over the years, dozens of them, and I’ve given them all away except a few. The only time I’ve ever bought one was for a college course. So, I found it a little ironic when I was asked to review a company’s latest attempt to push the most published book in history.

That said, I will definitely be purchasing The Green Bible, published by HarperOne, coming this October ($29.95).

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From Sustainablog - A Bishop, a Preacher, and a Tibetan Buddhist Walk into “The Time 100"

Submitted by Chad Crawford on May 9, 2008 - 4:15am.

Wait, wasn't there supposed to be a rabbi in there somewhere?

Tonight was the Time 100 Gala, where Time Magazine celebrates 100 of the most influential people in the world today. This year, three religious leaders are included.

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From Sustainablog - Candidates Jump Through the Hoops of Religious Voters

Submitted by Chad Crawford on April 18, 2008 - 2:56am.

Faith has always been a factor for voters. We all know the usual issues that religious leaders bring up every election year, but this time around climate change has been added to the list. The appeal for green values was at the forefront of the Compassion Forum that aired last Sunday on CNN.

Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals, has been leading a compaign to instill "creation care" as a religious imperative. He attended the forum and this was his exchange with Barack Obama:

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Introducing Homebrewed Christianity

Submitted by Chad Crawford on April 11, 2008 - 10:58pm.

My buddy Tripp Fuller and I started a podcast about a month ago. We originally thought it would be us and a few friends listening. To our surprise, it's really taking off. I wouldn't call us famous, but it's great to know that people are enjoying it.

What does the name mean?

Homebrewed Christianity draws a comparison between the emergent church and the recent phenomenon of homebrewing handcrafted ales. Namely, we're drawn to the experimentation, localization, and communal aspects of homebrewing. We think that good Christian theology is formed in community, just like when friends get together to share their experiences with handcrafting delicious brews. The most beautiful forms of Christian practices are experimental and courageous. Like the emergent church, homebrewing enthusiasts love a good local outfit that shuns the consumerism and sense of authority and power of its corporate counterparts.

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From Sustainablog - Jesus Unplugged: Religious Groups Participate in Earth Hour 2008

Submitted by Chad Crawford on March 28, 2008 - 11:03am.

Candlelit services are nothing new for religious organizations. So when businesses, governments, and individuals turn off their lights Saturday at 8 p.m. local time, churches, synagogues, and mosques will be holding special gatherings. This global event is the second annual Earth Hour, the creation of the World Wildlife Fund to inspire people to take action on climate change.

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From Sustainablog - No Easter Faith Without Environmentalism

Submitted by Chad Crawford on March 21, 2008 - 10:10pm.

A handful of major religious institutions have made environmental statements recently. The Vatican added pollution to the list of the new seven deadly sins. Southern Baptists compare destroying the planet to tearing pages out of the Bible. Mormons are reminding followers that their original founders were early environmentalists.

In light of these statements, Easter celebraters might want to reflect on how the story of Easter relates to the environment.

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From Sustainablog - Eco-Palm Sunday: A Green Lent Update

Submitted by Chad Crawford on March 11, 2008 - 4:06am.

Some churches will be a little more green this Sunday, and not just because it falls on the eve of St. Patty's Day.

Thanks to Dean A. Current, who has spent years developing methods for sustainable palm harvesting, churches now have a green option for buying palms.

Current is a research associate for University of Minnesota's Department of Forest Resources. He has worked with Rainforest Alliance to prevent overharvesting palms each year, make sure less palms are wasted, and give harvesters in Guatemala a fair wage for their efforts. Twenty-five percent of the program's revenue goes right back into the communities where the palms are harvested.

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From Sustainablog - Meet the Burts: Unlikely Dumpster Divers

Submitted by Chad Crawford on March 7, 2008 - 5:14am.

Daniel Burt is an eye doctor and his wife Amanda is a civil engineer living in Nashville. Their hobbies include living a lifestyle that makes a statement against rampant overconsumption and wastefulness in America. In other words, they dive in dumpsters to redeem things that have been thrown away.

Daniel explains, “We try to live very simply, and we don’t spend a lot on ourselves. We are very happy with having a little. We like to make it a priority to share a lot of our money. A lot of that comes from our Christian values of sharing and generosity.”

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From Sustainablog - Spanish Literature and Religious Environmentalism: A Green Lent Update

Submitted by Chad Crawford on March 4, 2008 - 2:13pm.

A barefoot woman learns the language of the local indigenous tribe, and cultivates her own spirituality based on their deep spiritual connection to the Earth. This woman was a highly educated Mexican nun and playwright who lived during the 17th century.

The Boston Globe published an article today about Nina M. Scott, a retired University of Massachusetts Amherst professor of Spanish Literature. Instead of chocolate, Scott has chosen to give up carbon this Lent. She is doing a few extra things to reduce her carbon footprint, such as hanging her clothes up instead of using a drier and carpooling to use less fuel.

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