November 2007 - Greening The Beatitudes

Greening The Beatitudes

From the Executive Director, The Rev. Anne S. Howard

One of our newest chapters, the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), has gone Green. Working in partnership, the campus chapter of The Beatitudes Society and the Environmental Stewardship Commission are promoting a Green Campus Initiative, which was just approved by the LTSP’s Board of Trustees!

They propose to incorporate into every aspect of the seminary’s life:

reduced energy use
reduced trash volume
green gardening
green cleaning products and procedures

LTSP’s “Green Team” has been working toward this for months. In their words:

“Creation care is about the environment, but it is also an issue of social justice. As a neighbor in a diverse and ecumenical community, we understand that those who are most impacted by a decaying environment are oftentimes those who are often unable to speak for themselves. As a champion for the poor and marginal of the community and the world, it is our vocation as an institution and as individuals to preserve the environment for present and future generations.”

It is a great joy to see this example of partnership and creativity and the promise of a Green Seminary!

And it’s green in Denver too, where our chapter members at Iliff School of Theology are inspired by Beatitudes Society Board member Van Jones to work on job training for ex-felons in solar energy. Van is championing a new and critical eco-revolution around Green Collar Jobs for low-income people. Read more about it here. Van writes more about it over at CommonGround.

This month we also welcome our newly-launched chapter at Drew Theological School, where our student and faculty members are cheering professor Laurel Kearns, who was just honored by New Jersey’s GreenFaith for her work on environmental protection, including the greening of theological schools.

Several of our BeAts students have been involved as Summer Fellows with the great work of The Regeneration Project in San Francisco, and our Graduate Theological Union chapter continues to work hand in hand with the local TREES group on green issues. Next summer we hope to place a Summer Fellow with another environmental group, Faith in Place of Chicago.

In January, we are sending 10 students to another green enterprise: the week-long Bartimaeus Institute on Sabbath Economics, where they will deepen their understanding of the gospel call for simple and sustainable living.

There’s much to do at this late hour to care for our warming and warring world. I am proud of these students who are making the connections between their faith and their advocacy for the planet.

Thank you for your support of these great students and the better world they are creating.

In Christ's Peace,

Anne

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