Thinking Christianly : Creationtide

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

Fr. Mark opens the season with a forum exploring the recent ecumenical letter by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury; Pope Francis; and Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew. These three leaders represent the majority of Christians across the globe.

You can download the letter by clicking here.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Welcome back New Testament scholar, farmer and activist Sylvia Keesmaat discusses the theology of creation in the New Testament and the implications of faith in the farm she runs with her husband Brian Walsh. Sylvia and Briab were with us last year as we studied the Book of Romans.

OCTOBER 3, 2021

Fr. Mark explores the story of Noah and its implications for our current eco-crisis.

OCTOBER 10, 2021

Welcome Mari Joerstaad, Academic Dean, Vancouver School of Theology and Old Testament Scholar, as she explores The stories of the Prophet Elisha in the Book of Kings as a source wisdom for our relationship with all earth's creatures.

OCTOBER 17, 2021

We close out the series with Tim Alderson, director of Seeds of Hope, a Ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Tim will bring us down to earth, as he discusses how our theology can have grassroots application in activism.

CREATION SEASON RESOURCES‍

While a thorough bibliography of good even great books and other resources would be a long endeavor. Here are a few places to start as we dig a little deeper into our Creation Season themes. Below are books and podcasts that willm definitely open new insights about the earth, climate change, food production and how these topics fit into broader intersections of social justice.‍

BOOKS‍

Mari Joerstad Academic Dean at Vancouver School of Theology is one of our presenters during our Creation Season forums (2021). Her insightful work discusses the biblical idea or the “personhood” of all ctreated things existing in a single web held together by divine life.

Ellen Davis is well known for her exploration of the land and its wise use envisioned in the biblical text. During Creation Season 2020 we studied this book. Professor Davis as with us for the final presentation.

How will we feed everyone on the planet? Are small is better farming techniques the answer/ Are there other options that sustain the earth and the land and still bring nutritious food to our planet? These are questions journalist and professor Amanda Little addresses in this book exploring innovators across the globe.

Bill McKibben is a well-known climate activist and author. This re-issued volume originally published in 1989 was one of the first descriptions of our current climate crisis and we might even say a prophetic call for radical change.

A collection of essays from a wide variety of writers celebrating farming from the African American experience, as well as and the impact of systemic racism on Black farmers.

The New York Times calls Suzanne Simard, the worlds leading forest ecologist. This book transforms how we imagine nature as a process of cooperation rather than competition. It has amazing implications for how we think theologically about our connection to the earth, others and God.

Ched Myers has presented before at St. John’s both in person and digitally, in his study of Mark’s Gospel as well as in his work on eco-theology. This anthology focuses on how we live out our Christian discipleship literally on the ground – that is in the land where we live our lives.

PODCASTS

The Food Connection, TED Radio Hour. Several speakers explore creative and imaginative ways of food production, distribution and justice.

African American Farmers, Freedom Dues and Dirty Rice. Evan Kleiman discusses Natalie Baszilile’s book “We Are Each Other’s Harvest” and interviews the author, contributors and African American farmers effected by agricultural systemic racism.

Mari Joerstad – The Hebrew Bible and Environmental Ethics, Onscript Engaging Conversations on Bible and Theology. Dr. Joerstad discusses her book with Onscript’s Matthew Lynch.

Suzanne Simmard – Forests Are Wired for Wisdom, On Being with Krista Tippett, The author discusses her research and the challenges of rethinking natural selection as a woman in a male dominated field.