Summer 2004

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From the Publisher's Desk by Jim Ball
Opinions
Glory growing on trees: a report from Kenya by Craig Sorley
From stewardship to meekness by Kathleen Braden
Creation care challenges in post-war Lebanon by Philip Denino
Opportunity knocks on Capitol Hill by Joe Sheldon
Flooding in Haiti and Dominican Republic
Not just a house but a just house by Cory Sparks

From the Publisher's Desk

Jim Ball

A tall, old tree on its own in Kenya, yet seedlings are being planted.

Siberian tiger prints in the sand on an isolated beach. Dangerous, contemplative, whispers of wilderness in Russia. Cedars of Lebanon, organic produce, and one of the last wetlands in the West Bekaa valley.

A day-long tempest on the Hill and a country boy from Oregon.

These are some of the stories you will encounter in the pages of this issue.

What we have are stories from around the world of Christians finding their way and finding their voice on creation-care. And while the "DNA" of each situation is unique, they also share a great deal, as our human DNA does with the other creatures God molded from the same clay. Where Kathleen Braden wonders whether we are loving wilderness too much through eco-tourism, Phil Denino reports proudly on an ecotourism project on Lebanon. Both stances are right. While Craig Sorley tells us of efforts to reforest Kenya and help protect endangered creatures, and Kathleen encounters an endangered Siberian tiger at night in the wilderness of the Russian Pacific coast and contemplates meekness, at the apex of power Joe Sheldon battles "predators" wanting to gut the Endangered Species Act on Capitol Hill. Reflection, action, reaction; power, and its restraint. We are finding our way. It's not so much that as Christians we have all the answers, it's that some of us are trying to be faithful, whether that be planting trees in Kenya, doing organic farming in Lebanon, or battling the opposition at a congressional hearing.

Let us stop for a moment and hear the words of the Psalmist: "I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth"
(Ps. 108:3-5, NIV).

Opinions

Dear Readers:

We wanted to let you know about some positive signs of progress on creation-care in conservative evangelical circles. On May 19 the Wall Street Journal published an article on page A2 by John Fialka entitled "Religious Leaders Urge Senate to Act on Climate." The article was about a statement signed by prestigious scientists and religious leaders urging the Senate to debate the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act, S.139.

We were able to secure the signatures of two prominent evangelical leaders, Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary, and Richard Cizik, Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals. Rev. Cizik was subsequently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal. "I happen to be one of those Bush Republicans, but I disagree with the President on this one," Cizik told the Journal. The article went on to say that "The involvement of conservative evangelicals in the climate-change issue could be difficult for the White House to brush off, given that they constitute a voting bloc whose support may be critical in the upcoming presidential election, which is expected to be close."

Having seen this Wall Street Journal ar ticle, one of the editorial section editors of the Dallas Morning News contacted Rev. Cizik and interviewed him. The resulting editorial is republished below with permission. We consider it a thoughtful piece and the most important editorial yet published in a major secular newspaper on conser vative evangelicals and creationcare.

Dallas Morning News Friday, May 21, 2004
Editorial
Reprinted with permission.

Born-Again Ecologists: Evangelicals sign on to a worthy cause

Are right-wing Christians becoming born-again environmentalists? Yes, naturally.

This week in Washington, Catholics, Jews and mainline Protestants turned up at the White House and on Capitol Hill to beseech President Bush and lawmakers to do something about global warming. But guess whom these usual suspects brought with them? Conservative evangelicals, Mr. Bush's most ardent supporters.

Richard Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals tells us that believers of his stripe are waking up to the moral responsibility Christians have for the environment. He says that the political left should not be the only side speaking out for protecting the natural world.

Christians believe that the creator expects mankind to be good stewards of his work. "The land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants," says the Book of Leviticus. "Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land."

One finds a deep conservationist streak among modern Christian thinkers and writers, traditionalists as disparate as Russell Kirk, J.R.R. Tolkien, Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Wendell Berry, who wrote, "You cannot know that life is holy if you are content to live from economic practices that daily destroy life and diminish its possibility."

Mr. Berry's observation helps explain why many contemporary conservatives have not been on the environmental front lines: an ethic of stewardship of the natural world is not wholly compatible with the libertarian gospel of individual freedom and free-market economics preached by the Republican Party.

Yet right-leaning evangelicals are social conservatives for whom serving God, not the unfettered desires of fallen mankind, is the highest goal. To social conservatives, the free market and individual liberty are means to an end the good of the community, under God not an end in itself. This is the philosophical underpinning that guides evangelicals' activism within the GOP on abortion and other social issues. That they're now turning their attention and considerable influence to the environment is a welcome development.

In June, a coalition of conservative evangelicals will meet in Maryland and issue a statement of principles encouraging their congregations to take stewardship of the environment more seriously.

We hope the administration will make common cause with the Christian faithful who recognize that conservatives and conservationists are natural allies.

Glory growing on trees: a report from Kenya

Craig Sorley

Are you a believer who has held God-given convictions about the environment, but have felt isolated in your church because no one else seems to share those convictions? That's the way I have felt for years. But about 18 months ago that began to change when my wife and I left the U.S. to join a project initiated by a missionary in Kenya. In January of 2003 we moved to Brackenhurst, a beautiful conference center surrounded by tea fields in the highlands of Kenya. Our job was to develop an environmental program centered on a biblical perspective of creation.

Brackenhurst is a facility belonging to the Baptist mission of Kenya situated just 35 minutes from the capital city of Nairobi. The property encompasses about 100 acres of land, much of which remains undeveloped. A few years ago a neighboring forestry exper t approached Mr. John McKelvey, the missionary and acting director of Brackenhurst, to suggest an indigenous tree planting program. The proposed plan was approved, and today Brackenhurst has a tree nursery and boasts over 600 tree species on its compound, a majority of which are indigenous to Kenya. In a nation where indigenous trees and whole forests are rapidly disappearing, this effort in forest restoration is now celebrated as a welcome sight by many.

But that was only the beginning of the story. Africa is a continent facing an environmental crisis that is unprecedented in history. Rapid deforestation, land degradation, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity plague the region and threaten the future of its people. Unfortunately, as the landscapes of Africa struggle under increasing pressures, much of the church continues to remain silent on the topic.

Familiar with the seriousness of the situation, and the need for the church to embrace its responsibility in stewarding the creation, John realized that Brackenhurst was positioned to play a significant role in addressing the issue. The conference center hosts over 25,000 visitors annually, many of whom are leaders of mission agencies, NGOs, churches, and secular institutions. The center is also situated next to a Bible college which trains hundreds of pastors each year. What began as the collection and planting of indigenous trees has now given rise to the Brackenhurst Environmental Program (BEP), a full fledged effort to bring a Christian perspective to bear on environmental concerns in East Africa.

The most notable highlight of our work this past year was a successful conference which we organized in par tner ship with Food for the Hungry International. For three days in mid-January over 230 delegates and 16 speakers from the U.S. and Africa attended a landmark gathering here at Brackenhurst entitled the "International Conference on God and Creation: Rediscovering the Biblical Mandate for Environmental and Agricultural Stewardship."

This event was designed to reach African pastors, church leaders, farmers, missionaries, and other leaders with a message of environmental stewardship based on the Word of God. The Lord's hand of favor was with us, because He blessed the gathering beyond our expectations. Pastors, missionaries, and representatives from numerous NGOs came. People donated funds to assist those who could not afford the full costs. The presentations were excellent, the worship inspiring, and numerous attendees confessed that their views about God's creation had been transformed. On several occasions an atmosphere of humble repentance hung over the audience as speakers pointed out a simple truth: Christians need to wake up to our responsibility in this arena and take action because the careless treatment and destruction of a magnificent creation is nothing less than an insult to the Magnificent Creator God whom we claim to love and worship.

To top off the conference on the final day we were privileged to have a visit from the famous environmental Professor Wangari Maathai, who years ago started the Greenbelt Movement in Kenya. She is now a high ranking government official, second in command for the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Professor Maathai expressed her delight to see so many Christians gathered together to focus on the issue at hand and talked briefly about her own commitment as a Christian. She revealed in a compelling way the deep concerns she holds about the continuing degradation and dwindling beauty of her nation.

Results of the conference so far have been positive with quite a number of delegates writing back to describe how they have begun to take action on their new found perspective. We have also had an encouraging follow-up meeting with Wangari Maathai herself, where she communicated an interest in learning more about the scriptural principles emphasized at the conference. She fully agrees that a biblical viewpoint on the environment needs to be widely promoted across the county. Kenya is said to be 80% Christian, but unfortunately the land does not bear witness to this fact.

So here at Brackenhurst we are hopeful. The conference allowed for seeds of change to be sown, and some of that seed has fallen on good soil. We are praying that these seeds will germinate and multiply, and that one day thousands of churches and believers across East Africa will embrace their responsibility in both environmental and agricultural stewardship. Ultimately, this is the primary objective of our program. So what else are we doing to achieve this end?

In the past couple months, with the onset of the long rains, our activities have been dominated by a range of tree planting and educational efforts with local churches, schools, and private landowners. But the Brackenhurst Environmental Prog ram is working to respond to the environmental crisis in a variety of ways.

Here are some of the strategies and initiatives that the project has undertaken so far:

Spreading and implementing a biblical message about creation by discipling and educating the church.
The development and distribution of biblically based educational brochures and publications on the environment.
Promoting the planting of indigenous trees through our indigenous forestry program.
Environmental education programs for schools.
Exploring creative ways to link effor ts in environmental stewardship with efforts to spread the gospel and reach the un-reached.

Partnerships and collaboration with churches and Christian organizations.

Passing on our vision to local and national government leaders through the building of relationships.

Energy conservation, waste management, and the promotion of techniques or demonstrations in natural resource and agricultural stewardship.

Realistically speaking, our environmental program at Brackenhurst is still in its infancy, and by most standards our ministry is relatively small. But we do have an ambitious vision for the expansion and growth of this work, and are praying that God would pave the way for that to happen.

One of the true delights about being here in Kenya is that people are enthusiastic and responsive to the message of stewardship. It makes sense to them because the vast majority of people here are still farmers, fishermen, or pastoralists. Numerous pastors and church leaders that I have spoken with often respond by saying, "This is a good message I have not heard before. I never knew that the Bible had so much to say about caring for the environment." Indeed it has been a refreshing experience compared to back home, where talking about environmental concerns with fellow believers is often met with disinterest. Not only are church leaders open to this message, but leaders in local schools have responded positively as well. We have the freedom to integrate a Christian perspective into our environmental education efforts in schools, and this is an opportunity that we would never have in many other parts of the world. So the prospects are very encouraging, and we are gearing up to shift more of our efforts into area churches and schools.

At Brackenhurst we delight in the remarkable beauty, diversity, and value of the creation, and we believe that God has uniquely positioned this ministry to address an issue that is only gaining more attention as time goes by. Our educational programs are helping Kenyan Christians understand the biblical call to care for all of God's creation, including the endangered African Crowned Eagle, rhinos, (see photos on back cover) and other animals that grace the forests and grasslands of the Kenyan landscape. God has thoughtfully combined a unique place with a unique set of people and circumstances, and these factors set an exciting stage for the future. There is a desperate need to disciple the church on this topic, and we are hoping that others will partner with us in this venture. Our prayer is that God will surround us not only with the people but also the resources necessary to expand the horizons of our efforts. With His help we can begin to recapture this lost ground for Christ and make tangible progress in building a hopeful and more sustainable future for the people of Kenya and beyond.

Editors Note: Craig Sorley grew up in East Africa as the son of medical missionaries and now serves as the director of the Brackenhurst Environmental Program, a non-profit ministry which depends upon the donations. Craig and his wife Tracy have two children, Nathaniel, three, and Aaron, one. For inquiries or further information about this ministry please contact Craig or Tracy at ctsorley@att.net.

From stewardship to meekness

Kathleen Braden

Encountering a wild Siberian tiger out in the woods of the Russian Pacific coast helps focus the mind. I had been hiking with my husband, Zhenya, who worked in the Lazovskiy Reserve as a ranger many years earlier.

He told me about the tigers who lived in this territory: that they were rarely seen, but that they would drive the deer into the ocean where the more maneuverable tigers could catch their prey. We were three days into the reserve on foot and very far from any evidence of human beings - no roads, cell phones, or even hiking trails. In the absolute darkness of the warm September evening, as we lay in our sleeping bags on the forest floor without a tent, the tiger came by.

My husband heard him, gave a whistle into the darkness to startle the cat, and asked for the flashlight. We watched the tiger as he walked back into the night, close enough to see it was an adult male. We had no way to protect ourselves if he decided to return. "Will he come back?" I asked Zhenya. No, my husband reassured me, unless he was young and stupid. I spent the night praying fervently to the Lord that we had encountered an old and wise tiger. Zhenya suggested I go to sleep and that the next mor ning, we would rise early, hike down to the sea, and I would probably see the tiger's tracks.

My reflection that evening set me off on a journey to understand how we as Christians create a paradigm of wilderness. I sensed in the event a hint from the Lord that something great and wonderful was happening in His Creation for which I was merely a visitor or witness at best, but something that, by definition, held danger and unpredictability. As a geographer, I had spent my career studying the relationship between human beings and the earth.

As a Christian geographer, I was familiar with ideas on dominion and stewardship that were found in the rich literature on ecotheology. But I sensed something was missing in my understanding. As I scoured the Christian articles and books on ecotheology, I found wonderful examinations of Genesis and the debate about whether God's intention was for us to have dominion over the earth or be good stewards of it. "Yes, I understand," I would say to my colleagues "but how do I understand Jesus Christ in this equation?" Paul tells us all of Creation is groaning for redemption. How can I appreciate this hunger within the notion of human stewardship? In what way was I called to be a good steward for that tiger, who could clearly have chosen to come back and finish me off pretty readily?

Stewardship and wilderness seem to fit together not at all. Human endeavors have transformed the planet to the point that there is very little wilderness left.

Some would say that due to forces such as global warming, habitat transformation everywhere has been so extreme that even places where people do not go are forever modified. In attempting to be good stewards, we set aside tracts of land as preserves, but the World Conservation Union (IUCN) data shows that only about six percent of the land on ear th is under protected status. Even areas that are protected often exist more as parks than wilderness areas.

The problem is not merely quantity of land, but distribution and size of reserves as well. If we back up to the global scale, protected land shows up as dots on the world map, not real units. Corridors to link vital habitat are also missing.

Even when our stewardship does allow us to establish reserves, many do not rise to the definition of true wilderness, akin to the 1964 United States Wilderness Act definition: an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. Roderick Nash, in his epic work, Wilderness and the American Mind, notes that the word wilderness derives from ancient Teutonic and Norse languages, with the same root as the word "will" (Wildeor). Wilderness was beyond the control of human beings because nature was self-willed. If a person were called bewildered, it meant she was lost in chaos and disorder.

As Christians who care about God's Creation press for a better stewardship ethic, how are we to understand the best way to be good stewards of wilderness lands? Does even the concept "wilderness management" make sense or does it suggest merely a different form of human hubris? Is it human agency that needs the management, not God's wild world?

To further complicate these questions, a new danger has emerged for the wilderness: we are beginning to love it to death. Susan Bratton's excellent discussion of this question leads to the conclusion that we are very much prone to an eros concept of love for the earth, one that is exploitative and selfserving. She contrasts this form of love with the agape love of the Creator, a love that is not selfser ving and only wants the best for the other. Eros love of wilderness is very evident today in the outdoor recreation industry, which generates more than $100 billion per year in the United States alone. The advent of phenomena such as the Ecochallenge race suggests we are now entering wilderness as a place to test ourselves and prove our worth. Even Christian groups for outdoor experiences, with best intentions, lead people into the outdoors as a way to find God and lear n love for the natural world. We may be taking greater care not to disturb nature, but the very quantity of people in more prosperous societies who want to have a nature experience suggests that wilderness cannot survive for long under even benign human pressure- it will inevitably be changed.

What ethic of stewardship is therefore called for? If the wilderness is groaning for God's redemption through the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, how are we to understand this fact? What are we called to do as Christians to avoid the hubris of dominion or the eros love of the good steward?

My contemplation of the tiger's message led me to Matthew 5:3-6 as the purest statement in the gospels of how we are to treat the earth: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

As a layperson and far from being a scholar of Biblical interpretation, I had assumed the word "meek" here to mean humility and therefore perhaps reinforcing the call to be good stewards of the land. At first glance, therefore, the passage did not seem to shed much light on my search for a deeper understanding of Christ's redemptive role in wilderness conservation. But then the work of Hans Dieter Betz helped me understand Matthew 5 in a different way.

The word meekness appears in other places in the Bible: in I Samuel, David shows meekness when he comes upon the sleeping Saul and decides not to kill him. Additionally, Psalm 37 is written in praise of restraint and ver se 11 has a preview of Jesus's words: But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Betz suggested that meekness is a far more profound concept then mere humility: it is restraint, especially when one has a choice and decides not to exercise power. It celebrates patience and obedience to God. I began to understand that this interpretation may be the key to I hiked to the ocean. There were no developments, no resorts, no other visitors. As we looked at the white sand and blue waves of the Pacific, it felt as though we were the only people on earth. It felt like Eden. I looked around, and there on the beach, the tracks of the tiger led down to the water.

Editors Note: Kathleen Braden is Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Geography at Seattle Pacific University.

For Further Reading:

Bratton, Susan P., "Loving Nature: Eros or Agape?", Environmental Ethics, Spring, 1992, pp. 3-25
Roderick Nash, Wilderness and the American Mind, third edition, New Haven, Yale University Press, 1982
Hans Dieter Betz, The Sermon on the Mount, Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 1995

Creation care challenges in post-war Lebanon

Philip Denino

On the sixth day God turned to the Angels and said: "Today I am going to create a land called Lebanon. It will be a land of outstanding natural beauty. It shall have tall majestic mountains full of snow, beautifully sparkly rivers cutting through forests full of all kind of trees, high cliffs overlooking sandy beaches with an abundance of sea life."

God continued, "I shall make the land rich to make the inhabitants prosper. I shall call these inhabitants Lebanese, and they shall be known as the friendliest people on Earth and the ones who created the alphabet" "But Lord," asked the Angels, "don't you think you are being too generous to these Lebanese? Isn't it unfair for the rest of the world?"

"Not really," replied God. "Just wait and see the neighbors I am going to give them."

The previous story is a wellknown joke about Lebanon, but it provides an insight into its history.

A tiny country, smaller than the size of Connecticut, Lebanon is strongly influenced by Syria who still maintains a military presence in the Bekaa Valley. Lebanon was plunged into a civil war in 1975, which took 16 years before it came to an end in 1991. Since that time it has been a struggle to rebuild the country, both economically and governmentally. The country has been trying to restore its position as the financial center of the Middle East and the holiday destination of choice.

Previously known as the "Switzerland of the Middle East", it is easy to understand once you get a chance to visit the ski resorts in the mountains and Mediterranean beaches are only an hour away.

Since 1975 World Vision, a Christian relief and development organization, has worked in Lebanon to combat the forces of poverty and transform the lives of children and their families. Creation-care is an integral part of World Vision's activities.

Let me highlight three effor ts in Lebanon.

As the opening story suggests, Lebanon is blessed with a wide variety of climate zones. Almost anything can be grown somewhere in the country. Adnan Melky is the Operations Director for World Vision Lebanon and has been instrumental in imparting an appreciation for the environment throughout the staff.

Economic development is a critical need for almost all Lebanese, but even more so for those living in rural areas making a living by farming. As a response to the obvious economic need of rural farmers, World Vision has an organic agriculture project in five areas of the country.

Funded by USAID, it is an attempt to simultaneously increase income for farmers while making their natural environment healthier.

Traditional agriculture relies heavily on pesticides and fertilizers resulting in most of the waterways being polluted in Lebanon in addition to the high cost of production because of the misuse of pesticides.

Currently over 100 farmers have chosen to participate in this project to convert to organic methods of farming and many more have expressed interest. Once certified, farmers will be able to sell their produce at a premium price and have produce that is healthier to eat and better for the environment.

In the North of Lebanon World Vision has formed a partnership with a local entrepreneur, Joe Rahmeh who has started a creationcare retreat and educational center he calls an "Eco-club."

"Without World Vision almost none of the activities of the Eco-club would be possible" Joe states.

"The environmental awareness that World Vision has included in its children activities helps the Eco-club in its work and prepares future generations to be aware of the impor tance of the environment in which they live, especially in the area of Becharre. We also hope that in the future the Eco-club's activities and components will be 100% environmentally friendly and will expand its activities to have more Eco-clubs covering other areas of Lebanon!"

The Eco-club serves as an inexpensive lodge for hikers or skiers in the winter including hiking, biking, camping, and cross-country skiing. Based at the foot of the Cedar Mountains the Eco-club teaches people the hazards of using snowmobiles over areas that have been reseeded with cedar trees. (For more information, visit the website at: http://www.info@ecoclub-becharre.org.)

In addition, Joe has hired women from the local village to cook organic meals for the guests. Joe also offers courses to children, including over 800 children enrolled in World Vision's sponsorship program. Since opening in late 2001, the eco-club has hosted, annually, over 300 guests from 8 different countries.

In another creation-care effort World Vision has partnered with A Rocha Lebanon to work with local groups including the landowners, farmers and local village councils to maintain one of Lebanon's last wetlands West Bekaa valley. As well as being involved in practical conservation and scientific research, A Rocha also conducts educational programs for children, including World Vision sponsored children in that area.

A final project to highlight literally has biblical resonance. Lebanon was known for its cedar trees in ancient times, supplying King Solomon with their valuable wood in constructing the temple. At one time the hills were covered with trees, some of which were over 2,000 years old.

Sadly, today the mountains are bare. As a response to this issue, World Vision planted over 3,000 cedar tress and produced 5,000 seedlings in the forest trees in the nursery in the past year. Children are taught the importance of trees to the environment as they prevent soil erosion and help clean the air.

While Lebanon cannot do very much about its neighbors, there is an increasing awareness within the country to preserve the natural heritage that the country has been blessed with.

Organizations such as World Vision and A Rocha are raising awareness of the importance of preserving nature and creating a healthy environment. Our work is part of our obedience to God, fulfilling our duty to steward the ear th and demonstrating his love for people, the environment, and people in their environment.

Editors Note: Philip Denino is Project Coordinator for World Vision's work in the Middle East. World Vision is an EEN Partner organization.

Opportunity knocks on Capitol Hill

Joe Sheldon

I have often heard "when the Lord knocks, be ready to open the door."

In early April 2004 I received a phone call from a senior staffer of the House Committee on Resources inviting me to testify on April 28 at the hearing on H.R. 2933, a bill intended to amend the Endangered Species Act. The bill, entitled Critical Habitat Reform Act of 2003, was introduced by Representative Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) and co-sponsored by 17 other House members. If enacted it would significantly weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in two critical areas. First, it would limit the critical habitat designation to "the specific area currently used by the species...that has those physical or biological features that are absolutely necessary and indispensable to conservation of the species concerned." Second, the bill would require that the economic impact be considered in designating the critical habitat. The staffer expressed the concern of several members of the Committee and asked if I would be willing to testify against the bill -- from a Christian perspective.

Why me, Lord? You know that I do not do cities at least any more than is necessary. I am a country boy from Oregon temporarily displaced (for 32 years) wandering in the wilderness of Pennsylvania. Well not quite. I taught at Eastern College for 21 years and for 12 years at Messiah College, where I am currently a Professor of Biology. I have written and spoken fairly extensively on the interface of Christianity and the environment. I also teach Conser vation Biology and my current research deals with conservation issues of insects. Yes, I had visited Washington D.C., but that was 30 years ago.

After suggesting several other individuals who I considered to be more qualified, we agreed that I would consider the opportunity. If I did come, I asked to bring my conservation biology class of four students Tim Long, Amber Wingert, Kelly Mills, and Emily Miller. It would be a great experience for them! Jim Ball of EEN and several others encouraged me to accept the invitation and arrangements were made to spend the night at Jim and Kara Ball's residence and then take the train into Washington on April 28.

My task was to present a 5-minute oral testimony based on a Biblical perspective of Creation care. My testimony was scheduled to be fourth out of the fourteen individuals scheduled to testify. Ten pages of written testimony could also be submitted. When we arrived at the hearing room in the Longworth House Office Building I discovered that my testimony had been rescheduled for last. It would be a long day!

The Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) called the Committee meeting to order at 10 AM. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee, began his brief comments by introducing me and stating that I had been asked to address the Committee from a Christian perspective. After each of the Committee members present gave a few introductory comments, those invited to testify began. As the hours of testimony passed it became obvious that the deck had been heavily stacked in favor of the bill. Nearly everyone agreed that it was important to protect species, but NIMBY (not in my back yard) was the dominant theme. Most individuals giving testimony were clearly from the pro "development" camp. Complaints were raised about the restrictions on motorboat speed in Florida designed to protect the Flor ida manatee. Manatees were described as being as abundant as fleas on a dog's back. Another spoke of habitat restrictions to protect a fly that no one could find. Fly swatting was the joke of the hour. The California Tiger Salamander received the most attention. Numerous examples were given of inconvenience and economic loss to protect a species of no seeming value. Some of the concerns, however, appeared to be quite valid. The critical habitat designation included significant landscape not suitable for the species. No testimonies, however, focused on the importance of the Endangered Species Act, its essential role in preserving species, and the significance of adequate critical habitat for recovery.

I kept asking myself "is this the committee that is charged with managing our national resources to provide a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren?" Their "strategic planning" for the future appeared to be less concerned about long-term ecological sustainability than short-term economic gain and restrictions on personal freedom. Several times different representatives stated the need to have the ESA based on the best available science. If that is the view of the members of the Committee on Resources, then why were there essentially no voices from the scientific community addressing the necessary habitat requirements for species recovery under the Endangered Species Act? Although my testimony did touch on the science of species stewardship (more so in my written testimony), the major focus of my oral testimony was on the biblical mandate to preserve Creation's biological diversity.

Many of the seats bearing names of Committee members were empty. Although I did not count, I would estimate that only a third to a half of the members were present. Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Rep. Nick Rahall spoke on behalf of a strong Endangered Species Act and both were critical of key aspects of the bill. Other representatives present seemed to favor the effor t to weaken habitat protection as described within the bill or were largely silent.

Last place sometimes has its advantages. After each testimony was given, Committee members had the opportunity to ask follow-up questions. Normally the questions and answers are limited to five minutes per Representative. One Representative asked for my views on evolution/creation. His question had nothing to do with my testimony or H.R. 2933. I responded that God was the Creator. I did not attempt to specify how God did it. In subsequent written testimony, I suggested, "It is a done deal"; we should now focus our attention on tending God's garden. Rep. Udall used his question time of me to probe issues relating to essential habitat protection and why it is critical to protect noncharismatic species as well as those that the public readily relates to Grasshoppers and flies must be protected as well as wolves. Chairman Pombo graciously let me extend my response to Rep. Udall's questions to nearly 20 minutes -- well beyond the normal five-minute limit. At the end, Chairman Pombo thanked me for my testimony and stated that he agreed with "most" of what I had said in both my oral and response to the questions.

As I was leaving the hearing room with my students, Rep. Tom Udall and his Senior Science Advisor Johanna Polsenberg met us in the hallway and we talked for another 10 minutes. They thanked me for my testimony and talked with the students briefly. Several days after I returned from Messiah, I received additional questions from Chairman Pombo (mostly theological in focus) and also from Rep. Udall (science based). These I have answered and they also will appear as par t of the testimony for the hearing.

Would I return to Washington if asked to testify again? Yes of course. What a tremendous opportunity to use my scientific training and my Christian witness to speak for God's Creation. But I would not be as naïve as I was on April 28. I now have a much better understanding of how Washington "works". It is indeed a jungle out there. And some of the predators waiting to devour God's creation walk on two legs and have university degrees.

Editor's Note: In an article in this issue Dr. Joe Sheldon tells the story of his testifying about a Christian perspective on endangered species before the House Resources Committee April 28. Chairman Pombo (R-CA) was so intrigued by Sheldon's testimony that he asked in writing a series of follow up questions. Below are some of Chairman Pombo's questions and the responses by Dr. Sheldon. The questions and answers were included in the record.

Question: Throughout your testimony you have identified the primary, if not sole, responsibility of the steward to be preservation. What is the role of creativity and productivity in relation to a proper view of stewardship? Doesn't the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) teach that we are not simply to preserve or hold on to our resources but to engage them productively? Is there significance that humankind began in a garden (Eden) but will end in a city (Revelation 21)?

Sheldon's response: I disagree that the primary focus of my testimony was on preservation. Throughout my oral and written testimony I emphasized that the steward's role is to care for creation such that its fruitfulness and sustainability remains for future generations. That includes maintaining creation's biodiversity at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Matthew 25:14-30 is an excellent example of the faithful steward. The goal of each individual should be to leave creation in better shape than when we began our task of creation care. Note: both the human and non-human creation are included. As I said in my written testimony, we may take from the fruitfulness (the "interest") of creation, but must not destroy its "principal." This is clearly illustrated in Deuteronomy 22:6-7 where the Lord instructs the Israelites that "If you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life." The city of revelation 21 is a picture of wholeness and beauty quite different from our cities today. I have heard it said "we should live on earth today such that heaven will not be a shock to us."

Question: You have juxtaposed preservation with destruction as the two possible activities for stewards. How are we to understand the mandate to humankind in Genesis 1:28, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (NIV)? Among the primary causes of extinction you have identified habitat destruction. Do you think that overpopulation is somehow involved in this?

Sheldon's response: I believe that the blessing to be fruitful and fill the earth in Genesis 1:28 focuses on quality and not quantity. Have we filled the earth already? How many places on the surface of the ear th suitable for human habitation good soil, livable temperatures, adequate water are not already occupied by humans? We are members partners with the whole of earth's creation. The "dominion" blessing is not one of domination. Genesis 2:15 makes this very clear. We are to till (=ser ve) creation with the same conviction as Joshua and his family served the Lord (Joshua 24:15); we are to keep creation as we would expect God to keep us (Numbers 6:24). As I indicated in my oral testimony, pollution and loss of species due to human impact are evidence of our disobedience and sin.

Question: You have stated that "it would be easy to consider some species as more important than others. Most of us are far more appreciative of butterflies than slugs." What is the unique value of human beings created in the image of God? Is it a difference in quality or merely in degree over animal life?

Sheldon's response: as God's image bearer we differ in position and relationship to God than other species. We alone praise God through our acts of prayer and obedient living. Other species praise god through their very existence as they live out their God-given potential within creation. Scripture forbids taking another human life, yet we are given the freedom to kill and eat animals. But killing an individual of a healthy animal species for our necessary food is not the same as causing the extinction of the species. You asked about the difference between butterflies and slugs. As an entomologist, I prefer butterflies. But have you ever seen the amazing Banana Slug of the Pacific Northwest? The difference between butterflies and slugs is in the eye of the human beholder. God has given each organism a unique role (niche) in creation. Unfortunately our theology today is so anthropocentric that many of us have lost the biblical perspective. Psalm 104 and Job 38-41 provide a God's eyeview of creation. What should be our response as stewards? As a person grows in grace and Christian maturity, arguing, "who is more important" is replaced by doing what is right in God's eyes. "Who is my neighbor" includes both human and nonhuman members. In the words of theologian Paul Santmire, we are to live as "partners with creation."

Question: You refer throughout your testimony to "an intrinsic right to exist" for non-human species. What is the basis of your conception and conferral of rights upon non-human things? Are rights rooted in the image of God? Do rights exist apart from corresponding responsibilities? If not, then what are the responsibilities of non-human life? Are they moral agents? Are all things equally good in the sight of God?

Sheldon's response: I am not an ethicist, but I will attempt to respond based on my limited background in environmental ethics. Many have asked the questions that you raise here. Let me begin by saying again that the image of God was conferred on humans alone and only humans are moral agents. With this image came many responsibilities and a few rights. Our anthropocentric culture tends to focus on the few rights but often ignores our responsibilities. Intrinsic value of nonhuman species is attributed to God's divine decree that all that God made was "very good" (Genesis 1:31).

Question: Assuming you are right in your theological position, why does that mean that government is the entity responsible for realizing your vision? You raise this question at the beginning of your testimony but never address it later. The closest you get is the conclusion, "In the opinion of a growing number of evangelicals, the protection of species is suppor ted by Scripture, and therefore, must be the concern of all God's people everywhere." Does it follow then that the government is to enforce everything "suppor ted by Scripture"?

Sheldon's response: No, I do not believe that government is to enforce everything "supported by Scripture". But the answer to your question related to H.R. 2933 is quite clear. The Endangered Species Act became law in 1973 with the strong support of both Republicans and Democrats. Like water and air, no one owns the world's species. They are "common property". It has long been recognized that an important role of gover nment is to protect the "commons" from abuse. Our elected officials have created the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act to accomplish this task. On a local scale, some indigenous people groups have developed cultural nor ms that prohibit over harvesting of necessary resources. That is not possible in societies driven by neoclassical market economics. Our economic system suffers market failure when faced with sustainable management of the commons; hence the need for government intervention.

Flooding in Haiti and Dominican Republic

DEFORESTATION A MAIN CAUSE OF HAITI, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FLOODING, SAYS DIRECTOR OF SAN DIEGO-BASED HUMANITARIAN AGENCY

San Diego (June 2, 2004): "The mudslides that buried people alive didn't need to happen."

Scott Sabin says the recent torrential rains in Haiti and the Dominican Republic would not have produced such massive flooding and mudslides if the countryside had not be stripped by the deforestation of subsistence-level, slash-and-burn agriculture. Sabin is executive director of Floresta USA, a San Diego-based relief agency (www.floresta.org) that belongs to the Evangelical Environmental Network, publisher of Creation Care magazine.

"Many groups are going in to help victims, but none are actually getting to the root of the problem and reversing deforestation," said Sabin. "Giving medical items, blankets, and other items is wonderful, but they don't stop this from happening again in the future."

Floresta USA, founded in 1984 by Tom Woodard, is a unique faith- based agency that works to transform the lives of the rural poor by focusing on the problems of poverty-induced deforestation and community development. It has been in the Dominican Republic since 1984 and in Haiti since 1996.

Sabin said that more than 60% of the world's deforestation is caused by subsistence-level, slash- and-burn agriculture. Progressively over time, sociopolitical and economic pressures along with increasing population have resulted in rapid deterioration of forest and agricultural resources. This is the case in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The people of these countries are highly dependent on agriculture and fuel wood gathering for subsistence.

Extreme deforestation exacerbates rural poverty, which itself is a catalyst for increased deforestation. This vicious cycle results in a distressingly low quality of life and widespread emigration from rural to city areas, and in many cases, to the United States.

The specific effects of this deforestation-poverty cycle include:

Catastrophic soil erosion, forcing farmers to move on and clear still more land
Loss of rivers, streams, and groundwater
Local climate change making rainfall patterns less reliable and farming without irrigation much more risky
Degradation of watersheds
Pollution of ocean and water supplies (from siltation)
Broken families and communities
Loss of biodiversity
Malnutrition due to poor diet based on limited crops grown in severely degraded soil

The imminent hurricane season could trigger a new humanitarian crisis in Haiti, where more than 1,400 have died in floods and mudslides, and the Dominican Republic, which has suffered more than 400 deaths. Floresta USA is appealing to news outlets to focus on the causes of the current crisis on the island of Hispaniola.

Floresta's mission is to meet the physical, economic and spiritual needs of the rural poor by reversing the cycle of deforestation, poverty and migration. It also arranges for micro-enterprise loans to help to start small businesses and finance farms. Floresta also has projects in place in the Mexico and Tanzania.

Not just a house but a just house

Cory Sparks

It could have been any dedication of a Habitat home--at least for most of the time.

As the proud owner, Shylia Lewis, spoke from her front porch on April 20, she thanked Habitat for Humanity, her pastor and her congregation.

Then she gave a soul-stirring testimony about the power of Jesus working in her life, bringing her so many blessings. She especially wanted to thank God, she said, for Greenpeace.

Her comment reminded onlookers that they were standing in front of the first Habitat Home sponsored by Greenpeace USA.

The decision to build the house grew out of Greenpeace's long-standing campaign against PVC and vinyl (polyvinyl chloride plastics).

Approximately two thirds of PVC production is for construction. Ms. Lewis's house was built without any of these materials, which are commonly used for siding, flooring, fencing, and plumbing.

Greenpeace and other activists oppose PVC because of the health danger from dioxins.

These chlorinated compounds are a byproduct of PVC production, and remain a threat throughout their lifecycle, especially if incinerated. Possible health effects include cancer, infertility, and a compromised immune system.

The Stockholm Convention, an 16 international treaty approved in 2000 (but not ratified by the U.S. Senate) calls for the phase out of Persistent Organic Pollutants, including three byproducts of PVC production. But the safety of PVC and vinyl is still under debate in the United States.

The United States Green Building Council, the leading industry organiza tion, has been holding hearings since 2000 on the issue.

A documentary film entitled Blue Vinyl has brought attention to the environmental effects of the vinyl industry. In the documentary, Judith Helfland and Dan Gold tell the story of the vinyl life cycle.

They travel from Long Island, New York, where Judith's parents side their house with blue vinyl, to Mossville, La., and Venice, Italy.

Throughout their journey, they trace the effects of PVC production on so-called fence line communities, which exist in the shadow of plants.

During the late 1990s, Greenpeace protested PVC factories in Louisiana on numerous occasions. Some activists entered facilities illegally to test dioxin levels inside. They blockaded trains carrying vinyl chloride and traveled throughout the state protesting dioxin emissions.

The most famous battles centered on a proposed plant by Shintech near Convent, Louisiana. Through persistent advocacy, Greenpeace and local environmental groups blocked that facility.

The Vinyl Institute, a trade association of PVC producers, defends the industry. They argue that PVC is a cost effective product that can be adapted for a variety of uses.

They point out that dioxin emissions have dropped by 90% over recent decades. In their view, current levels do not pose a significant health threat. In an effort to showcase their product's impor tance to low-cost housing, the Institute formed Vinyl Partners for Humanity in the mid-1990s.

That group led a million dollar Habitat building program in Louisiana at the close of the decade.

Greenpeace USA wanted to counter this campaign, according to Rick Hind, the legislative director for the group's toxics campaign. After discussions with Habitat International officials, Greenpeace decided to build their own home.

The Habitat affiliate in New Orleans, led by Jim Pate, agreed to the project. Greenpeace hired Bruce Hampton to design a house that followed the Habitat model and could be built on the standard $55,000 budget. Hampton is an architect affiliated with the Healthy Building Network.

That organization of building professionals tries to minimize the environmental impact of construction. In addition to not using PVC, the house incorporates other green elements. It was painted with low VOC paint (volatile organic compounds).

The house also has compact fluorescent lights and, arsenic free wood.

After construction began, Tim Burns, the President of the Vinyl Institute, wrote an email to the founder of Habitat International, Millard Fuller. Burns asked Fuller to stop the project. Habitat International declined to inter vene.

Throughout the process, Jim Pate argued that his priority was to build housing for families in New Orleans. He offered the Vinyl Institute the oppor tunity to build their own house in the city, but they have yet to accept the offer as part of a new, five year, one million dollar, building program.

Despite the controversy, construction went forward. Volunteers from around the nation joined together. One worker came from Mossville, La. where a number of citizens are suing PVC manufacturers. Others came from Washington, D.C. and California.

Among the groups volunteering time were Greenpeace USA, the Healthy Building Network, the Sierra Club, students from Xavier University of Louisiana, Advocates for Environmental Human Rights, and Project REACH (Religion, Environment and Children's Health). Advocates for Environmental Human Rights is a New Orleans based legal firm representing the residents of Mossville in their suit. Project REACH is a United Methodist program focusing on environmental health issues affecting children.

In commemoration of the PVC free home, a small group held a tree planting ceremony planned by Judith Helfand, the director of Blue Vinyl, a film that has brought attention to the environmental effects of the vinyl industry.

In the documentary, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, Helfand and Dan Gold trace blue vinyl siding from the home of Helfand's parents to communities like Mossville. Others at the tree planting ceremony included representatives from Advocates for Environmental Human Rights, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, Project REACH, and All Congregations Together a local faith based organizing group.

After planting the first tree, participants shared from Psalm 1, reminding Shylia Lewis and her family that those who meditate on the word of God are like a tree planted by streams of water. All the representatives expressed a hope that the house would be a first step in building a less toxic future for Louisiana's children.

Since the release of Blue Vinyl, Helfand has been encouraging consumers to seek alternatives to PVC and vinyl. As part of that campaign, she has urged churches and synagogues to consider the environmental and health effects of their buildings.

In response, the Coalition for the Environment and Jewish Life and the National Council of Churches EcoJustice Working Group are preparing to launch "Building in Good Faith." They hope faith communities will adopt green building methods.

The Healthy Building Network is providing technical assistance for the initiative. Their website, www.healthybuilding.net, lists alternatives to PVC and vinyl building materials.

Editors Note: The Rev. Cory Sparks is Pastor of Mount Zion United Methodist Church in New Orleans. Habitat for Humanity is an EEN Partner.