Care of Creation Workshops

Care of Creation Workshops


Care of Creation Workshops

Thanks to a generous grant to cover travel costs, Charles Arand is now available for workshops on the theology and care of creation, with an opportunity for the host organization to apply for a follow up grant

Extinction and the Richness of Human Life

Extinction and the Richness of Human Life


Extinction and the Richness of Human Life

Golden Toad—Wikimedia Sometime ago (actually quite awhile ago), I wrote a post on the meaning of extinction and how the irrevocable loss of those creatures that no longer exist diminishes the richness of life in creation. But their loss also impoverishes us as human creatures. Aldo Leopold recognized the tragedy of this loss to us as he looked back and lamented the passing of the passenger pigeon in the early twentieth century

Extinction within Creation

Extinction within Creation


Extinction within Creation

Great Auk—Wikipedia Commons The year 2011 saw a number of species go into extinction. These include among others, the western black rhinoceros . Others are in danger as well. On  Friday, Oct 28, 2011  USA Today ran and article entitled, “Extinct in 20 Years?” “Tigers, Lions, Cheetahs, extinct in 20 years?


Visualizing the Anthropocene


Visualizing the Anthropocene

In the last post, I mentioned a few examples of human influence on earth that have prompted many to now speak of the Anthropocene Epoch, the age of human transformation of the planet. But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words (or more. Since then, I’ve run across several things that help us to visualize the extent of our impact upon the earth, both for good and ill


How Shall We Live?


How Shall We Live?

Seven billion people as of Oct 31, Reformation Day. The world’s population has more than doubled in my lifetime. For that matter, it’s increased three billion since I was in high school. It has increased by one billion in the last twelve years

Frankenfish Salmon

Frankenfish Salmon


Frankenfish Salmon

So, what do you think of the genetically modified salmon that has been nicknamed Frankenfish? Various news agencies reported last week that the company AquaBounty is asking the FDA to approve as safe the farm raised genetically modified salmon. It apparently grows much faster and much larger (2-3 times) than your average salmon

It’s Out!

It’s Out!


It’s Out!

A month ago or so, I mentioned that a “small catechism” version (about thirty pages or so) of Together With All Creatures: Caring for God’s Living Earth appeared in time for our church’s National Youth Gathering (on right and below). Well, this past week the “large catechism” version (on left) is now out and has been sent to our pastors and congregations. It provides a more thorough treatment of the subject. The first half explores where we fit within creation by providing brief historical overview and then developing a theology of our place within creation for today

Great Overview

Great Overview


Great Overview

As a systematician, I like the big picture. I like to see how all the individual pieces fit into the entire picture. It helps me to grasp—as much as I can—what’s going on. That’s partly why the field of ecology intrigues me as well

A Lesson from 1927

A Lesson from 1927


A Lesson from 1927

It’s that time of year. Most of the the birds at our feeders are house sparrows. They descend upon the feeders in flocks and consume nearly all the food within a day or so in the feeders.  So how can I get rid of them? After all, they are not as colorful as Cardinals, Goldfinches, and Indigo Buntings