We welcome submissions to this
page. We also post links to thoughtful
articles we found on other sites here. Send stories to lukeag@goshen.edu
or jenniferhs@goshen.edu.
Beutel's Benefits of the Economic
Downturn
Tom Beutel, writer for PeaceSigns takes
a hard look at the economic suffering of the past year and considers
whether this is actually beneficial for many living in the United
States who have found security in their regular, weekly paychecks
over the past decades. Downsizing enables us to live simply and reminds
us that people around the world have lived with very little – too
little – for a very long time. He uses the Mennonite “Confession
of Faith” to remind us that we can only depend on God – the Sustainer
of Life. read
more
Mller's Challenge to Acknowledge Beauty
Melissa Miller, a columnist for Canadian Mennonite, writes
a brief but intriguing article titled, “Naming and Claiming Beauty”
which describes the importance of simply acknowledging beauty in
ourselves, other people and the earth. Using an exchange between
a waitress and herself as an example, Miller taps into a simple
but powerful way to care for creation; view the earth through the
eyes of the Creator.
Miller’s writing is simple and direct and never ceases to inspire.
To read more,
click on “Past Issues.” Go into 2009 and click on Volume 13, No.
15. “Naming and Claiming Beauty” can be found in the left hand
column.
Climate Change: A Christian Response
Celeste Kennel-Shenk contributes to the on-going conversation
of faith and science in an editorial written for the Mennonite
Weekly Review. In a few paragraphs, Kennel-Shenk encourages us
to pay attention to the research knowledgeable scientists have
collected concerning the issue of climate change and respond as
people of faith.
Click
here to read “Faith, science and climate change” by Kennel-Shenk.
Kropf Extends Hope through Garden Imagery
Marlene Kropf takes a hard look at the current economic conditions
and, instead of despair, offers hope through her article, “Green
Shoots Rising in a Resurrection Garden.” She encourages
the reader that winter will pass and what is planted will grow
for the “Master Gardener” is always at work.
Kropf is the denominational minister of worship for Mennonite
Church USA.
Click
here to read her poetic words.
Environmental Education Promotes Peace
Andrew L. Clouse, service worker with Mennonite Central Committee
in Honduras, appeals to the church for environmental education
in sermons and Sunday School classes so that we might understand
how our choices affect the earth.
He says, “Christians must be advocates for God’s creation. And
what better place for the formation of this cloud of witnesses
than in the Mennonite church, already rooted in the principles
of peaceful relationship with the world? Advocating for the environment
means speaking up not only for creation but for the impoverished,
as the world’s poor are the first and hardest hit by the effects
of climate change. We must learn that we are all connected through
a complex yet fragile ecosystem. The way we treat the environment
is how we treat others.”
Click
here to read "Focus on Environmental Education" by Clouse.
Go Green for Peace
Dan Kehler believes that our dependence on oil and other resources
drives poverty levels and war. Though he is one person in a world
of billions, he is choosing to take action. Read about his commitment
to go green for peace by following the link and then clicking on
“Past Issues.” Scroll down to click on “2009” and when this page
appears, scroll down to click on “Volume 13, No 1.” View the article
by clicking on “Going Green: The Colour of Peace” on the left side
of the screen.
Armies and Environmental Destruction: Make the Connections
Rich Meyer, a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams from Goshen,
IN, challenges us to make the connection between armies and environmental
destruction. He writes:
"The US military is the worlds largest single consumer of
fossil fuel; 129 of 1255 US Superfund sites are owned by the Pentagon.
All this is before we count the environmental cost of live-fire
warfare; military ordnance is the source of almost all depleted
uranium contamination in the world. It destroys farmland and pollutes
water and air.
"Conversely, one could say that any peacemaking effort that decreases
the activity of armed forces anywhere, whether by cutting military
budgets, de-escalating any conflict so that armed forces stay
in their barracks or cancel some missions (through mediation or
other ways or even standing in front of tanks) that peacemaking
effort needs to be recognized as having a "creation care" benefit.
I would guess that some years the Eastern Mennonite University
Center for Justice and Peacebuilding has saved more fossil fuel
through mediation than all the Mennonite agencies use in a year
for airline travel."
Suggested articles:
Click
here to read about superfund
sites owned by the Department of Defense
Click
here to read conflicts
between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Pentagon on pollution
clean-up.
