Many Christian churches incorporate environmental policies as part of their mission while others appear hesitant to embrace ecological concern. I set out to explore the nature of this difference and the possible reasons for it by interviewing 12 clergy from a wide variety of Christian traditions. I also examined the possible role of the Eucharist as a catalyst for environmental mission. A grounded theory approach to my interview data revealed two commonly held clerical beliefs, each with potential ecological implications: Christ‘s redemption extends to all creation, not merely the human soul, and God intends the Earth to be transformed into a new creation—a transformation that began at Christ‘s resurrection. The study concludes with a recommendation for continued research into the effect of frequent Eucharist observance and regular teaching about the biblical mandate of creation care.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BRC.10170/124 |
Date | 25 November 2009 |
Creators | Demerse, Wayne |
Contributors | Wilkinson, Loren |
Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
Detected Language | English |
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