The Alverna Covenant

Disciples of Christ: Wrangling with ecology since 1981. By the way, I don't know where in the Bible they got their first "whereas..."

UPDATE: Since I got asked the question over there, here's what I meant by the first "whereas":

From the Covenant:

Whereas:

• God has created the world with finite resources;
• God has given to us the stewardship of the earth;
• God has established order through many natural cycles.

And it is evident that:

• We are consuming resources at a rate that cannot be maintained;
• We are interrupting many natural cycles;
• We are irresponsibly modifying the environment through consumption and pollution;
• We are populating the earth at a rate that cannot be maintained;

As a member of the human family and a follower of Jesus Christ, I hereby covenant that:

• I will change my lifestyle to reduce my contribution to pollution;
• I will support recycling efforts;
• I will search for sustainable lifestyles;
• I will work for public policies which lead to a just and sustainable society;

I will share these concerns with others and urge them to make this Covenant.

My points:

- The fact that God created the whole universe with a simple “let there be” means there is no such thing as finite resources where He is concerned. Would rather it said “God created the world with a rich abunance to thankfully enjoy, generously share, and wisely manage.”

- If there is scarcity in the earth it is due to mankind’s sin (cf Ezekiel 4:16-17), not God’s original intent or any lack of provision on His part.

- For similar reasons, assuming God never changes, “be fruitful and multiply” is a gift He never rescinded.

If there are scriptures that say the world’s resources are finite or that He demands limits on fruitfulness, I’d be interested in those.