| This summer I've been waiting for the opening of the | | | | feeds and sustains us as believers. At All People's |
| movie Eat, Pray, Love with an anticipation that is a | | | | Church in inner-city Milwaukee, Wis., the back of the |
| bit different from my hope that Congress would find | | | | sanctuary becomes a free farmer's market each |
| effective strategies to address climate change. The | | | | Sunday, with organic vegetables grown by youth of |
| difference? I don't think I'll be disappointed with the | | | | the church. Across the country, St. John's United |
| movie's ending. | | | | Lutheran Church in Seattle, Wash. has integrated care |
| I'm a Christian, an environmentalist, an academic, and | | | | of creation into a church garden, energy-efficient |
| a pop-culture junkie. And I think the three verbs in | | | | buildings, sermons, and the Sunday school curriculum. |
| the movie's title - eat, pray, love - may provide | | | | People of faith can practice sustainable eating in |
| direction for the thousands of believers from diverse | | | | community and integrate place into a life of prayer. |
| faith traditions who advocated for a religious | | | | Pray |
| response to global warming in three stories that | | | | Prayer provides stillness that can connect us with |
| unfolded this summer. | | | | God's creation. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico |
| Despite sincere prayer and informed lobbying, people | | | | precipitated a groundswell of prayer vigils from |
| of faith have watched: (1) the Senate's inability to | | | | Pensacola, Fla. to Newark, N.J. In its climate justice |
| tackle the real problem of climate change (2) the lack | | | | tours, North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light |
| of progress at the United Nations Climate Change | | | | integrates prayer into educational journeys for |
| Conference, and (3) the failure of the oil spill along | | | | congregations to learn about the relationship between |
| the Gulf Coast to create a national demand for | | | | energy production and climate change. Congregations |
| alternative energy sources. | | | | can use contemplation as a strategy that inspires |
| Given that the United States imports 68% of its oil, | | | | reflection and action to reduce our carbon footprint. |
| couldn't this disaster propel a call for more sustainable | | | | Love |
| policies and practices? And if not, what are the next | | | | Loving our neighbor as ourselves stirs believers to |
| steps for people of faith whose religious beliefs | | | | care for creation. The organization GreenFaith |
| motivate their environmental actions? | | | | focuses on environmental actions such as promoting |
| In an essay entitled, "Jesus and the Climate Bill," the | | | | energy-efficiency in low-income homes, green jobs, |
| Rev. Peter Sawtell, executive director of Eco-Justice | | | | and solar panels on sanctuaries. In Washington State, |
| Ministries, describes the Senate's failure to provide | | | | Earth Ministry is bringing interfaith religious leaders and |
| leadership around climate change as "genuinely sinful." | | | | legislators together in a campaign to transition the |
| In the face of his own frustration, Sawtell turns to | | | | state from coal to clean energy by 2015. |
| Scripture. | | | | Communities of the faithful can model this belief in |
| In Luke 17:3, Jesus calls us to rebuke the offender | | | | love and justice by protecting healthy environments |
| (hold legislators accountable) and if there is | | | | for all. |
| repentance, forgive. In Mark 6:11, Jesus says that if | | | | These local, state, and regional efforts may be one |
| any place refuses to hear you, "shake off the dust | | | | practical alternative to our current reality of stalled |
| that is on your feet" and essentially, go elsewhere. | | | | federal leadership and international agreement on |
| And this is where Julia Roberts comes in. In the | | | | effective approaches to reduce global carbon |
| movie, she goes elsewhere. She leaves the | | | | emissions. Global warming has created common |
| frustrations of her personal life and a divisive | | | | ground for Jews, Evangelicals, Muslims, Lutherans, |
| marriage (read Congress) for an epic spiritual journey. | | | | Baptists, and Roman Catholics. Our diverse religious |
| Congregations across the country are living these | | | | traditions provide the structure of intentional |
| three verbs - eat, pray, love - without traveling to | | | | community, a shared moral imperative, forgiveness |
| Italy, India, or Indonesia. They are creating bold acts | | | | and redemption, and most importantly, hope in things |
| of redemption to address global warming in ways | | | | not seen. |
| their parishioners can understand: how climate change | | | | In the trailer for the movie, Julia Roberts tells her |
| affects the people and places they love. Their | | | | boss she is leaving her job for a journey: "I want to |
| examples provide signposts for how our collective | | | | go where I can marvel at something." The end to our |
| acts in the trenches can generate a momentum that | | | | own story can inspire awe, rather than |
| transcends the actions of individuals or inaction of | | | | disappointment. Follow the conversion of |
| legislative bodies. | | | | congregations across the country to address climate |
| Eat | | | | change. Eat. Pray. Love. |
| Congregations literally feed people with bread and | | | | This article originally appeared in USA Today online, |
| serve millions of meals to people in need each week. | | | | August 10, 2010. |
| The metaphor of eating also calls us to ask what | | | | |