Caring for Creation Caring for Creation Resources Environmental Advocacy Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope and Justice a social statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Global Warming Staff and contact information

The Environmental Education and Advocacy program of the ELCA is committed to caring for our Lord's creation.

This involves the responsible stewardship of all God's creation: soil, air, water and all of God's living creatures. We recognize that God is the giver of all life.

As Christians, we affirm that all that we have God has given to us as gifts because God loves us; we are to care for these gifts as the precious symbols of God's love.

Our Lord commanded humankind to "keep the earth" (Genesis 2:15) and we believe that it is our responsibility to learn to do just this. Below are resources and educational materials to help you grow in your own faith journey to appreciate fully and cherish our Lord's creation and find different ways to engage in earth-keeping activities.

"Awakening to God's Call to Earthkeeping" study guide (pdf)
This 50-page resource (pdf) includes both a Leader Guide and participant materials for use in faith-based small group context: adult or older youth Sunday school, Christian Education classes, women’s circles, men’s groups, congregational “Green Team,” or in a retreat setting. Members of any Christian denomination would be able to use it, with only slight modification (if desired) to incorporate materials from their own faith tradition.

ELCA Environmental Audit Guide for congregations, schools, and other groups

Other Earthkeeping Resources:

The Web of Creation site includes a number of earthkeeping resources developed by professors and students at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Earth Ministry is an ecumenical earthkeeping group that provides numerous resources, including a "Greening Congregations Handbook."

More Caring for Creation resources