Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation Comments From Participants Redwood National Park June 4th through the 7th, 1998 The first public event of the Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation took place in Redwood National Park between June 3 and June 7th, 1998. During this time we sought to articulate the spiritual and ethical values which would guide a right relationship to forests. The following comments represent some of the attitudes which participants reported at the end of this first event: Representative Participant Comments Connie Hanson, President Christians Caring for Creation, Los Angeles, CA It was heartening and inspiring to be with other Christians who understand the biblical directives together with the environmental facts and see the critical necessity of, and are committed to, ending the destruction of our ancient trees and national forests. Dorothy Wolf, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Grand Rapids, MI I leave this place with a lingering sense of awe regarding these amazing trees. People told me that they are big beyond belief, and they are. I leave too with a deep sense of hope — hope because I saw how such a diverse group of people can join together and articulate what God has placed on our hearts. I believe that this small step taken by a few ordinary people can initiate a movement that will spread and touch the hearts of Christians in all denominations. Nature and in particular old growth forests have much to teach us about God. Ann Alexander, Presbyterian Church USA; National Chair, Christian Environmental Council, New York, NY Our event was a long overdue effort to articulate something beyond utilitarian reasons for serving our forests. Our process was successful because we grounded it in prayer and contemplation, and built our statements by pulling together the collective insights we gained in this way. Ed Castellini, Executive director, World Stewardship Institute, Roman Catholic Church, Sebastopol, California We were encouraged to adopt a prayerful, introspective and authentic perspective on the issues of forests, open to inspiration. It was very inspiring to me to see that in the end our group agreed on a prayerful final statement which brought out the best from all of us. Angela Kantola, Wildlife Biologist, Free Methodist Church, Indian Springs, Colorado We came to the forest to hear God’s voice and to add our voices to the song of the redwood, the Sitka spruce, and all creation in its praise of our Maker. We and the forest belong to Christ. “In Him we live and move and have our being.” We pray that by His grace, we, and all our brothers and sisters, might be better stewards of the magnificent forests He has entrusted to us. God is faithful, and He will do it. Nan Gustafson, Russian Orthodox Church Serving the Earth Committee, Sacramento, CA These are God’s great cathedrals we’ve walked through this weekend. The giant trees, ferns, streams and creatures are God’s work... that represent His gift for us to love and treasure. The environmental activists have been defending creation alone for far too long -- the Alamo comes to mind. ... Christians are coming together now to join in this movement for the protection of forests because our relationship to Jesus Christ demands this of us. The forests of the earth are God’s first, not ours. They are not ours to despoil and destroy. We may have dominion, but this requires a care for future generations. Because we are charged to protect and sustain creation, to act with love and care, we must see what we have done. We must look within at the destruction and pain we are causing by lifestyle which supports forest destruction. Ultimately we must stop the destruction of our forest systems and the devastation to species which this is causing. Beyond this we must bring our love for God to a love for what God loves, i.e., His creation. This means bringing awareness of the ethical and moral dimension of forest care to legislators and government officials. To me, this conference was a recommitment of our faith and a willingness to serve God in protection of creation, in protection of the imperiled forests of this earth. I ask you who may read this to look into your hearts and join us. God grant us success in this work. Suellen Lowry, attorney, Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) and EJLDF, Fresno, CA This weekend surprised me. I did not expect to be so moved personally, to feel my own ability to find ways to seek God so strengthened. The statements that came from the weekend stemmed from significant reflections on how we are called by God to care about people as well as the great and the small in forest ecosystems. Forests have so much to teach us about community and wholeness. Robin Gottfried, Professor of Economics, University of the South, Roman Catholic Church, Sewanee, Tennessee It has been inspiring to me to share with others who, out of strong faith in Jesus Christ, have sought an authentic Christian view of forests. From this time, I know more deeply than before the need we have to ensure that all creation prospers. ... I pray that our work here will further spur the churches and their members to strive for wholeness: for the welfare of creation; for an end to the false dichotomy between people and the rest of creation; and for an urge of repentance and for a seeking of renewal and life. We have sought prayerfully to formulate a Christian perspective on forests. We have reflected together; discussed issues respectfully; and sought to speak with one voice. We come from many traditions and walks of life, but above all, we have sought to hear God speak and to communicate what we have heard as faithfully as we can. We pray that it will bear good fruit. Jim Davidson, businessman, Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod), St. Paul, Minnesota The deep, lush, old growth forests of California went beyond my wildest imagination. Never could I have dreamed of so much life, so much green, so much fragrance, color and beauty. What a perfect place to meet and reflect on our Christian responsibility for God’s forests! The forests revealed Him everywhere. His works surrounded us and filled us all. I travel back to my home, my office, my car and my church. All creations of man. I fear that they will seem empty of God’s presence when compared to His magnificent forests. This weekend convicts me that I must work harder to preserve these ancient sanctuaries which proclaim Him praise, and restore those forests which have lost their ability to sing. Tamara Walker, Church missionary and seminarian, Church of the Nazarene, Kansas City, Missouri The preparation process was vital to this statement. People needed a couple of days to reorient from the hectic pace of the city to the pace of God’s creation. The longer we stayed and the more we prayed, the more we came to new insights and the deeper was our penetration into the lessons of creation. This was fundamental to our process and we could tell a distinct difference between those who attended the entire program and those who arrived late. I heartily encourage those at future gatherings to take time to pray in the forests before addressing this issue. It will lift and change your perspective. Rev. Carl Schwarzenberg, Pastor, United Methodist Church, Etna, California Our gathering to initiate a process of awakening ourselves and other members of the religious community to its covenant with the Creator as stewards of God’s forests has filled me with hope and thanksgiving. ... The event, bathed in prayer as it was, should truly begin a blessed process whose final outcome will receive the “well done, good and faithful servants” of the Eternal Spirit of Life we all worship and celebrate in our individual ways. Experiences like these characterize the events of the Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation. For this reason, we have continually emphasized that “the wind is at our back” as we go forward to articulate a religious ethic of the forests.