Public Ministry/ Political Advocacy

Policy: We seek to change the systems that foster the degradation of creation and to rectify the injustices that result from it. And we seek to alert our members to environmental legislation that protects creation and to encourage their active participation in the development of public policy. We encourage members to participate in civic activities that foster environmental health. We seek to let our care for creation be known to others.

People: Faculty members engaged in issues of ethics and society; director of publicity; director of admissions; conference organizers; all students, faculty, and staff.

Goals: To promote eco-justice and care for creation beyond the walls of the seminary through hands-on involvement, political advocacy, publicity, conferences, websites, and publications.

Actions: Here are some suggested actions to take to fulfill these commitments

A. Ecological Justice: Seek to expose students to the social justice issues involved in environmental degradation, through classes, speakers, and workshops. Encourage those teaching courses in ethics and in church and society to include such a component in their classes. Promote active involvement in political issues addressing systemic problems of injustice.

1. Action alerts: Provide a mechanism whereby students can receive e-mail action alerts regarding environmental and ecological justice issues, with a suggested letter and the appropriate legislators to contact. These can also be promoted through the internal seminary newsletter.

2. Petitions: Where appropriate, circulate petitions that support legislative actions and policies friendly to the earth.

3. Local actions: There may be local urban or rural issues that arise in the community or city in which the seminary is located, where seminary students can get hands-on experience with community organizers dedicated to resist an action by the government or a corporation that degrades the environment and poses a threat to human health and well-being.

4. Displays: The Green Team can sponsor a display of photographs or art depicting the impacts of global warming or portraying some human conditions resulting from our impact on the environment.

list of organizations working for the care of creation via advocacy

B. Promote care for creation beyond the walls of the seminary.

1. Publicity: Promote your commitment to care for creation through admissions brochures, a section on the seminary website, and articles and reports in seminary publications. It will help to have a name and identity that generate interest, conversation, and perhaps imitation in regard to your commitment to green the seminary.

2. Public events: Hold conferences and sponsor speakers who draw graduates of the seminary, local pastors, and members of the larger community in which the seminary is located. Church and eco-justice would make an important subject for the professional leadership conference held by most seminaries as part of their continuing education programs.

3. Publications/guidebooks: where there are interested faculty and students, prepare workbooks and guides for the greening of congregations. Consider a collective faculty publication with articles on care for creation and ecological justice.

C. Network and cooperate: Locate the environmental organizations in your area, either national ones or local community organizing groups. Network with them, engage them as speakers, cooperate with them to provide field education opportunities for students, and arrange to team-teach with them.

D. Green the Investment Portfolio. Urge the development office to invest seminary endowment and other funds in social justice funds that include environmentally sound corporations and companies that serve the environment as their business. Many funds and agencies now specialize in environmentally oriented investments.