UM Bishops Update "In Defense of Creation" Document

Once upon a time, all issues concerning the fate of our beautiful world and its people were secondary to the concern that life on earth as we know it would end in a nuclear holocaust. Nuclear weapons haven't gone away—several nations have them—but the Cold War is over, and the human race has made it this long without annihilating itself, so we don't worry about nukes much anymore.

Thus United Methodist bishops have decided to revisit "In Defense of Creation," a document they crafted during the Cold War. From the UM News Service:

United Methodists are invited to assist the church’s bishops in drafting a statement exploring the problems of and solutions to nuclear weapons, environmental degradation, global warming, endemic poverty and disease.

More than 20 years ago, the United Methodist Council of Bishops introduced a pastoral letter called "In Defense of Creation." . . . On May 3, the Council of Bishops heard a presentation from a task force seeking to update the 1986 statement with input from The United Methodist Church and "other persons of goodwill" as authorized by the 2004 General Conference.

The article suggests that the bishops want to deal with the interconnections between poverty, disease, environmental degredation, and war, and I commend them. One cannot faithfully address one of these issues without addressing them all. I'm also glad to see a document titled "In Defense of Creation" that has nothing to do with evolution or intelligent design.

You may have noticed that the article begins, "United Methodists are invited to assist the church’s bishops . . . ." Here's how you can get involved:

The task force encourages annual conferences, seminaries and other constitutenties to conduct hearings, conversation and study on nuclear proliferation, the environment and poverty in 2007 and 2008. The results should be sent to the Rev. Barbara Green, executive director of the Church's Center for Theology and Public Policy or by mail to 4500 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016. For more information, contact Green at (202) 885-8648.