The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo Invite You to Join Us for
Spring 2010
Available on a day and time to be chosen by the participants
There is a $15.00 book fee for this program
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Here's an opportunity to examine the biblical foundation for environmental stewardship. This six-week bible study won't tell you what to do about the environmental issues which face us in the twenty-first century, but it will help you understand why we must do something.
"Stewardship of the Earth" is one in a series of thematic bible studies in the Threshold Bible Study series published by Twenty-Third Publications. The series combines the opportunity for both personal study and group discussion, using the ancient practice of lectio divina as its guide. This process encourages a deeply reflective and meditative reading of the Divine Word, which leads to a prayerful and transforming response.
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“The bible offers a rich foundation for environmental consciousness. Some have accused the Christian tradition of fostering apathy for the material world by orienting people toward an immaterial existence in a spiritual heaven. But a review of biblical texts shows us that the world is not something from which we should try to escape. Both the ancient literature of Israel and the writings of the early church demonstrate that God’s original intentions for creation as well as God’s plan for creation’s future fulfillment are centered in the world of bodily, worldly reality….
“The challenge of environmental stewardship is to put what we know and what we believe into practice. As individuals and families, we must examine our energy consumption and water usage, our garbage and recycling practices, and our lifestyle choices and decisions as consumers. We should consider how we pass on a respect and appreciation for God’s creation to the next generation and how we can instill hope in young people that a more suitable world is worth struggling to achieve….
“A spirituality that reflects the biblical understanding of the created world requires a deep humility. It admits that the earth was not created merely for human use, but to give glory to God. Such a spirituality calls for a profound respect and reverence in the face of creation’s sacredness. It recognizes that humanity did not weave the web of life, but that we are strands within it. It realizes that ultimately, ‘the earth is the Lord’s’ (Psalm 24:1).”
--Stephen J. Binz, author of Stewardship of the Earth.
About the Author
Stephen J. Binz is a Catholic biblical scholar, a popular speaker, and the author of more than twenty books about the Bible. He has done graduate studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
• By phone: call 319-234-9912
• By email: DBQ208s3@dbqarch.org