Church Called to Action on Creation Care

Synod 2012 called on the Christian Reformed Church and its officebearers and members to do all they can to take better care of God’s creation.

Synod said churches and members should learn all that they can and then to do all that they can to address ecological problems, including climate change and the growing scarcity of energy resources.

The Creation Stewardship Care report took delegates Wednesday evening and a portion of Thursday morning to discuss and debate. But in the end they overwhelmingly adopted it.

The discussion reflected a range of opinions about climate change, but delegates spoke almost with one voice on the compelling need for Christians to care for God’s world.

While describing climate change in depth, the Creation Care Stewardship report also expands the discussion by touching on how some of the destructive attitudes toward creation care have developed, especially in relation to indigenous people who, it says, might have much to teach on being stewards of God’s gift of the earth and its resources.  

It also recommends that the church consider taking a deeper look at how attitudes toward caring for creation were formed, since these attitudes, as spelled out in historical documents, “cut deeply across the entire spectrum of the church’s life and ministry in Canadian and U.S. society….” 

Even delegates who expressed skepticism about the role of humans in causing climate change and other ecological issues spoke in favor of the report.

“I’m a skeptic on much of this. But how will doing this hurt?” said Rev. Steven Zwart, a delegate from Classis Lake Superior. “What if we find out in 30 years that numbers (on climate change) don’t pan out? We will have lost nothing, and we’ll have a cleaner place to live. But if they are right, we could lose everything.”

Rev. George Koopmans, a delegate from Alberta South/Saskatchewan, said he wonders how can the church advocate for cleaner energy “without replacing the gospel of Christ. We want to be socially responsible and not get sidetracked. 

The committee reporting to synod based its recommendations on a more than 200-page document compiled by the CRC’s Creation Stewardship Task Force and contained in the Agenda for Synod 2012. 

The report offers in-depth information on the issue of climate change, scriptural analysis of the need to care for God’s creation, prayers for those who seek  God’s direction and blessing as they care for his creation, practical suggestions on how to save energy, and recommendations.

One of the recommendations adopted on Wednesday night declared that both Scripture and emerging scientific discovery, research and knowledge “are valid ways of knowing that should guide our response to creation stewardship issues, including climate change.”

In a vote on Thursday morning, synod called “the churches and their members to examine our energy choices in our homes, lives, businesses, farms, and institutions from a perspective of stewardship...” 

It also calls “churches, members, and denominational bodies to be voices for justice and public examples of the effort to live sustainably within our God-given resources...”

“Together by God’s grace we can make a difference,” said Cal DeWitt, who chaired the task force.

James Heckman, a delegate from Classis Holland, said, “I think we want to advocate and educate...not cajole, intimidate, discipline. We must be gracious in how we approach our congregations.”

Another delegate noted that one of the CRC’s confessions states right up front that the first way people can know God is through creation. “I believe it is time now, when we see ourselves trashing the first way we know God, to start making these changes,” he said.

Synod ended its session on creation care by singing “This is My Father’s World.”

For news, photos, video recordings of all synod sessions and more, visit crcna.org/synod

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