Throughout the United Methodist Church, many individuals and groups have crafted beautiful statements about Creation, and how it ought to be treated. But do we even know that these words exist, let alone what they say?
The writings listed below are but a short summary of what the United Methodist Church has to say about the environment. A more detailed version of these texts can be found on our resources page.
From John wesley's Writings:
“By acquainting ourselves with subjects in natural philosophy, we enter into a kind of association with nature’s works, and unite in the general concert of her extensive choir. By thus acquainting and familiarizing ourselves with the works of nature, we become as it were a member of her family, a participant in her felicities; but while we remain ignorant, we are like strangers and sojourners in a foreign land, unknowing and unknown.”
John Wesley, A Survey of the Wisdom of God in the Creation, 1:viii. Copies available in Google Books and through the 18th Century Registry (Also, Northwest Nazarene University has it in Wesley Center online collection).
John Wesley, A Survey of the Wisdom of God in the Creation, 1:viii. Copies available in Google Books and through the 18th Century Registry (Also, Northwest Nazarene University has it in Wesley Center online collection).
The Christ of Creation:
“[Christ] is now the life of everything that lives in any kind or degree. He is the source of the lowest species of life, that of vegetables; as being the source of all the motion on which vegetation depends. He is the fountain of the life of animals, the power by which the heart beats, and the circulating juices flow. He is the fountain of all the life which man possesses in common with other animals. And if we distinguish the rational from the animal life, he is the source of this also.”
John Wesley, Sermon 77, “Spiritual Worship,” §II.3, Works 3:95.
“[Christ] is now the life of everything that lives in any kind or degree. He is the source of the lowest species of life, that of vegetables; as being the source of all the motion on which vegetation depends. He is the fountain of the life of animals, the power by which the heart beats, and the circulating juices flow. He is the fountain of all the life which man possesses in common with other animals. And if we distinguish the rational from the animal life, he is the source of this also.”
John Wesley, Sermon 77, “Spiritual Worship,” §II.3, Works 3:95.
On Stewardship of Creation:
“We are now God’s stewards. We are indebted to him for all we have…. A steward is not at liberty to use what is lodged in his hands as he pleases, but as his master pleases…. He is not the owner of any of these things but barely entrusted with them by another… now this is exactly the case of everyone with relation to God. We are not at liberty to use what God has lodged in our hands as we please, but as God pleases, who alone is the possessor of heaven and earth and the Lord of every creature…. [God] entrusts us with [this world’s goods] on this express condition, that we use them only as our Master’s goods, and according to the particular directions which he has given us in his Word.”
John Wesley, Sermon 51, “The Good Steward,” §II.1, Works 2:283-84
“We are now God’s stewards. We are indebted to him for all we have…. A steward is not at liberty to use what is lodged in his hands as he pleases, but as his master pleases…. He is not the owner of any of these things but barely entrusted with them by another… now this is exactly the case of everyone with relation to God. We are not at liberty to use what God has lodged in our hands as we please, but as God pleases, who alone is the possessor of heaven and earth and the Lord of every creature…. [God] entrusts us with [this world’s goods] on this express condition, that we use them only as our Master’s goods, and according to the particular directions which he has given us in his Word.”
John Wesley, Sermon 51, “The Good Steward,” §II.1, Works 2:283-84
On Finding God in Creation:
“The pure of heart see all things full of God. They see him in the firmament of heaven, in the moon walking in brightness, in the sun when he rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. They see him ‘making the clouds his chariots, and walking upon the wings of the wind.’ They see him ‘preparing rain for the earth,’ ‘and blessing the increase of it.’”
John Wesley, Sermon 23, “Sermon on the Mount, III,” §I.1, Works 1:513.
“The pure of heart see all things full of God. They see him in the firmament of heaven, in the moon walking in brightness, in the sun when he rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. They see him ‘making the clouds his chariots, and walking upon the wings of the wind.’ They see him ‘preparing rain for the earth,’ ‘and blessing the increase of it.’”
John Wesley, Sermon 23, “Sermon on the Mount, III,” §I.1, Works 1:513.
The United Methodist Church
the council of bishops
The social principles
¶ 160. I. THE NATURAL WORLD
All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers,and lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, and misuse and overconsumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God’s creation.
All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers,and lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, and misuse and overconsumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God’s creation.
the book of resolutions
1001. Energy Policy Statement, originally adopted 1980
1002. US Energy Policy and United Methodist Responsibility, originally adopted 2004
1003. Nuclear Safety in the United States, originally adopted 1988
1025. Environmental Racism in the US, originally adopted 1992
1028. Law of the Sea, originally adopted 1980
1029. Protection of Water, originally adopted 2004
1032. Principles for Just and Sustainable Extraction and Production, originally adopted 2016
1033. Caring for Creation: A Call to Stewardship and Justice, originally adopted 2016
1034. Environmental Health, originally adopted 2016
1035. Climate Change and the Church's Response, originally adopted 2016
4057. Protecting Health Care, Labor, and Environment in Trade Negotiations, originally adopted 2004
1002. US Energy Policy and United Methodist Responsibility, originally adopted 2004
1003. Nuclear Safety in the United States, originally adopted 1988
1025. Environmental Racism in the US, originally adopted 1992
1028. Law of the Sea, originally adopted 1980
1029. Protection of Water, originally adopted 2004
1032. Principles for Just and Sustainable Extraction and Production, originally adopted 2016
1033. Caring for Creation: A Call to Stewardship and Justice, originally adopted 2016
1034. Environmental Health, originally adopted 2016
1035. Climate Change and the Church's Response, originally adopted 2016
4057. Protecting Health Care, Labor, and Environment in Trade Negotiations, originally adopted 2004
General boards & agencies
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General Board of Global Missions
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EarthKeepers: Global Ministries’ EarthKeepers training equips United Methodists for creation care ministries in their communities. www.umcmission.org/earthkeepers
Theology of Mission: The Global Ministries Theology of Mission includes language on God’s Mission from creation to completion. https://www.umcmission.org/Learn-About-Us/About-Global-Ministries/Theology-of-Mission |
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Wespath Benefits and Investments
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Wespath Benefits and Investments (Wespath) is a not-for-profit agency that has been serving The United Methodist Church for over a century. In accordance with its fiduciary duties, Wespathadministers benefit plans and invests over $23 billion in assets for over 100,000 participants and over 100 United Methodist-affiliated institutions. Wespath Benefits and Investments maintains the largest reporting faith-based pension fund in the world, which is among the top 100 pension funds in the United States. Its sustainable investment activities are carried out by Wespath Investment Management, the agency’s investments division. In particular, see here: https://www.wespath.org/climatechange/.
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United Methodist Women
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13 Principles and Steps to Sustainability (these are intersectional, incorporating how all of our values are incorporated together: accessibility, affordability, carbon footprint, healthy beverages, just economic opportunities, local solidarity, multigenerational inclusion, paper use, racial justice, toxic reduction, waste reduction, water use, well-being of participants): https://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/sustainability
Climate Justice study: https://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/mission-u/climate |
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General Board of Church and Society
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General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
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The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) has been charged by the church to create greater awareness in clergy education and training on global ecological crises (Section 1033, Book of Resolution, 2016). To answer this charge, The Clergy Lifelong Learning Office at GBHEM created the Ecotheology Travel Seminar to serve as a training tool for the church’s focus on environmental issues. The Travel Seminar takes pastors around the world to learn more about the environmental crises Methodists are facing. The inaugural seminar took place in Peru.
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The United Methodist Publishing House (Abingdon Press and Cokesbury)
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The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) is committed to practices of responsible stewardship of creation and care for the environment. This stewardship is apparent in at least three ways in our ongoing work: in the content we provide; in the attributes of our printed products; and in the efforts of our staff to promote a healthy environment.
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seminaries
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The Iliff Center for Environmental Justice
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OBJECTIVE: To create a Center recognized within the general public and the academy as a resource for and leader of environmental justice. To that end, the Center will participate in four activities: 1) a yearly conference where six papers from different constituencies are presented with the objective of publishing the papers in an edited volume to comprise The Iliff Environmental Justice Book Series; 2) to plan yearly eco-tours to different parts of the world to study the problem and explore possible solutions to our current ecological crises; 3) develop a film and arts festival which will be held simultaneously with the Environmental Justice yearly conference; and 4) become a center for activists groups engaged in transformation.
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Methodist Theological School in Ohio
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Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
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Duke Divinity School
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First Fruits Biblical Orchard: The mission of First Fruits Biblical Orchard is to inspire students, faculty, staff, and all Christians to recognize our interdependence with all God’s creation, to support biblical and theological reflection on God’s redemptive activity in and for creation, to engage in lifestyles of service and care in response to God’s call to till and keep our garden homes, and to empower Christians to take practical steps to reorder and restore humanity’s broken relationships to creation and the Creator.
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Drew Theological School
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Claremont School of Theology
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United Theological Seminary
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United Theological Seminary recognizes the goodness of creation and humanity’s call to be good stewards of it. In union with the other members of the Trinity, God the Father created the universe, which is the handiwork of God and the recipient of God’s continual, loving, and life-giving grace (Gen 1:31; Job 38:41; Psalm 104:30; Rom 4:17). Although human shortsightedness, selfishness, and sin negatively affect creation, God the Son identifies with the suffering creation through his incarnation (John 1:1-14; Phil 2:6-8); liberates and rectifies humans from their slavery to sin and death through his life, death, and resurrection (Rom 5:15-21; 6:5-14); and reconciles all things to God so that the whole creation will be set free from its slavery to destruction (Col 1:20; Rom 8:21). God the Holy Spirit groans with and intercedes for creation while leading and empowering people to live in ways that support the flourishing rather than the destruction of creation (Rom 8:19-26).
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