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T H E B I O D I V E R S I T Y P R O J E C T
Building Partnerships
with the Faith Community:A Resource Guide for
Environmental Groups
Updated and expanded version
of the Spirituality O utreach Guide:
An O utreach G uide for
Environmental Groups to
Faith-Based O rganizations
The Biodiversity Project
214 N. Henry Street, Suite 201
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
(608) 250-9876
(608) 257-3513 fax
www.biodiversityproject.org
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The Biodiversity Project is a unique public education strategy project. We
work through informal partnerships of nonprofit organizations, and draw on
the expertise and integrate the perspectives about biodiversity from science,
education, ethics, advocacy, and communication groups. After starting as a spe-
cial initiative of the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity (a grant
makers affinity group) in 1995, we made the transition to an independent
organization at the beginning of 2000.
Our shared vision is a society that appreciates and celebrates the grand diversi-
ty of life on earth in all its richness and life-giving connections. We see a time
when people view biodiversity as a valued part of their lives and dwell with
respect, harmony, and appreciation for the Earth and all its inhabitants. We see
a time when our institutions and cultures reflect a commitment to protecting,
restoring, and nourishing the ecological integrity of Earth.
Our mission is to advocate for biodiversity through designing and implement-
ing innovative communication strategies that build and motivate a broad con-
stituency to protect biodiversity.
Our work is focused on three strategies:
Develop the strategy and resources to implement an integrated outreach
campaign on biodiversity, working in partnership with many organizations
and institutions.
Develop the strategies and resources to reach new audiences beyond the
environmental choir.
Integrate biodiversity messages into ongoing outreach campaigns in the field
on issues related to biodiversity.
T H E B I O D I V E R S I T Y P R O J E C T
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Building Partnerships
with the Faith Community:A Resource Guide for
Environmental Groups
Updated and expanded version
of the Spirituality O utreach Guide:
An O utreach G uide forEnvironmental Groups to
Faith-Based O rganizations
Written for The Biodiversity Project
by Suellen Lowry and Rabbi Daniel Swartz
Revisions by Marian Farrior and Suellen Lowry
Coordinator: Marian Farrior
Copy Editor: Cassandra Carmichael
Research Assistant: Beverly Fowler, O.P.
The Biodiversity Project
214 N. Henry Street, Suite 201
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
(608) 250-9876
(608) 257-3513 fax
www.biodiversityproject.org
Printed on recycled paper
Madison, Wisconsin, November 1999
Revised May 2 001
T H E B I O D I V E R S I T Y P R O J E C T
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Suellen Lowry and Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Lead Writers
Suellen Lowry has developed programs of partnership between secular environmentalist
groups and m embers of religious and other communities, termed Allied Voices programs,
for the Endangered Species Coalition and Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund. She also
is active with the Christian Environmental Council and the Society of Friends
(Quakers). Suellen can be reached at (707) 826-1948, [email protected].
Rabbi Sw artz is the Ex ecutive Director for the Childrens Health and Env ironm ent
Network and can be reached at [email protected]. He was the former head of the
Washington, D.C. office of the N ational Religious Partnership for the Environment
and has worked with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Marian Farrior, Coordinator
Marian Farrior is a Program Coordinator for The Biodiversity Product and serves
on the Biodiversity Edu cation N etwork steering comm ittee. She can be reached
at (608) 250-9876, [email protected].
Cassandra Carmichael, Copy Editor
Cassandra Carmichael is the Director of Faith-Based Programs for the Center
for the N ew A merican Dream (ww w.newdream.org). She can be contacted at
Beverly Fowler, O.P., Research Assistant
Beverly Fowler is Dominican Sister, an educator, and a former church liturgist.
She can be reached at (608) 834-9544.
And thanks to our text reviewers and contributors:
Peter Bakken, Au Sable Institute
Reverend Clare Butterfield, Int erreligious Sustainability Project,
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Brian Cole, The Sabbath ProjectElizabeth Dyson and Paul Leistra, North American Coalition for Christianity
and Ecology
Joe Heimlich, Ohio State University Extension Office
Peter Illyn, Target Earth
Mark Jacobs, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
Thea Levkovitz, The Wilderness Society and Partnership for Religion
and the Environment
William Meadows, The Wilderness Society
Pat Pearson, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
Carol Saunders, Brookfield Zoo
Robert Schildgen, Sierra Magazine
Terry Tempest WilliamsMary Evelyn Tucker, Forum on World Religions and Ecology
Reverend Nancy Wright, Earth Ministry
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community:
A Resource Guide for Environmental Groups
is made possible by a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.
The Biodiversity
Project wishes to
thank the following
individuals and
organizations for their
valuable contributions
to this outreach guide:
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Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
I. The Value of Partnerships Between the Environmental and the Religious
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
A. The Religious Presence Has Always Been There . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
B. The Unique Dimension of the Religious
Message on Biodiversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12C. Policy Makers Are Inclined to Listen to
the Religious Community Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
D. The General Public Cares about Religion
And Links Religion with the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
II. Outreach Approaches and Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
A. Services the Environmental Community Can Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
B. Tone in Outreach to M embers of the Religious Community . . . . . . 19
C. Finding Religious Community Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
III. Types of Activities for Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
A. Meeting with Policy Makers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
B. Media Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
C. Long-Term Dialogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
D. Reaching Others in the Religious Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
E. Place-Based Projects and Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
F. Issue Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
G. Lifestyle Education Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
H. Theological Explorations and Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
IV. Introduction to Aspects of the U.S. Organized
Religious Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
A. Diversity of the U.S. Spiritual Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
B. Profiles of Faith-Based Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Table of Contents
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V. Theological and Historical Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
A. Conservation Within the Jewish Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
B. Conservation Within the Christian Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
VI. Hebrew and Christian Scripture Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
VII. Excerpts from Additional Religious Traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Outreach Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
I. Ten Hot Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
II. Summary of Some Key H ow To Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
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Building Partnerships w ith the Faith Communit y from The Biodiversity Project 7
About This Resource GuideThis guide was designed to help environmental leaders open dialogues and
build bridges with the faith community. Why? Because we believe that these
two communities can learn from each other and ultimately strengthen the
human response to the ecological crises of our modern world.
Lasting social change is often the result of a moral imperative, and the religious
institutions in our society play a critical role in shaping that which our society
considers right and wrong, ethical and unethical.
In recent years there has been a wellspring of new activity between the envi-
ronmental movement and the faith community, from churchyard habitat
programs to interfaith community working groups. Given the number of new
programs and publications that have flourished in the past few years, we
expect these partnerships to continue to grow in response to environmental
crises and inner callings. For some, these relationships are a new kind of
activism, for others, an extension of their practice of a deeply held faith.
Respect for biodiversity a.k.a. the fullness of Creationis deeply interwoven
into the spiritual texts and practices across many faith traditions. This guide
is an effort to share the growing wealth of resources in the field in order to
help interested individuals and organizations learn from (and build upon) the
experiences of complementary activity.
Each of us comes to this dialogue from a different perspective; each brings
something from our unique experience. Collectively, we are finding new
sources of inspiration, affirmation, positive change and an earnest exploration
of why we are moved to care for the living Earth and its inhabitants. There is
joy and power in this work, and we wish you well in your endeavors.
Jane Elder
Executive Director, The Biodiversity Project
P R E F A C E
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Building Partnerships w ith the Faith Communit y from The Biodiversity Project 9
A word of clarification
about the use of the
term secular environ-
mental groups : The
United States is a
deeply and broadly
religious nation. Inmost environmental
groups, whether
national or local, and
whether focusing on
biodiversity or
addressing a number
of environmental
issues, some members
will be committed
members of identified
religious communities.
Others will be deeply
spiritual, although they
are not presently affili-
ated with any particu-
lar spiritual tradition.
Still others will truly be
secular, which also
means civil, worldly,
temporal, or material.
We call such groups
secular not because
we mean to imply thattheir membership is
entirely secular but
rather to distinguish
them from the spiritu-
ally-based organiza-
tions and communities,
environmental and
otherwise, that are
the subject of this
guide. We hope that
as secular groups
engage in outreachto spiritually based
communities and
organizations, they will
come to realize more
and more how they too
are spiritually based.
Building Partnerships
with the Faith Community:A Resource Guide for
Environmental GroupsIn the following manual, we seek to provide guidance for activists in the secular
environmental community on how to communicate and form partnerships
with colleagues in the religious community. Given the diversity of religious
communities in the U.S. and their substantive conservation work, this is not
and should not be treated as a definitive guide. We hope, however, that it willprovide useful background about some portions of the U.S. religious community
and present helpful suggestions for secular environmental groups.
We also ask for a generous spirit and tolerance concerning semantics. When
discussing important, complex matters like connections with spiritual motiva-
tions and groups, language has its drawbacks. We cannot always use everyones
preferred term. For example, some people prefer the word spiritual, while
others like the words religious or faith-based. These words are not com-
pletely interchangeable, but the concepts they represent overlap (please see
Glossary for definitions of terms). To address this, we have used all these terms.
In addition, for the sake of clarity, we have, at times, used the term secular,but this is not meant to imply that individuals who work with secular groups
are not also deeply spiritual or religious (please see sidebar on this page).
The first four chapters of the Guide cover the why, how, and who. They
discuss the importance of partnerships between secular and religious conserva-
tionists. They include suggestions for tone and perspective as secular environ-
mental organizations work with their faith-based community colleagues, examples
of projects on which they may wish to collaborate, and ways to locate religious
community individuals with whom to work. In addition, it provides specific back-
ground about some U.S. religious denominations and organizations, including
contact and resource information. The last three chapters provide some historicalbackground and context. They include br ief historical overviews, some Bible
quotes, and quotes from other religions to round out the picture of the immense
richness of the interface between faith and the environment. Throughout this
Guide, the focus is on outreach and partnership with Jewish and Christian
religious communities because these faith traditions are dominant in the U.S.,
but we hope it will lead to work with other spiritual traditions too. We also
hope this will be a journey of fulfilling experiences and friendships.
I N T R O D U C T I O N
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Chapter I:
Value of Partnerships
During his thousand-
mile hike to the
Gulf of M exico,
John M uir wrote
about animals he
encountered as
beautiful in the
eyes of God . . .
part of Gods family,
unfallen, undepraved,and cared for with
the same species of
tenderness as is
bestowed on angels
in heaven or saints
on earth.
Building Partnerships w ith the Faith Communit y from The Biodiversity Project 11
I. The Value of Partnerships Between the Environmental andthe Religious Community
There are many reasons for people who care about conservation from secular
and religious perspectives to work together. In part, these include the natural
overlap that has always existed between the secular and spiritual environmental
worlds, the importance of the religious voice to policy makers and the general
public, and the long history of social action in the religious community. Harvard
professor Robert Putnam, author ofBowling Alone: Americas Declining
Social Capitalism , has noted, Religious affiliation is by far the most common
associational membership among Americans. Indeed, by many measures
America continues to be (even more than in Tocquevilles time) an astonishingly
churched society. 1
A. The Religious Presence Has Always Been There
Spiritual and faith-based reasons to protect the environment have always had a
powerful presence in the environmental movement. Reflections on religious
reasons to care about conservation have provided inspiration, sustenance, and
joy in the long struggle to protect the earth.
During his thousand-mile hike to the Gulf of Mexico, John M uir wrote
about animals he encountered as beautiful in the eyes of God . . . part of Gods
family, unfallen, undepraved, and cared for with the same species of tenderness
as is bestowed on angels in heaven or saints on earth. 2 Prior to Muir, Henry
David Thoreau called the ancient forests of Mt. Katahdin a specimen of what
God saw fit to make this world. 3 These and other founders of todays environ-
mental movement were motivated and counseled by their own spiritual convic-
tions as they focused on the beauty, awe, and protection of Gods creation.
The presence of the religious voice and spiritual motivation for individuals
who care about conservation and biodiversity go back much farther. Thomas
Aquinas wrote in the thirteenth century: God brought things into being in
order that His goodness might be communicated to creatures and be represent-
ed by them. And because His goodness could not be adequately represented by
one creature alone, He produced many and diverse creatures, that what was
wanting to one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied
by anotherand hence the whole universe together participates in the divine
goodness more perfectly, and represents it better, than any single creature what-
ever. 4 For centuries, we have been inspired by the words of St. Francis of
Assisi, as he reminds us to treat animals with kindness: Not to hurt our
humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We
have a higher missionto be of service to them wherever they require it. 5 St.
Francis was preceded by St. Hildegard of Bingen, who gives us beautiful images
for Gods love of the world: As the Creator loves His creation, so creation
C H A P T E R O N E
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Chapter I:
Value of Partnerships
loves the Creator. Creation, of course, was fashioned to be adorned, to be
gifted with the love of the Creator, and the entire world has been embraced by
this kiss. 6 There are many others, including the authors of Sefer Ha-Hinukh, a
seventh century Jewish guide to moral living, who wrote that Gods desire is
for the endurance of Gods species . . . for under the watchful care of the One
who lives and endures forever . . . it (every species) will find enduring existencethrough God. 7
Moreover, long before these spiritual guides were speaking and writing,
Hebrew and Christian scriptures in the Bible imposed a responsibility upon
humans to care for creation. One of the first commandments in the Bible is to
care for the Garden of Eden, to till it and keep it (Genesis 2:15). The Bible
teaches that creation belongs to God: The earth is the Lords and all that is in it
(Psalm 24:1) and All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or
of the fruit of the trees, is the Lords; it is holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30).
These Scriptures also note that nature is a place to recognize God: The God
who made the world and everything in it . . . does not live in shrines made by
human hands (Acts 17:24). For what can be known about God is plain tothem, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world
His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly per-
ceived in the things that have been made (see Romans 1: 19-20).
In whispers and shouts, the worlds spiritual traditions speak to the impor-
tance of conservation. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama writes that all beings
seem beautiful to us, beautiful birds, beautiful beasts, 8 and Buddhist hermits
regard unspoiled nature . . . as the most favourable environment for spiritual
progress and true happiness. 9 The Quran notes that The herbs and the trees
adore [Him]. 10 Hinduisms foremost ethical principle is Ahimsa, or noninjury:
Ahimsa is not causing pain to any living being at any time through the actions
of ones mind, speech o r body.11
This idea has been a basis of the ChipkoAndolan in India, where villagers have stopped destruction of their natural
resources by hugging trees to prevent logging. And Navajo teachers counsel
that We the five-fingered beings are related to the four-legged, the winged
beings, the spiritual beings, Father Sky, Mother Earth, and nature. We are all
relatives. We cannot leave our relatives behind. 12
B. The Unique Dimensions of the Religious Message on Biodiversity
One of the most lastingand perhaps most significantcontributions the
religious community can make to biodiversity lies in its core teachings: the
unique message it can proclaim about biodiversity. This message has sometimestransformed not just the particulars but the entire tone of the debate.
For example, when religious leaders explain that species diversity should be
preserved because God saw all that God had made, and behold it was very
good, the discussion moves away from utilitarian calculations. While such
considerations have their place, discussing biodiversity purely on utilitarian
grounds sometimes leads to debates about the usefulness of a given species,
which in turn can lead to loggers vs. owls conversations.
God is the foundation
for everything.
This God undertakes,
God gives such that
nothing that is
necessary for lifeis lacking.
Now humankind
needs a body that
at all times honors
and praises God.
This body is supported
in every way
through the earth.
Thus the earth glorifies
the power of God.
Hildegard of Bingen13
W hen religious
leaders explain that
species diversity
should be preserved
because God saw
all that God had
made, and behold it
was very good, the
discussion movesaway from utilitarian
calculations.
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Chapter I:
Value of Partnerships
Religious leaders
can help articulate
visions of society that
provide powerful,
persuasive alternatives
to the hyper-indi-
vidualistic, anti-
government messages
of environmental
opponents.
O Lord, How manifold
are your works! In the
wisdom you have
made them all; the
earth is full of your
creatures.
Psalm 104:24
Similarly, describing the Endangered Species Act as a Noahs Ark helps us
understand that our relationship with the rest of the natural world is ancient.
Ecology is not some modern fad that will fade away in a few years; it is part
of an ancient tradition, a new word that describes very old relationships.
More fundamentally, religious leaders can help ar ticulate visions of society
and governments role in that society in a manner that reaches well beyondestablished environmental groups. Whether it is Catholic teachings about the
importance of the common good, Evangelical writings on how Gods owner-
ship of all takes precedence over property rights, Protestant declarations of
solidarity with the least powerful in society, or Jewish traditions about our
common responsibility to and for each other, these visions provide powerful,
persuasive alternatives to the hyper-individualistic, anti-government messages
of environmental opponents. When we help religious leaders and groups
spread these messages (or sometimes help them realize just how important
and powerful such messages can be), we help build a stronger pu blic com-
mitment to biodiversity.
C. Policy Makers Are Inclined to Listen to the Religious Community Voice
The spiritual voice is important to the protection of the environment not only
because it is and always has been one of the key rationales for why we care
about conservation. It also is important because the religious community
affects overall societal values, which in turn impact public policy and the
election of policy makers.
Therefore, when policy makers hear the conservation message from a religious
perspective, they not only are moved by the spiritual tone, but also realize that
religious community members have the potential to motivate a larger commu-
nity in support of environmental protections. In addition, many policy makerswere taught at an early age to respect religious messages and messengers,
inclining them to be receptive to conservation ra tionales from a spiritual
standpoint. When policy makers hear a conservation message from a religious
community messenger, a wedge is driven in the stereotype some policy makers
have about people who care about the environment, and driving a wedge in
stereotypes can be the first step in getting someone to listen. This powerful
combination of religion and conservation makes the spiritual community one
of the most effective advocates for environmental protection.
In recent years, the organized religious communitys effectiveness in asking
policy makers to consider the importance of biodiversity has been witnessed a
number of times: for example, in the mid 1990s, when legislation was intro-duced to rewrite and seriously weaken the Endangered Species Act, and when
attempts were made to extend a rider that placed a moratorium on the listing
of endangered species. Christian and Jewish leaders and constituents wrote
letters and met with members of Congress expressing concern about these
efforts. The Evangelical Environmental N etwork held a packed press conference,
and the National Council of Churches devoted an Earth Day mailing, which
went to thousands of congregations, to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The
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Chapter I:
Value of Partnerships
14 Building Partnerships wit h the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
moratorium on listing was not renewed; and the anti-ESA rewrites have not
been passed. While it is impossible in any complex legislative battle exactly to
pinpoint the items that made the difference, it is instructive to watch the direct
reactions of members of Congress to various actions. When the religious com-
munity letters were delivered to the Hill, senators stood up the next day and
read them during debate. When a member of Congress asked that pro-ESAreligious community letters be inserted in the hearing record of the House
Resources Committee, Chairman Young, sponsor of an anti-ESA bill, became
flustered and tried to prevent this normally routine action. (This was so unusual
that the Washington Post wrote a brief story about it.)
Similarly, in the years 1999 and 2000, letters to the Clinton-Gore Administration
signed by over 2000 religious community leaders and activists urged adoption
of a strong policy to protect roadless areas in national forests. The first such
group letter was instrumental in gaining attention of the White House Chief of
Staff, an important step in the process toward an effective roadless rule. In
addition, religious community representat ives testified a t many of the 600
hearings held across the country pertaining to the roadless policy and submittedletters during public comments periods on the rule. In its last days in office,
the Clinton-Gore Administration issued a strong roadless policy. These and
other instances are indications that policy makers pay close attention to
communications from the religious community.
D. The General Public Cares About ReligionAnd Links Religionwith the Environment
In the United States, 40-45 percent of the public consistently reports attendance
at religious services in any given week.15 According to polling and focus group
data compiled by Lake Sosin Snell and Associates for the Biodiversity ProjectSpirituality Working Group, 95 percent of American voters believe in God.
Most of these voters are Protestant and Catholic Christians, with 40 percent
identifying themselves as born-again or Evangelical Christians. Also according
to this data, people in the United States appear to be fairly evenly divided over
whether religious and spiritual values should influence politics. 16
A variety of faith-based beliefs among members of the public provide a pow-
erful motivation for environmental concern and action. In a 1996 Biodiversity
Poll conducted by the research firm Belden & Russonello, 67 percent of the
general public polled said they believed that biodiversity should be protected
because nature is Gods creation and humans should respect Gods work. 17
A recent multinational study showed that people with more literal beliefs inthe Bible tended to have . . . environmental concerns . . . rooted in the effects
that this degradat ion will have for humans. 18 Similarly, polls and focus groups
indicate that the most widespread values that underlie attitudes on the environ-
ment are the responsibility to save the planet for future generations and the
desire to have families live in a healthy, pleasing environment. These values are
at least implicitly spiritual. In addition, natures explicit connection to God is
an important value for many, though some see religion as a private association
not concerned with the environment.
We must ask our-
selves as Americans,
Can we really survive
the worship of our
own destructive-
ness? We do not
exist in isolation. Oursense of community
and compassionate
intelligence must be
extended to all life
forms, plants, animals,
rocks, rivers, and
human beings. This is
the story of our past
and it will be the story
of our future.
Terry Tempest
Williams14
Sixty-seven percent
of the general public
polled believed that
biodiversity should
be protected because
nature is Gods cre-ation and hum ans
should respect G ods
work. These beliefs
provide a powerful
motivation for envi-
ronmental concern
and action.
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In part, secular
environmental
groups can offer
the religious
community:
Additional exciting
possibilities tomake a difference
on critical issues
through outreach
activities;
Substantial, well-
documented, and
accurate ecological
and economic
information; and
Assistance asreligious groups
reach out to policy
makers and the
media.
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II. Outreach Approaches and Tone
If you are part of the environmental community, remember that it is entirely
appropriate for you to work with the religious community. Several items,
including the spiritual grounding of some of the founders of todays secular
environmental movement, show that there always has been a connection
between the twothat in many instances there has been a great deal of overlap
as people motivated in whole or part by spiritual concerns have helped build
secular environmental groups.
Secular and religious environmentalists can help each other, combining the
inspiration and power of the religious voice with the ecological expertise and
resources often found in secular groups. This is a significant partnership that
can make a difference.
A. Services the Environm ental Comm unity Can O ffer
When approaching religious groups, clearly show what you and others in the
secular environmental community can offer in this relationshipnot only
solid information about important subjects, but exciting possibilities to make
a difference on critical issues. Relate anecdotes about how environmental
activities have brought new energy, excitement, and people, especially young
people, to other congregations engaged in caring for creation. The more you
can offer, the more likely it is that religious leaders and groups will want to
work closely with you. Here are five things that you and others in the secular
conservation community can offer religious groups:
1. Information
You and others in secular environmental groups can provide substantial,
well-documented information that members of the religious community can
use to inform themselves. These data will help faith community conservation
activists answer questions and defend their own positions in favor of protecting
biodiversity. You have a great deal of scientific and economic data that show
the trends in biodiversity and why biodiversity is important. This information
also demonstrates that conservation in general and the protection of biodiversity
are not harmful to the economy and are necessary for long-term economic
well-being. If this information, with footnotes, can be compiled succinctly and
given to spiritual community activists, it can aid their efforts considerably.
For example of ways to impart information, members of Aldersgate United
Methodist Church in Tustin, CA, have sponsored educational programs,
including a potluck dinner discussion on global warming, facilitated by a
scientist from the Union of Concerned Scientist, and an Earth Watch column
is included in the congregations newsletter. 20
C H A P T E R T W O
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2. Assistance and Staffing
You and others in environmental groups can offer to assist religious community
members when they decide to take action. For example, if faith community
individuals have a message to deliver to policy makers, you can help arrange
the meeting with policy makers, gather ecological and economic information
useful for the meeting, and perhaps attend in partnership with the religiouscommunity persons. Similarly, if religious community activists wish to do out-
reach to other members of their congregation, you can help compile fact sheets
that may be useful and even help find speakers if appropriate. Essentially, you
are helping to staff the activities of your religious partners.
3. Trainings
When appropriate, you and others in secular environmental organizations can
provide, or help with, a variety of activism trainings for religious groups, such
as media and message trainings, and information about the legislative process.
Or the trainings can be on ecological activities, such as habitat restoration,
community gardening, energy audits, green buildings, watershed assessments,simple living, etcetera. Allied Voices has conducted trainings for the
Endangered Species Coalition on how to partner with religious conservation
activists on biodiversity issues; for more information about these trainings,
contact Suellen Lowry at (707) 826-1948, or [email protected].
4. Education
You and other secular environmentalists can offer your substantial ecological
and economic information for use in religious community educational settings.
Dont underestimate the value of helping to provide interesting topics for
sermons or religious school classes. If you have readily available materials
that focus on the ecological and economic reasons to care about conservation,religious institutions (from seminaries and religious colleges to pre-K-12 schools,
camps, and day care centers) may be willing to integrate environmental
education into their curriculum. This ecological and economic information
can be coupled with spiritual information, such as Bible study guides, to create
a fully rounded curriculum. For example, Holladay United Church of Christ,
Holladay, UT, engages creative worship services to draw attention to issues
such as biodiversity. An Earth Day service features a congregation elder playing
the role of St. Francis, while animals from the local zoo receive blessings in the
sanctuary; prayers and Bible verses focus on the interdependence of all life.
Children are introduced to injured local creatures, brought in by the Utah
Wildlife Rehabilitation Association, and learn about their lifestyles and healingprocesses. Ongoing education and systematic attention to energy consumption
round out Holladays environmental programs.21
5. Church and State Guidelines
Tax status and church/state issues are often raised by religious leaders who are
relatively new to social justice activism. Many denominations publish very clear
guidelines on activism, tax status, and church/state concerns for their congrega-
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Tone in outreach:
Keep in mind that
the spiritual pres-
ence has always
been part of the
larger conservation
movement.
W hen making
choices about
outreach efforts,
make those that
will strengthen the
relationship, and if
necessary, choose
maintaining posi-
tive relationships
completing short-
term tasks.
Treat every individ-
ual as a VIP.
Avoid discussions
that compare
values of humans
versus flora and
fauna.
Have a sincere
respect for religious
beliefs and people
motivated by them.
Be careful not to
write off people
because of religious,
class, or education
differences.
tions. Though you should not give legal advice to religious groups, you and
other secular environmentalists can point out that speaking on environmental
issues in no way threatens the tax status of religious groups. The main activity
religious leaders must avoid is the endorsement of candidates for political
office. Similarly, as long as they do not try to establish a religious test for a
political office, speaking about how their religious values relate to modernpolicy questions does not intrude on church/state separation. The organization
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has a succinct guide
about religious groups, political activity, and the IRS. You can view it at
www.au.org/dodont/htm.
B. Tone in O utreach to Members of the Religious Community
As you reach out to your colleagues in the religious community, it is important
to keep a few key facts and principles in mind, some of which also apply to
other types of organizing, and some that pertain to the religious community
only. And it is important to avoid mistakes that have at times needlessly separatedthe two worlds.
1. Sincere Respect for Potential Religious Community Partners
a. It is crucial that you and other people with secular environmental groups
remember that you do not own environmentalism, and that the spiritual presence
has always been part of the larger conservation movement. It is inaccurate and
insulting to treat religious community members as if they are new to caring
about conservation or are somehow non-traditional voices in the conservation
world. Were so glad youre [finally] getting involved is a misguided statement.
Were so glad to be partnering together more is great.
b. Make choices that will strengthen your relationship with the religious
community. Choose maintaining positive relationships over completing short-
term tasks, if necessary. This guiding principle is instrumental to building a
partnership with members of the religious community. In the long run, this
network must exist for the environmental movement to prevail. The key is
finding many people with whom to partner in your work to protect the earth;
and no single action is worth jeopardizing these relationships. Therefore, always
think long term, t aking the time to build lasting partnerships and dialogue.
Once these partnerships are built, do not jeopardize them.
c. Approach everyone as a potential, highly-regarded partner, not as someonewhos just useful. It works best to treat every individual in the religious com-
munity as a VIP, as indeed they all are. In addition, since partnerships are a
two-way street, be open to learning from and listening to your religious coun-
terparts. Ask experts from the religious community sincerely for their opinions
and guidance. Also, if you are approaching someone in the religious community
about engaging in a particular project, take time to explain the context or
genesis of this project, while being open to guidance.
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d. Religious community members may be wary about you and others from
secular environmental groups because they are concerned that you privately
look down on or denigrate religious beliefs. Avoid discussions about com-
paring the values of humans versus plants, animals, etc. Conservationists from
secular organizations who work with faith communities must have a sincere
respect for a wide array of religious beliefs and the people who are motivatedby them. Be careful not to write off people because of religious, class, or
education differences.
2. Some Internal Concerns of Clergy and Lay Members
a. Religious community members are busy on a great variety of issues. Clergy
typically deal with the needs of congregants, a more than full-time job by itself,
as well as manage buildings, direct schools, lead services, and then try to carve
out time to work on a wide array of social justice concerns, one of which
might be conservation. No church or synagogue focuses entirely on environ-
mental issues, and it is the rare clergy person who has been told by congregants
that they joined that church or synagogue because of its environmental work.The clergy person or lay activist may not have previously given much thought
to environmental concerns, especially biodiversity. In addition, religious com-
munity conservation activists often try to make a difference on a multitude of
environmental issues, so they are spread very thin.
Therefore, be scrupulous about respecting the time constraints of your
religious partners. Dont overwhelm them initially either with reams of back-
ground information or with huge demands on their time. Approach them
about time-limited, specific tasks that really make a difference, and dont ask
them to drop everything for time-consuming involvement in a last-minute
effort. Once you have successfully worked together, you may be able to move
on to more complicated aspects of biodiversity and/or more long-term, time-intensive projects. Along these same lines, you can perform a substantial service
for your spiritual community partners by gathering accurate ecological and other
background information for them and offering to help in other appropriate ways.
b. In working with individuals, think about their personal and broader needs.
Help people involved in projects get to know each other, not just show up for
an event. Use tactics that appeal to public stature, such as arranging face-to-
face meetings with members of Congress and other policy makers. Also, in
some spiritual communities, there is a great deal of interest in interfaith and
interracial efforts. If your activity offers this, it is a big attraction. Finally,
understand that the faith community individuals with whom you are workingmay have ongoing relationships with the labor and business communities.
c. It is important to understand the current pressures with which clergy and
congregational leaders are coping. Some denominations are dealing with dimin-
ishing numbers and congregations seceding from the national denomination
due to theological and policy differences. Furthermore, in some places there is a
movement among individuals to discourage dollars from congregations going
Internal concerns:
Be scrupulous
about respecting
the time constraints
of your spiritual
partners.
Think about
peoples personal
and broader needs.
Understand the
current pressures
with which congre-
gational leaders arecoping, including
diminishing numbers
in some cases.
Show the diversity
of your leadership
to religious
activists.
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How to engage
in dialogue:
Step back and ask
yourself, What
would I be thinking
if I had never before
considered doing
anything pertaining
to biodiversity
issues?
Make sure the tone
is not, youd be
useful to m e, but
maybe we can
partner on this to
accomplish some-
thing.
Avoid strident-
sounding tones.
Do not put down
your opponents as
people.
Reach out to lay
members of the
religious community
as well as clergy.
to the national denominational structure, because they view the national
structures as too progressive.
d. M any spiritual communities have long-standing commitments to diversity
in their own leadership, reflecting the great diversity within their pews. Such
groups are particularly sensitive to criticisms of the environmental movementas an elitist concern held by upper-class white males. Be sure to show the
diversity of your leadership to religious activistsand if your group and its
leadership are not diverse, you might think about asking for help from religious
leaders to increase your diversity.
3. CommunicationHow to Engage in Dialogue
a. When you call or meet with someone in the religious community for the first
time, step back and ask yourself, What would I be thinking if I had never
before considered doing anything pertaining to biodiversity issues? or What
would I be thinking if I had never before seriously considered working with a
secular environmental group on biodiversity issues?People work together best when they have established personal connection
and understanding. Therefore, share a little about yourselfwho you are, why
you care, and what sustains you. If you are calling about a particular project,
talk a little about its genesis and why it makes sense to spend time on it.
Make sure the tone is not, youd be useful to me, but maybe we can
partner on this to accomplish something we both care about .
In the first few seconds of the call, ask if the person has time to talk. If not,
schedule another time to call.
b. When you work with religious community members, avoid strident-sounding
tones. Unfortunately, like the spiritual community, the secular conservationcommunity labors under stereotypes at times, and one of these is that the
secular environmental movement is wild eyed and too radical. Strident
sounding tones, while necessary and appropriate in some places, can be troubling
to people who may be considering a partnership with their secular group
colleagues. Even words like attack can be troublesomeso, for example, its
often better to say members of Congress are seriously undermining environ-
mental protections, rather than attacking the protections. After drafting a letter,
action alert, fact sheet, and so on, that will be shared with faith community
individuals, read it one last time for any words that they may perceive as being
a little sharp, and change them; the power of the piece will not be diminished,
and it will be accepted much more readily if it is worded carefully.
c. Deliver your message without appearing to be putting down your opponents
as people, and avoid criticism of individuals who are not taking pro-conservation
stands. Especially in the present political climate, it is easy to fall into habits of
demonizing ones political opponents. Direct your passion for biodiversity at
the issue itself and not at the person who may stand in the way of environ-
mental goals. Some spiritual traditions believe that of God is in all persons;
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many are guided by various versions of the admonition to love our neighbors
as ourselves. In addition, in a given congregation, one may find business leaders
as well as environmentalists, property rights activists as well as biodiversity
activists. If religious leaders feel that they cant speak about environmental
issues without directly attacking members of their own congregation, they may
avoid the subject altogether.Give spiritual leaders the tools they need to express concern about environ-
mental issues without ignoring legitimate questions about the consequences of
environmental regulations. Once trust has been established, religious leaders
may help br ing other sectors to the table ready to work with the conservation
community. In other cases, a trusting relationship may enable a religious leader
to condemn practices by congregants that need condemning.
d. Do not seek to communicate only with clergy. Influential religious community
activists on conservation issues are often lay members of their spiritual affilia-
tion. Clergy are ordained persons within a religious group, such as ministers or
rabbis; lay persons are the non-clergy, non-ordained individuals. Lay personscan have quite senior roles in their denominations.
4. CommunicationWhat to Talk About and Avoid Discussing
a. In reaching out to members of the religious community, make a connection
with issues on which the individuals are already work ing. Many clergy and
religious community activists have worked for years on social justice issues. In
the 1960s, many sectors of the religious community focused a great deal of
energy on desegregation and racial justice, the War on Poverty, and Vietnam.
Faith communities began focusing more on current environmental public policies
in the 1970s, and this involvement has been growing. But the struggle for justice
in other important areas goes on and needs to be respected.Make connections between social justice and biodiversity wherever possible.
Make the connection between the needs of poor people and conservation. For
example, legislation about cleaning up brown fields connects the issues of toxics,
poverty, jobs, and ecological health of a community. Community gardens
address concerns about food equity and access to fresh produce, employment
opportunities for low-income neighborhoods, and green space in inner cities.
Almost all denominations have national, regional, or local newspapers or
newsletters (e.g., most Episcopal and Catholic dioceses have newspapers). Get
copies of a few for a feeling about current issues important to them. Also,
denominations and some congregations now have web pages, which contain a
great deal of information; the web pages usually can be found by doing asearch using the denominations name (see also the Profiles of Faith-Based
Organizations section). In addition, most newspapers have religious pages that
appear every Saturday; begin reading these pages.
b. There is an image that environmentalists care about trees and critters but not
people; when you talk with faith community individuals, use your message to
dispel this misconception. While not couching everything in utilitarian terms,
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W hat to say:
Make a connection
with issues on
which individuals
already are working,
showing the rela-
tionship between
biodiversity and
social justice.
Emphasize the
many reasons
biodiversity is
important,
including species
inherent value
and biodiversitys
importance to
people.
Limit your message
to conservation
issues only; just
because you and an
individual agree on
conservation does
not mean you will
agree on other
issues.
Stress that the
involvement o f
the spiritual voice
often makes a big
difference.
Building Partnerships w ith the Faith Communit y from The Biodiversity Project 23
explain how conservation is important to people, especially making clear
how poor and oppressed people are affected by the environment around
them. Make both arguments: biodiversity is important because it supports
and sustains people (through ecosystem services); and biodiversity is important
because species are inherently valuable as part of Gods creation. Biodiversity
helps humanity understand ourselves better in a broader context, and cannurture our values. In other words, biodiversity is important to todays families
and future generations, and biodiversity should be protected because nature is
Gods handiwork.
c. Many in the religious community consider conservation a justice issue,
because it is just to protect all of creation and because safeguarding the envi-
ronment is key to economic justice for workers and families throughout the
world. In much of the religious community, the term environmental justice
pertains to all conservation, justice for all of Gods creation; it does not pertain
only to environmental racism. The term eco-justice was coined in the mid-
1970s, based on looking at the intersection of ecological and economic issuesand working on them together.
d. Make sure your message sticks to the topic of conservation; just because you
and an individual agree on conservation does not mean you will agree on other
issues. When talking about the position stands of members of Congress, for
example, it is sometimes easy to begin praising or criticizing them for their
positions on non-environmental issues. Unless you have developed a true friend-
ship with the religious community members, you are on dangerous ground
because you cannot assume they will be comfortable with your opinions on
these other issues. Usually the faith community individuals are gracious enough
to ignore these tangential comments, but you cant count on this generosity.
e. Stress that the involvement of a spiritual voice in conservation issues often
makes a big difference. Use examples and anecdotes.
f. When you approach religious groups, be sure you dont bring more than
one agenda with you. Resist the urge to discuss your own religious issues
anything from questions about God to old baggage from a mean religious
schoolteacher. While at least some of these questions might be appropriate
once a trusting relationship is built, they often can block the building of that
relationship if they become too prominent too early on, especially when they
take on negative tones, denouncing religion as pa triarchy or the like.Approach religious groups with an open mind, a significant commitment to
listening, and only one item on the agendabuilding a working relationship
on environmental concerns.
g. Do not invoke scripture or theology unless you have a theological background
or you are speaking from your own personal experience and religious tradition.
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h. You may run across an argument either (as sometimes raised by secular envi-
ronmentalists) blaming religious communities for environmental destruction or
(as sometimes raised by members of some religious communities) denigrating
environmental concerns, based on their interpretation of Genesis 1:28: And
God blessed them and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the
earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over thebirds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. This is
not as hard to respond to as it might first appear.
Christian environmentalists often point out that their dominion is sup-
posed to be modeled after the dominion of Jesus, who came to serve those over
whom He had dominion and for whom He gave His very life. So we, according
to this view, should serve the rest of the planet, giving from our lives to ensure
its health. Jewish environmentalists point to the traditional Jewish understand-
ing of this passage, which notes that Adam and Eve, for example, are not
allowed to eat meat and are, just a few sentences later (Genesis 2:15) com-
manded to serve and protect the earth. Thus, according to this tradition,
dominion is not to be understood as domination. Rather it is a recognitionthat humans do indeed have the power to greatly affect the world around
themand that therefore careful, caring stewardship is even more important.
i. Be aware that some people and organizations are critical of the partnership
between religious and environmental groups. To learn more about some of
these organizations and their positions, see the following websites: Action
Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty at www.action.org; Interfaith
Council for Environmental Stewardship a t www.stewards.net; and National
Center for Policy Analysis at www.nationalcenter.org.
5. Work with Individuals, One Step at a TimeDont get discouraged. At times, it may take days to find one person in the
religious community who will work with you, but you will find someone, and
then the activity of that one individual will make a difference.
Theres a temptat ion to want to get everyone on board. Instead, spend your
energy where it is most fruitful, finding a few who are already inclined to
partner with you. Then, when appropriate, see if these people in the religious
community can give you guidance and help in recruiting others. For example,
once you have a good working relationship with one member of the clergy, he or
she can be extremely useful in making contacts with other area clergy, as clergy
are often more responsive to calls from colleagues than from secular groups.
C. Finding Religious Com munity Partners
1. Religious Community Partners within Secular Groups
Many members of environmenta l organizations also are active in faith com-
munities. They are quite capable of, and may be interested in, speaking from a
religious perspective to policy makers and the media. They just need to be
asked. Therefore, think about your membership, perhaps even conduct an
Theres a temptation
to want to get
everyone on board.
Instead, spend your
energy where it is
most fruitful, finding
a few who are
already inclined to
partner with you.
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Learn about the
issues important to
denominations and
other religious
groups through the
following:
Religious com-
munity magazines,
newspapers, and
newsletters;
Denominational or
organizational web
pages; and
Reading the
Saturday religious
page in city news-
papers.
informal survey, to determine if any of your members would be interested in
being active from their spiritual perspective. One of the advantages of finding
an existing religious community voice within your organization is that these
individuals already are comfortable with you and your focus. In addition, your
own religious community members can be helpful in reaching out to others in
the faith community.Similarly, if you or others in your organization are active in your own faith
community, this also can be a great source of additional religious conservation
voices and activities. You can work within your own congregation, by starting
a study group, a church property habitat restoration project, an energy audit or
green building survey, and so on. An excellent resource for how to get started
in your own congregation is Earth Ministrys Creation Aw areness and Care in
Your Congregation, available through www.earthministry.org; the website Web
of Creation also has great ideas and resources at www.webofcreation.org.
2. Finding People Within Denominations and Organizations
Most denomination have a structure with national and regional offices. To finda partner in the religious community, it is often best to call the denominations
local or regional office (e.g., the synod, conference, diocese, or presbytery
offices, which are all based on geographic divisions). See the Profiles of Faith-
Based Organizations section for more information.
You can take one or more of the following steps to find these denominational
regional or local offices:
a. Call any local individual church within the denomination on which you are
focusing. Look in the phone book yellow pages under churches to locate the
names and phone numbers of individual churches. When you call, ask the
church receptionist for the phone number of the denominations local orregional administrative office. (It helps to use the specific name for the type of
administra tive office, such as synod, presbytery, or diocese office.)
b. Check the phone book for major cities in your area, or call directory assis-
tance for these cities. Look both in the business pages and under churches in
the yellow pages.
c. Look up the denomination on the web (see Profiles of Faith-Based
Organizations for some website addresses). Denominational websites some-
times include phone numbers for regional offices within the denomination;
they also have a wealth of additional information. If you dont have a specificweb address, search using the denominational or organizational name. Good
websites to search are also the:
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, www.coejl.org;
Evangelical Environmental Network, www.esa-online.org/een;
Forum on Religion and Ecology, http://environment.harvard.edu/religion/;
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Eco-Justice
Working Group, www.webofcreation.org/ncc/Workgrp.html;
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National Religious Partnership for the Environment, www.nrpe.org;
U.S. Catholic Conference Environmental Justice Program,
www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm; and
Web of Creation, www.webofcreation.org.
Once you have located a denominations regional office, consider taking thefollowing steps:
a. Explain to the staff person in the denominational office who you are and
why you are looking for someone in the denomination.
b. Ask if the regional office staff person can give you names and phone num-
bers of clergy or lay members in the denomination who have an interest in
environmental justice, eco-justice, earth stewardship, earthkeeping, or caring
for creation issues. Religious community activists who are not clergy can be
quite effective, so dont ask just for clergy names.
c. If the staff people in the denominations regional office do not have names
of people interested in conservation, ask if the denomination has a local or
regional social justice committee and if you can have the names and phone
numbers of this committees leaders. There also are some national conservation
offices within the religious community you may wish to call; they are mentioned
in the overview of specific denominations.
3. Denomination-Related Schools
Denominations also have affiliations with various colleges, universities, and
seminaries (as well as elementary and secondary schools for many denomina-
tions). Religion department and science department professors and students atsuch institutions can be great activists. You also can find faith community
people in religious studies departments at secular colleges and universities. You
probably are aware of colleges with religious affiliations in your area. You may
find other such colleges by researching denominations on the web or asking a
denominations regional office. Also see the Web of Creation website at
www.webofcreation.org/seminarypages/reports.html.
4. Conservation and Social Justice Organizations within Denominations
In the 1980s and 1990s, several groups that focus on environmental issues,
often expressed as caring for Gods creation, formed within denominations
and religious communities (e.g., Presbyterians for Restoring Creation,Environmental Justice Coordinators within the United M ethodist Church, and
the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life). In addition, for many years
there have been denominational groups that work on social justice issues;
these tend to have experience in public policy advocacy.
Individuals in denominational local/regional offices may know about leaders
and activists in these groups who could have an interest in working with you.
Find religious
community partners:
Within your own
organization;
Through checkingthe yellow pages of
the phone book;
Through web
searches (A good
place to start is the
Web of Creation
website at
www.webofcre-
ation.org, the
N ational Religious
Partnership forthe Environment
website at
www.nrpe.org,
or the N ational
Council of
Churches
website at
www.ncccusa.org);
Through calling
denominational
regional offices;
In social justice
and conservation
groups within
denominations;
At colleges and
universities
affiliated with
denominations;
Through interfaith
and ecumenicalgroups.
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The greatest beauty is
organic w holeness,
the wholeness of life
and thing, the divine
beauty of the universe.
Love that, not man
apart from that.
Robinson Jeffers22
Among our shared
beliefs are an intrinsic
value of nature, a
respect for all life and
a commitment to inter-
generational obliga-
tions. We strive for a
healthy environment
and understand the
global connectedness
and interrelatedness
of healthy natural and
healthy human com-
munities. We believe
in the power of knowl-
edge and informationto change the world
and in democratic
governance, guided by
the principles of jus-
tice, fairness and
mutual respect. We
are motivated by a
love of place and the
beauty of the natural
world.
From the Green GroupMission Statement
Ask for names of people who are active with the denominations environmental
justice/stewardship and social justice organizations.
5. Ecumenical and Interfaith Groups
Most communities have ecumenical and interfaith groups, and many commu-
nities have groups of clergy who get together regularly. Once you are workingwith individual members of the religious community, ask about these ecumenical
and interfaith groups and the possibility of connecting with them. The
National Council of Churches at www.ncccusa.org is a good website to check
for interfaith initiatives on a national scale.
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W hen you contact
religious community
individuals about
attending meetings
with policy m akers,
you are offering
to partner with
religious community
individuals on a
relatively risk-free,
time-limited task.
It is a good idea
to end the meeting
between policy
makers, environ-
mental, and religious
members w ith
suggestions for
how to continue
the dialogue.
W hen religious com-
munity individuals
meet w ith their
policy makers, you
and others in secular
environmental
groups can provide
a number of crucial
services. For
example, you can
help schedule
meetings, provideecological and
economic back-
ground information
and policy analyses,
and perhaps attend
the meetings.
Building Partnerships w ith the Faith Communit y from The Biodiversity Project 29 Chapter III:
Types of Activities
III. Types of Activities for Partnerships
The partnership between secular and faith community environmentalists can
take many valuable, varied forms, depending on the situation. The following
discusses just a few such activities that are taking place throughout the U.S.
A. Meeting with Policy Makers
As noted above, policy makers are often disposed to listen to the spiritual com-
munity voice. Such communication is most effective when it occurs in a face-to-
face meeting with the policy maker. No matter how technologically sophisticat-
ed we become, nothing replaces direct conversations, especially when the topic
concerns spiritual matters.
When you contact individuals in the religious community about attending
meetings with policy makers, you are offering to partner on a relatively risk-
free, time-limited task. It is relatively risk free because these are private, small
meetings not held in the public eye, and time limited because the initial project
only involves reading a little background information and attending one local
meeting.
It should be clear that the faith community meeting participants are only
being asked to share their existing areas of expertise at the meeting.
Furthermore, they do not have to be theologians to speak out; their personal
message about why they care from a spiritual standpoint is powerful.
All these factors, plus genuine excitement over the possibility of influencing
policy makers, often result in religious community individuals generously
agreeing to attend such meetings.
You and others in secular environmental groups can facilitate policy maker
meetings by doing the time-consuming, non-glamorous work of communicating
with policy makers to schedule the meetings. In addition, you can p rovide
people attending the meetings with useful ecological and economic background
information. It can be very helpful for environmentalists familiar with public
policy to attend these meetings, to provide policy information, and to answer
questions. Once you have worked on one policy-maker meeting together, a
relationship between you and a religious community individual often has been
formed, and other activities may flow from this.
Such meetings can also begin or deepen relationships between policy makers
and people from their local spiritual community who care about conservation.
Thus, it is a good idea to end the meeting with suggestions for how to continue
the dialogue. For example, invite the policy maker to attend a coffee at a local
congregation, visit a local green area being protected by a religious group, and
so on.
An Allied Voices project conducted under the auspices of Earthjustice Legal
Defense Fund is an example of meetings taking place between policy makers,
C H A P T E R T H R E E
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Chapter III:
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30 Building Partnerships wit h the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
faith-based members, scientists, and environmental policy experts. Since the
spring of 1997, Allied Voices has facilitated over 130 meetings between
members of Congress and two or three constituents from their religious,
scientific, and secular environmental communities. These meetings occurred in
the congressional home state and district offices. In several places, people have
reported having very powerful and successful meetings. Since the mid-1990s,Allied Voices has also initiated partnership projects between religious organi-
zations and the Endangered Species Coalition. For more information about
how these programs were developed, contact Suellen Lowry, (707) 826-1948,
B. Media Outreach
1. Be Careful
Media events can be excellent tools to communicate the spiritual reasons for
caring about the environment. However, be careful when encouraging religious
conservationists to use the media. By their very nature, media activities are notprivate. There have been instances of religious community individuals being
targeted for criticism when theyve taken a pro-conservation public position.
Also, reporters can be a cynical, tough audience. Therefore, never push reli-
gious community individuals to be media spokespersons unless they are quite
comfortable with this role.
2. Specific Media Activities
Religious community environmentalists who are comfortable speaking to the
media can pursue a number of activities, such as write letters to the editor and
join op ed campaigns, or sponsor an event or conference, such as Earth Day.
You can help by researching newspapers requirements for letters to the editoror op eds (e.g., recommended length, fax number of journalist to whom the
item should be sent, other information the paper may require, and whether its
necessary to do a follow-up call to an op ed page editor). You can also help
gather background information, collect sample drafts of letters, or help
organize and staff an event.
When considering the types of media professionals to contact with a reli-
gious community message, dont neglect religious page reporters, editors, and
columnists. For most newspapers, the religious page is published on Saturdays.
3. Religious Community Publications
Almost all religious communities have publications, often at the regional andnational levels. These publications may be willing to publish articles and op eds
or columns written by people who care about conservation from a spiritual
standpoint. Once you have a relationship with religious community members
who care about conservation, you may wish to ask them about this possibility.
Again, you may be able to help by gathering background information for
articles. Also, sometimes a meeting with a policy maker can be enough of a
story for publication in local and regional religious media, especially if a picture
Be careful when
encouraging religious
conservationists to
do media work.
By their very nature,
media activities are
not private.
Almost all religious
communities have
publications, often
at the regional
or national levels,which may be
willing to publish
articles.
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Chapter III:
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Building Partnerships w ith the Faith Communit y from The Biodiversity Project 31
Religious community
members who are
comm unicating with
policy makers or the
media should only
be asked to speak
from their own
areas of expertise.
Do not tell religious
comm unity indi-
vid uals what their
religious community
message should
contain.
Long-term conver-
sations lead to an
understanding of each
others perspectives
and concerns. In
addition, they meet
personal needs for
connecting w ithothers around
spiritual beliefs and
ecological issues.
is taken; of course, all this must be cleared ahead of time with everyone
involved.
4. Influencing Messages the Religious Community May Deliver
Religious community members who are communicating with policy makers or
the media should only be asked to speak from their own areas of expertise. Thespiritual message is deep, complicated, and powerful. It is fully sufficient to
stand by itself as a statement about the importance of conservation. It is also
sufficient rationale for the support of strong public policies that protect the
earth. Unless they wish to do so, religious community members should not be
asked to deliver policy analyses. Also, individuals speaking from a religious
perspective almost always will be speaking as individuals, not for their faith
tradition as a whole. However, it may be helpful for them to share resolutions
and other statements formulated by their denominations governing bodies and
leaders.
Do not tell religious community members what their religious community
message should contain. You can, however, talk about times you have wit-nessed a spiritual message being delivered to policy makers and the media,
and how you perceive the message was received. In addition, you can assure
members of the religious community that they do not have to be theologians
to speak out; their personal message about why they care from a spiritual
standpoint is powerful and has the potential to motivate others.
Some members of the general public see religion as a private association that
is not concerned with the environment, and they may be alienated by a media
message with a religious focus. Be sensitive to the fact that understanding the
audience for spiritual messages about conservation is important.
C. Long-Term Dialogues
When you facilitate conversations and dialogue between your environmental
group and religious groups, you help develop an understanding of each others
perspectives and concerns. Such understanding also meets personal needs as
people gain friends and acquaintances through their work and mission. They
also meet personal needs as people gain friends and acquaintances through their
work and mission. M any times these dialogues develop into projects and events.
A great resource to get the dialogue started is the Union of Concerned
Scientists video and discussion guide Keeping the Earth: Religious and Scientific
Perspectives on the Environment. It is available through Union of Concerned
Scientists, (617) 547-5552, www.ucsusa.org. Another way to initiate dialogue isfor individuals to share their stories about their sacred or special p laces, a
process the Wilderness Society calls Stories of the Land; see their website at
www.tws.org/ethic/stories.shtml, or www.wilderness.org.
Examples of organizations who engage in long-term dialogues:
Formed in 1997 in the Pacific Northwest, the Partnership for Religion and the
Environment (PRAE) started as a regional organization composed of multi-
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32 Building Partnerships wit h the Faith Community from The Biodiversity Project
faith religious, environmental, and academic organizations; now there are
PRAE groups on the East coast. PRAE collaborates on joint education projects,
political advocacy, and religious celebrations. For more information about
PRAE, contact Thea Levkovitz, The Wilderness Society, at (206) 624-6430,
ext. 224, [email protected].
In Chicago, Illinois, the Interreligious Sustainability Project has been conven-ing interfaith community sustainability circles. The purpose is to provide an
opportunity for learning, reflection, mutual support, and local action on issues
of environmental sustainability. The long-term goal is to develop inter-circle
agendas, which can enhance the sustainability of the whole region. The group
published a vision statement, O ne Creation, O ne People, One Place, that was
distributed to 3,700 religious congregations in the Chicago metropolitan area,
and now publishes a quarterly newsletter. For more information about the
project, contact Rev. Clare Butterfield, Center for Neighborhood Technology at
(773) 278-4800, x.125, [email protected], www.cnt.org.
The Spiritual Alliance for Earth (SAFE) is an interfaith ecological movement
in the San Francisco Bay area bringing people together for religious and envi-ronmental activities. Their efforts include networking between faith-based and
environmental groups, learning, celebrations, and action. For more information
about SAFE, contact Bill Sadler, [email protected]. Spiritual Alliance for
Earth is affiliated with the United Religions Initiative; see their website at
www.uri.org.
D. Reaching O thers in the Religious Com munity
Many religious leaders and activists spend time reaching out to their religious
community, encouraging them to make caring for Gods creation a priority. A
number of religious groups are already engaged in activities concerning theenvironment, such as prayer services, greening of facilities, environmental
education programs, hikes, community gardens, lectures, workshops, and
advocacy for conservation policies.
With its size and influence, and through all these and additional activities,
the religious community can make a big difference on environmental concerns,
especially as more and more people in religious groups become active. One way
to encourage even more conservation activism in the religious community is
through presentations and discussions at religious community gatherings.
Presentations