Coal and the greatest commandment
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Coal and the greatest commandment

Larry was the last holdout. Years ago, the local coal company had purchased mineral rights from the inhabitants of Kayford mountain to blow it apart – to tap the coal seams and bleed the mountain of its precious payload. One by one, Larry’s neighbours had sold their rights and moved – driven away in some…

Nothing is more important than stopping climate change
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Nothing is more important than stopping climate change

A pair of activists recently threw soup at a famous painting by Van Gogh. A week later, protesters threw mashed potatoes at a painting by Claude Monet. The reason for these actions? The protestors wanted to see if the protection of art is more vital than the protection of our climate. Whether you agree with…

Creation as Cathedral?
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Creation as Cathedral?

As we emerge from the two years of global pandemic, many congregations are trying to figure out how to connect with people in their neighbourhoods again, as well as encourage church members to return in person for worship and programs. This is especially challenging in parts of the country such as Vancouver, where pre-pandemic church…

Offering streams of hope
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Offering streams of hope

In a March 2017 Christian Courier article, I interviewed art prodigy Josh Tiessen about his then just released book, A Decade of Inspiration, written and produced with his mother, Dr. Julie A. Tiessen. Recently, Tiessen contacted me about his new book of art, Streams in the Wasteland, the title and the theme of which were…

From food waste hubs to regrowing coral on land
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From food waste hubs to regrowing coral on land

“I want to say something to the young people,” Prince William began. “In the next 10 years, we are going to act. We are going to find the solutions to repair our planet. Keep learning. Keep demanding change. And don’t give up hope.” That speech on Oct. 22 came just before the Royal Family gave…

From creation care to climate justice
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From creation care to climate justice

I am puzzled. I thought calls to action on climate change would resonate within the Reformed branch of the Christian church and lead to a strong public witness. In reality, political leaders say they hear about other issues but not much about this one from our community. Numbers remain low for educational events, marches and letter-writing campaigns, leaving sponsors to wonder why. Perhaps unpacking possible reasons for the low response will help us think about this issue more clearly.

Colossians 1: A foundation for earth care
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Colossians 1: A foundation for earth care

I received a distressing email from a friend who had encountered a group of climate-change denying Christians. These evangelical Christians, some of whom depend on the continued success of the oil sands directly or indirectly, apparently think that the whole climate change issue is somehow a ruse of anti-Christian forces bent on duping the world.

Sustainability: Don’t sit this one out

Sustainability: Don’t sit this one out

You might expect that the biblical principle spurring environmental action is stewardship. Several Wisconsinite environmentalists, however, suggest that community is even more important.