Theological Declaration on Christian Faith and White Supremacy

A group of Christian theologians and activists recently created a statement entitled: “Theological Declaration on Christian Faith and White Supremacy,” regarding the incompatibility of Christianity and white supremacy. The authors particularly note the basis of white supremacy in its “Christian” form on colonization of the land and the harmful theological premises that go along with the assumptions of an imperialist culture. Ched Myers, Randy Woodley, and others who are part of the watershed discipleship network helped form the original statement, and others have since signed on. They are thinking of this statement as analogous to the Barmen Declaration in 1934, when the German Evangelical Church spoke out against anti-Semitism.  I’m inspired by this document, and grateful to hear a message spoken to combat white supremacy in a way that reflects the love of Christ. Here is an excerpt from the declaration:

As a diverse group of theologians, activists and ministers of our respective parishes, congregations, networks, churches, faith communities and educational institutions, we here declare that we are bound together by the confession that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Church.

We publicly declare that what we hold in common in this confession is threatened by the festering infection of Eurocentric white nationalism and white supremacy. Fueled by flawed interpretations of Old Testament purity laws and conquest, churches and denominations in the United States have been deeply shaped by and at times created to sustain European purity and colonization of land, people, and culture. The colonizing spirit declares the self to be uniquely fully human—to have the exclusive right to rule the world. It’s strategy is the creation of racial and gender-based human hierarchy—forsaking God for the idols of domination and control. Eurocentric Christian churches have often been the prime creators, carriers, sustainers and protectors of this malevolent force, which manifests overtly in acts of racial and gender-based violence and covertly in systems, structures, principalities and powers, both beyond and within the walls of the Church.

You can read the rest of the declaration, sign it yourself, and share about it on social media using: #thedeclaration .

Married to the Land

by Todd Wynward

Imagine the U.S. government confiscating your beautiful local church building and grounds and turning its worship space into a public park. Imagine dune buggies and picnickers and diesel engines and fast-food wrappers. Imagine the sanctuary Sunday morning trashed, a victim of the party the night before.

Unimaginable? You bet. But that’s essentially what happened to Taos Pueblo in 1906, when earnest President Teddy Roosevelt violated the U.S. Constitution. Without consulting the Taos Pueblo community, he declared their Blue Lake to be part of Carson National Forest. Read more

Earth Day at Eloheh and the EcoReformation

by Cherice Bock and Solveig Nilsen-Goodin

On Earth Day, April 22, 2017, we planted 150 trees at Eloheh Farm. Three groups worked together to make this happen: North Valley Friends Church, the Wilderness Way Community, and Eloheh.

Solveig Nilsen-Goodin is the pastor of the Wilderness Way Community in Portland, OR, and she had the seed of this idea when she began thinking about what her community might do to mark the EcoReformation this year, the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Read more

“Water is Life: Journeying to Justice on the James”: Reflections from the Eco-Stewards Program in Richmond, VA

by Vickie Machado

Recently, young adults hailing from the Willamette Watershed in Oregon to the Biscayne Bay Watershed in Florida gathered in Virginia’s James River Watershed to partake in the 10th annual Eco-Stewards Program, a grassroots community that shapes young adult leaders through place-based experiences that connect faith and the environment. Each year, Eco-Stewards organizes a weeklong gathering in a location that reflects the pressing issues of faith and environmental action. This year’s theme, “Water is Life: Journeying to Justice on the James,” arose in response to the prevalence of water issues—such national events as Flint, MI and Standing Rock—and was hosted in Richmond, VA. Participants received copies of Watershed Discipleship, a natural fit as it addresses the complexity of faith, water, and justice. The anthology acted as our guide, and its themes were reiterated throughout the week in our interactions and dialogue. We assembled in Virginia open to learning the stories of the James River and how its inhabitants are responding to the beckoning call to become disciples of their watershed. The idea, “We won’t save the places we don’t love, we can’t love places we don’t know and we don’t know places we haven’t learned” (Baba Dioum), became a common theme and was expressed even by those who had no connections to the growing watershed discipleship movement. Read more

“Blessing the Waters of Life” conference set for Oregon, September 24-29, 2017

Presbyterians for Earth Care invite all those interested to join them for a watershed discipleship-focused conference, “Blessing the Waters of Life: Justice & Healing for Our Watersheds,” this September along the Columbia River in Oregon. The conference will be held at Menucha Retreat & Conference Center.

A pre-conference gathering from September 24-26 will include a session by Ilarion (Larry) Merculieff on “Native Ways of Being & Knowing.” Merculieff is  a passionate advocate for indigenous rights/wisdom, and a member of the last generation of Aleuts raised in a traditional way. Read more

RePlacing Church Podcast Interviews Ched Myers on Watershed Discipleship

Ched Myers appears on RePlacing Church Podcast

Ben Katt of the RePlacing Church Podcast recently interviewed Ched Myers on the topic of watershed discipleship. They discussed the definition of a watershed, the importance of care for one’s watershed as an act of Christian faithfulness, Myers’ own work in the Ventura River Watershed north of Los Angeles, CA, and other topics related to the social-ecological history of the United States. He invites us to “reimagine the landscape in terms of the real.” If you’re looking for a resource that accessibly explains watershed discipleship to interested friends and church members, suggest they give this a listen.

You may be interested in some of the other sessions on the RePlacing Church Podcast while you’re there.

Eco-Stewards Program June 5-10

The Eco-Stewards Program will focus its June gathering on watershed discipleship. This gathering for young adults (ages 20-30) in Richmond, VA will explore the James River Watershed through meeting farmers, conservationists, faith leaders, and scholars, reading from Watershed Discipleship: Reinhabiting Bioregional Faith & Practice, visiting a power plant, space to be in nature, and telling stories connecting faith and the environment.

With the theme, “Water is Life: Journeying Toward Justice Along the James River,” the June 5-10, 2017 gathering will center around what we have learned from the non-violent, fierce love displayed at Standing Rock to show that water is sacred. Our lives depend on it, and our morality and faith demand we must steward it well if we are to love our neighbors. In the light of climate change and racial injustice, communities along the James River in and around Richmond, VA are actively living out this love both up and downstream in the spirit of revolutionary eco-justice. The program leaders invite you to join the journey, and to find inspiration, faith, and creative visions as stewards of water and neighbor.

Application Deadline: May 1, 2017

Cost: $375 (need-based scholarships available)

More info: https://ecostewardsprogram.wordpress.com/2017-program/