Wilderness
The character of the American people and indeed of the biblical
story would not be the same without wilderness. From Moses to Daniel
Boone, biblical and American pioneers alike were shaped and tested
by their experiences in wild nature. We cherish this heritage and
its rich blessings, whether as a shaper of identity or as a source
of beauty, recreation, refinement, and inspiration. At the same
time, we must take action to preserve that heritage for future generations.
- Click here for the scriptural
and theological inspiration for faith-based wilderness advocacy

- Click here or here for the book "Renewal in the Wilderness" by John Lionberger, founder of the organization of the same name, exploring in depth the connection of spirituality and wilderness experiences.
Faith Resources
Fortunately, many avenues exist for Christians to demonstrate our
faith in action and honor our biblical and national wilderness legacy.
- Clike here
to download Out of the Wilderness: Building Christian
Faith and Keeping God's Creation (log-in or sign
up for the Network to gain access to resources)
- Click here
to download a land stewardship worship resource: Rooted
in God's Word and Lands: A Celebration of the Earth That Nourishes
Us (log-in or sign up for the Network to gain access
to resources)
- What is Wilderness?
A brief commentary examining various definitions (Hebrew, Greek,
English, U.S. Wilderness Act) of wilderness and their theological
significance.
People of Faith Take Action
There are many congregations and faith-based organizations that
are actively involved in wilderness preservation, as a ministry
to care for God's creation and to retain a very important spiritual
resource. Click here to read examples
of wilderness ministry. You will find stories about:
- Boise Vineyard - an Idaho church with a ground-breaking "Tending
the Garden" wilderness ministry
- Camp Fowler - a Reformed Church in America camp that focuses
on wilderness outings and creation care
- Restoring Eden - a faith based nonprofit that works with churches
to implement wilderness and creation care ministry
- Opening the Book of Nature - an organization that works to articulate
the spiritual value of wilderness areas
What We Can do
For information on opportunities for involvement, ways to track
wilderness news and legislation, and find local wilderness campagins
click here.
- Earthkeeping
Ideas The Presbytery of the Cascades in Oregon provides online
resources for church creation care efforts.
- Give the Land a Hand
2006: Volunteer Days in BLM's Conservation System IThere are
opportunities in October and November to restore wilderness areas,
sign trails, help wildlife by removing fences, record archaeological
sites and pictographs, and more in the BLM's 26 million acre Conservation
System.
- National Public
Lands Day In recent years, funding has been available for
churches to do land stewardship projects in conjunction with National
Public Lands Day, which will be observed on September 27 in 2008.
- Christians
for the Mountains supports a growing campaign to protect mountains
in West Virginia. Their website also includes a commentary on
Christianity
and Wilderness and information about several wilderness campaigns.
- The Backyard
Wildlife Habitat program of the National Wildlife Federation
provides resources for maintaining healthy wildlife habitat in
your own backyard.
Learn More
Click here for additional resources.
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