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.