Cizik’s Lecture Encourages Sustainable Thinking

Cizik came and spoke on behalf of the Good Steward Campaign, a movement to promote conversations about the environment and faith amongst college students and congregations. New York Times has refereed to him as an “Earthy Evangelist” and Time Magazine selected him as one of 100 most influential people. His lecture was titled “For God’s Sake, Let’s Focus on the Earth.”

Fred Bahnson, Director of the Food, Faith and Religious Leadership Initiative introduced Cizik and welcomed him to the campus. Cizik began by introducing the audience to the term creation care, a term that is unfortunately underused. This is evidence, he remarked, that the idea of caring for God’s creation is one that is often overlooked. As a result, Cizik wants to challenge evangelical leaders to understand exactly what is happening to the planet and why it needs to change.

“We have a spiritual life that has had no connection to the world,” Cizik said about the older ways of considering our relationship to the earth as he promoted a move to sustainable thinking. “We are called to be a blessing to the planet and to protect it, not take from it.  It is important that evangelical and political leaders are informed about the environment and humanity’s role in it.”

By Christine Hargraves (MDiv ’16)
Media Contact: Mark Batten