3. Explore the spirit of nature in religious study and practice.

Stained glass in Boe Chapel illustrating the Genesis creation story

Because we are a college of the church, we'll also apply our religious perspectives to these issues. We'll explore the roots of environmentalism in the gospel, and in the scriptures and spiritual practices of the world's religions. Individually and collectively, we'll practice our own religion as an art of connectedness. We'll strive to integrate environmental stewardship with the religious commitments to social justice, recognizing the interconnectedness of caring for the Earth and caring for our fellow human beings. In the words of Larry Rasmussen, "Redeeming the planet means embracing its distress. Christian theology "insists that environmental justice is also social justice and that all efforts to save the planet begin with hearing the cry of the people and the cry of the earth together." ¹Indeed, the word "religion" comes from the Latin "religare," and it means "to bind together," so it's meant to bind people to God, people to each other, and people to the creation. In Genesis, God creates the earth and declares that it's good. Because the earth is good, because it embodies the intentions of God, we are called to be good stewards of this garden. And at a place like St. Olaf, we can be religious about that calling.

¹ Larry Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics (Orbis Books, 1996), p. 291.