the last faq (... for now)

As alluded to in our eletter which went out over the weekend, we've finally reached the end of our FAQ series, which began over a year ago.  We've covered questions ranging from "Is caring for animals a valid Christian concern?" and "Have other Christians cared about animals?" to "Do you advocate for vegetarianism?" and most recently "Do you believe animals have souls?"  Thank you to everyone who contributed such insightful perspectives to flesh out each discussion, and for all the great feedback and input you provided along the way.

This last FAQ is really just an opportunity to ask if there are any other questions which haven't been covered yet, or which you'd like to ask more personally.  Please know you can always reach me (Ben) by email, or through our social pages and groups, where you can also connect with other Christians who care about animals in a variety of meaningful ways and levels.

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call for children's book reviews ... (two cents worth, aug. 7 '11)

call for children's book reviews... 

A few years ago my mother gave me some of the books she used to read to me as child.  I've realized just how many of them were about animals, and how much her reading them with me (over and over again, no doubt) must have influenced my love for God's creatures.  I imagine many of you can relate, and so we'd love to invite you to share a tribute to one of your favorite animal books, whether from when you were a child or one you may have read to your own children, grandchildren or others you care for. 

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faq #12, do you believe animals have souls?

We're starting our second-to-last FAQ blog series this week with a question which many of us have wrestled with in a deeply personal way.  If you've ever loved a companion animal, or even admired another animal from any distance, and you share in the Christian hope of heaven, you can't help but wonder if you'll have a chance to see those animals again.  In fact, many of us find ourselves longing for that to be the case, we miss them so much, and can't imagine their unique personalities and the special relationship we had with them being lost forever.

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faq #11, do you even care about insects?

I've been looking forward to this series for a long time and introducing a new theme to not one sparrow's blog, an entire category of creatures which make up a staggering 97% of the world's species!  We've had the occasional post or mention of insects, but until now haven't taken the opportunity to focus in on them and other anthropods and invertebrates.  As usual, we'll be sharing a few meaningful posts from friends, along with several other unique articles and videos via the social outlets.

First, by way of general introduction to the subject, here's the answer posted on our FAQ page to the reasonable question, "Do you even care about insects?"

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behemoth and batrachians in the eye of God

Dr. Cal DeWitt is one of the true fathers of the modern day creation care movement.  He founded and was longtime president of the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, where he worked to expose Christian college students to both a faith-informed and scientifically sound ethic of environmental stewardship.  Cal played a formative role in the landmark "Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation" (2000) and Evangelical Climate Initiative (2006), in addition to authoring many personal works on the care of creation (some of which you can find here and here), and is currently professor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies.

Cal graciously reached out to me soon after I finished my seminary capstone paper on a Christian foundation for animal welfare, and I was deeply honored by the support he communicated.  It wasn't until just recently however, to my discredit, that I realized the depth of Cal's passion for animals and our calling to steward them faithfully on God's behalf.  This passion was keenly impressed upon me as I read his exceptional article "Behemoth and Batrachians in the Eye of God: Responsibility to Other Kinds in Biblical Perspective" (kindly posted by Drury University, bottom of page, and originally published in Christianity & Ecology: Seeking the Well-Being of Earth & Humans, 2000).

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the odd couple reprised

Updated on November 6, 2011 by Ben DeVries

This post was first shared a little over a year ago.  In addition to following up on an absolutely heartwarming story of interspecies bonding, it mentions one of the best reflections I've come across for establishing a God-centered approach to creation care by Michael Bullmore, as well as an excellent book on caring about God's creatures and our consumption of them by Stephen Webb ...

Earlier this year we had a post on "The Incredible Elephant," which featured a number of stories about this majestic mammal and their vast emotional capacities.  One of those stories was about Tarra the pachyderm and Bella the canine, unlikely but inseparable friends at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.  I've been meaning to share a follow-up to their powerful story and the incredible attention it's received (thanks to Susan and Matt Halteman for passing it along): 

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why creation care needs creature care

this is pt. one of a personal reflection which I've been wanting to write for some time, and part of our creation care series ...

It was just under four years ago that a number of influences brought me to the cause of God's creatures.  Just as I had been as a child, I found myself once again spellbound by the multifaceted wonder and dignity of animals, from the cats in my home to the wildlife I saw on river trail walks and in my backyard, the good, good pig I read about in a memoir or any number of enchanting creatures on tv.  But it was their unmistakable individuality which gripped me most of all.  Whether I could immediately make out a difference in their appearance or personality or not, I couldn’t escape the fact that these were individual creatures, beings which must each hold a unique value and relationship to their Creator.

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elk along the Missouri Breaks

Another elegantly understated and beautiful wildlife short from Ray Paunovich, "10-10-10- Elk Along the Missouri Breaks":

Paunovich, of Wild Planet Films, is one of the most gifted and spellbinding videographers of wildlife I've ever taken in, and all without "staging, reenactment, manipulation or disturbance of the animals or the events beind documented," which takes place far more often than you might realize in other shoots.

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faq #10, is not one sparrow part of the creation care community?

We're opening up a new question in our FAQ series this week: "Is not one sparrow part of the creation care community?"  I'll be sharing a reflection on why creation care needs a concern for animals in a day or two, and oddly enough speaking on the same theme at a couple of upcoming events as well.  It's a subject I've wanted to tackle for a while now, and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

We'll also be pointing to some poignant reflections from friends in the creation care community through the rest of the series, and then looking at a number of wildlife, sea life and endangered species issues in following weeks.  But here's just a brief preview of the question du jour from our FAQ page in the meantime:

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two cents worth, March 1 '11

Hi everyone, and sorry for the long layoff between newsletters.  We've been very active in other respects however, and here are a few highlights from early 2011 ...

new prayer group...  A long time in the making, we launched a much needed not one sparrow prayer group on Facebook last week.  So often we're confronted by instances of animal suffering, personal or massive in scale, both of which can be overwhelming and deflating.  We hope the prayer group will encourage us all to share these burdens with each other, and to pray individually and collectively for the needs of God's creatures and those who care for them.  So far, it's off to a wonderful and enheartening start.  Please read our introduction to the group, and consider joining with us!

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