Seminarian Authored Book Encourages Eco-Discipleship

One way PC(USA) seminaries strengthen the church is through the volumes of relevant resources that are continually being produced.  Books, articles, curriculum, sermons, bible studies, podcasts and more become the life blood for congregations and church leaders.  The authors of those resources are usually the outstanding faculty at our schools.   However, this month Westminster/ John Knox Press released 50 WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE EARTH: How You and Your Church Can Make a Difference by Rebecca Barnes-Davies, a Master of Divinity student at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Barnes-Davies, a deeply committed environmentalist and experienced church leader, released her first book as a guide to Christians and their congregations

I feel sure that “Green Teams” that are formed or are established to lead congregations and their members to be better stewards of the earth will welcome this book.  I agree with Bob Cornwell, a Disciples of Christ pastor and church historian says about the book, “Rebecca Barnes-Davies has done a commendable job providing clearly laid out ideas for making a difference, one step at a time, so that the world we inhabit cannot only survive, but thrive. This is a book that can be used in study groups, in church-self-studies, and simply by individual Christians wanting to make a difference.” 

As interesting to me is the phenomenon that seminarians are not waiting for graduation to be leaders in the church.  Andrew Taylor-Troutman and Josh Andrzejewski are editing, for example, a fairly new online lectionary commentary blog for Union Presbyterian Seminary called Join the Feast.  Students, faculty, staff, alums and friends serve as contributors.

I subscribe to the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Friday faculty sermon podcasts in Caldwell Chapel.  I look forward to reading the 2011 Horizon’s Bible Study on The Beatitudes by Margaret Aymer Oget, Assistant Professor of New Testament at the Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center.  Other PC(USA) Seminary faculty projects are also on my literal or digital bookshelf.  However, I may be the most excited about amazingly talented, devoted, and faithful emerging leaders being shaped and formed at our Presbyterian Seminaries who are already leading us as a Church.

Thanks be to God.

Lee in Louisville

Rebecca is the daughter of TEF Seminary Support Network representative for Miami Presbytery and Louisville Seminary Board member, Barbara Barnes and Mark Barnes, pastors of Oxford PC(USA) in Oxford, OH.

Interviews with Rebecca Barnes-Davies about her book can be found here:

Read the Spirit Blog  

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