Thank you to the School of Journalism and New Media for introducing me to countless opportunities through the Integrated Marketing Communications program. This thesis will explore the philosophy that as stewards of creation and leaders in society, churches have a responsibility to promote environmental conservation and implement sustainability practices such as recycling. Six separate interviews were conducted with authority figures such as priests, preachers, clergy and other leaders in Oxford's popular churches.
Interviewees were asked to describe their denomination's views on sustainable activity such as recycling, and further how they deal with the topic at an institutional, local level. The thesis will contribute to the understanding of how churches can best convey messages to most effectively influence behavior. If desired, she will also give recommendations to churches on how they can address the topic of sustainability in terms of faith.
CURRENT RECYCLING TRENDS
The largest material category, almost 26 percent of the total waste generated, was paper and paperboard (cardboard), accounting for approximately 68.1 million tons (Paper and Paperboard: Material Specific Data). Conversely, “waste disposal to landfills has decreased from 94 percent of the amount generated in 1960 to less than 53 percent of the amount generated in 2015.” A recent survey conducted for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, an industry group, estimated that 94% of the U.S. population has some form of recycling program available: about 30% have curbside collection only, 43% have both a curbside service and a drop-off location. centers and 21% have drop-off programs only.
This is generally consistent with findings from the EPA, which estimated that in 2011 there were more than 9,800 recycling programs across the United States, covering more than 70% of the population.). Curbside collection is more common in larger cities and towns: 93% of communities in the SPC survey with populations over 125,000 provided single-family curbside recycling, as opposed to 65% of local communities. But those who see these things as essential to what it means to be a Christian are more likely than others to say that they..think..the environment when they make purchasing decisions, or try to recycle or reduce waste so as much as possible”.
CHURCH VIEW OF SUSTAINABILITY
Kerry's speech argued that protecting the planet is an inherent responsibility of the guardians, a challenge to take on as "the protectors of God's creation." Limbaugh remained confident in his position. Another obstacle to evangelicals' acceptance of the science of climate change is the difficulty of reconciling small changes in the atmosphere as having a large impact on the planet. The verse in Numbers commands that readers of the Bible and followers of Christ respect the earth's resources by not polluting the land.
Yet another biblical passage, this one found in the concluding book of the Christian Bible, Revelation, gives a fatal warning of the potentially harmful consequences of failing to care for the earth: “The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged and to reward your servants. Sherrard, "Creation is nothing less than the manifestation of God's hidden Being" (Berry, 1992, p. 98), Berry concludes Creation is not independent of the Creator. We are told in the first book of the Bible that we humans are given responsibility for every living being on this planet.".
LOCAL DOCTRINE AND BELIEFS
According to a 2017 Gallup report, about three-quarters of the American population identify with the Christian faith. Mississippi is one of the ten most religious states in 2011, eight of which are in the South (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia) (Gallup, 2012). The Presbyterian Church (USA) is known to be actively engaged in world social issues, including the environment.
As acting chief of staff, Reverend Ann Kelly says service is an important component of the mission at First Presbyterian Church (USA) in Oxford, Mississippi. First Presbyterian "was influential in the beginning of the food pantry, so they've always had service as a big part of who they are." Reverend Kelly thinks the church has a role to play in environmentally sustainable issues. Regarding the global climate, the United Methodist Church's Social Principles of the Natural World feature.
The Social Belief and related Social Principles serve as a guide for official church action as part of the larger Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church. One of the purposes of "Making the Meeting" was to invite church members to consider how they could participate in the practice of recycling. Oxford-University has expanded their recycling efforts in the past two years, resulting in positive feedback from most of the congregation.
Many of the members at Oxford University expect their church to be recycled according to Reverend Rester. The can is a physical reminder of the church's ethical commitment to caring for creation. According to the senior pastor, most members leave their bulletins on the pews of the church and the counselors are tasked with ensuring that the bulletins are placed in the recycling bins after worship.
Part of the success of the "Encounter Creation" series in terms of popularity among Oxford-University members is also the way in which the practice of recycling was adapted. Peter's in the context of some form of adult education mainly "because one of our members was actually the head of the sustainability office here at Ole Miss..and now she's gone," Reverend Dr. Father Joe Tonos, priest at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Oxford, Mississippi, thinks of environmental sustainability in terms of revival.
CONGREGATIONAL VIEWS OF SUSTAINABILITY
Forty-seven participants reported recycling paper products at church. he answered with "Other" and wrote: "We don't have them in our church.". The less familiar a member is with their church's recycling program, the less likely they are to recycle at church. For question ten, 47 respondents reported that they recycled paper products at church; however, when asked how aware participants were of their church's current recycling program, 16 of these 47 were somewhat aware and 7 were not at all aware.
Similarly, of those 83 participants who leave paper products in a pew or building, 51 are unaware of their church's recycling program, and 8 said their church does not have a recycling program. the relationship between participants' awareness of their church's recycling program and how likely they are to dispose of paper products after church events. Almost half of respondents are unaware of their church's recycling program and are less likely to recycle. In comparison, question twelve was designed to measure participants' awareness of their church's recycling program, assuming it existed.
Almost half of the participants (48.62%) are not at all familiar with their church's recycling program. 18% (9) of the total participants who indicated that they attend Oxford University United Methodist Church are not at all familiar with the church's recycling program, and one respondent answered the last multiple. 68% of the respondents of the Catholic Church of Saint John the Evangelist are not at all familiar with the recycling program of the church and 6.8% or 8 respondents answered: "We do not have one".
Fourteen respondents, or about 12% of St. John the Evangelist's responses, are somewhat familiar, 12 respondents (10%) are moderately familiar, and 11 respondents (about 9%) are very familiar with their church's recycling program. Participants are not familiar with their church's recycling program, but express interest in using recycling facilities if available. The participants are largely unaware of their church's recycling programs, despite the existence of such programs described by pastors and leaders through individual interviews in the local churches.
For Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church, approximately 68% of participants responded that they were “not at all familiar” with the church's current recycling program.
CONCLUSION
So they go to Growler, it's once a month during the school year, but it was every Wednesday in the summer. And if we have a speaker, it makes noise when you have to go through the whole sink. I mean really, it's just been switching from not using as much styrofoam and paper and putting the recycling bins, so here in the office we do that.
So yes, stewardship of our planet, stewardship of the environment .. is essential because it is linked to revival. On Sunday you look and you are like all adults this Sunday. So you would say that more churches at the local level are getting involved.
So a lot of times it comes down to churches choosing well, we will follow that "shall" and not that "shall", but I think it's important that it's one of the..Creation care is one of the "shalls" that we might everyone should focus on. You know for us it's putting out some recycling bins right here in the office. It is a gift from God to be..and that kind of human response to the gift God has given includes thanksgiving, good stewardship, care and a recognition that long before we got here and long after we left , that there is .
I think I have a lot of respect for certain... I just don't think it's been an emphasis in the way that maybe rose to the priority level. It is a physical thing you see every day when you enter church, and it is a physical reminder of the church's ethical commitment to the care of creation. Well, it's actually a very interesting question that I've been thinking about a lot, as we're looking for a new chaplain.
And even if what we do has no effect on the long-term health of the world, it is still right there in the Bible. I mean this is why people in the residents end up doing it, if you pick it up on the sidewalk they will do it too. But it's just, so part of it is that there's an underutilization of the liturgical resources that the national church has made available.
