Matthew Sleeth is one of the kindest, gentlest, and most inspiring people I know. A former emergency room doctor, Matthew stepped away from the medical profession years ago to pursue a higher calling: caring for God's creation. Today, Matthew is one of the most sought after speakers addressing a Christian approach to environmentalism.
I first encountered Dr. Sleeth when I stumbled across his book, Serve God, Save the Planet. I had never heard anyone speak about the creation like that. His ideas moved me.
A few days ago, Dr. Sleeth's second book released. The title, The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book is a Green Book, piqued my attention and I decided to take a few moments with Matthew to discuss it.
Q: Your book, Serve God, Save the Planet, really laid out the idea of creation care from a Christian perspective. How does The Gospel According to the Earth differentiate itself or build upon that book?
The Gospel According to the Earth is much more driven by the stories of the Bible. Rather than proof text, I connect the modern seeker with the relevance of Ruth, Job, Jonah and others. Materialism, idols and even climate change are all there in the Bible waiting to teach us God’s will.
Q: The Gospel According to the Earth is a provocative title. Many Christians might read it and respond, "The earth doesn't have anything to do with the Gospel!" How might you respond?
I think the key theological question we must ask is this: “If we believe in an all powerful God (and I do), then why didn’t God just make us in Heaven?” We quickly arrive at life being a profound gift. This earth is the entry point for us to know God. It is the battle ground for our salvation.
I believe that we will someday have a new body, and that we will see the earth renewed. That does not mean that I am to abuse my body, or misuse the earth. Neither our bodies nor the earth are disposable.
The longest soliloquy by God in the Bible is a five chapter walk through the glories of His creation, starting at chapter 38 in the book of Job. There God lays forth a Gospel according to the earth. Jesus is described as not only the first born of all creatures, but the cosmic glue that holds everything together.
Q: Your book does the hard work of incorporating texts outside of those typically sited by creation care advocates. Tell us about a few of those.
Much good writing on the subject of creation care has drawn on the Old Testament portion of the Bible. This is perfectly acceptable, and there is much to be learned from the Old Covenant. But books like Philippians, Colossians, and Romans make us aware that we are part of a story that extends into time and dimensions unknown. Should we plant a tree even if we are too old to harvest the fruit? The answer is made clear by the cross with Christ as the head of the church.
One of the Old Testament scriptures that really focused my attention is found in the book of Ezekiel (34:18). There God tells his people (us) not to grab all the good water and pollute the river downstream. Downstream in this case is not only literally—as in geographically—but metaphorically—through time, affecting future generations—as well.
Q: You have a DVD series on creation care releasing soon. How will this be different from other creation care resources we've seen before?
The team that filmed them is best known for their work on NOOMA—the Rob Bell films. They bring creativity and a very exciting visual element to the art of filmmaking and storytelling. I think the major difference between these and previous films on the same subject is an overarching sense of hope. The music is also beautiful!
The series is a total of twelve short films, broken into two parts, designed to be used by churches, universities, and small groups. Blessed Earth: Hope for Creation, follows the six days of creation, sharing why we need to care for each of the elements God created—light, water, soil, the heavens, animals, and finally ending with man, who is charged with tending and protecting the earth.
The second DVD, Hope for Humanity, discusses how we are called to steward and share resources with others. It begins with what God created on the seventh day, rest, and then goes on to discuss how work, give, share, teach, and hope all are actions that help us put our faith into action.
Each set of six films also has a 128-page curriculum guidebook available. We didn’t want a fill-in-the-blank kind of book, but rather a resource that will help people dig deeper into scripture, provoke discussion, share additional stories of our journey, and lead directly to specific personal commitments and change.
Q: I heard you're working on a new book project. Can you give us a sneak peek?
Yes, I’m now writing a book for Harper One called 24/6. It explores the issues of time and (over)work, and invites us to live a counterculture life that opens the gift God gave us—a day of rest—fifty-two times a year.
I’ve been honing this message on the road for several years now; audiences yearn for a weekly day of rest, but almost no one, even at Christian colleges, is remembering the fourth commandment. The bottom line is to figure out what work is for you, and then stop doing it one day a week. It’s that simple, and that difficult.
Keeping the Sabbath changed my life—all for the better. We need to trust that God will provide a double share of manna, and that we will live even more abundantly if we take one day off. It’s really about obedience to our Father—guiltless naps, quiet time with family, taking walks in His creation—so we can better love God and love our neighbors the other six days a week.
Check out The Gospel According to the Earth
Check out my NEW book, Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet
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Keith Warren said:
Clearly, God has given us dominion over some things. With that comes responsibility and accountability.
I think "Creation Care" has a hurdle. It has to black & white differentiate from mainstream Environmentalism. Too many people (especially older people like myself) automatically see a red flag at the outset of the subject...we are prone to see progressive propaganda as the source of any call to action. If we can be convinced that God is the source of that call, things will change.
I have not read the books. Both of your writings may well cover the credibility issue and be 100% on biblical target.
Posted: April 4, 2010