A PHYSICIAN AND A SCIENTIST ADDRESS FAITH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

By Ella Tyler

Matthew Sleeth, MD, author of Serve God, Save the Planet, is making a tour of Texas colleges and churches to urge Christians to adopt responsibility, simplicity, and environmental stewardship. In a schedule that rivals that of a political candidate, he will be making eight talks in the Houston region next weekend.

Sleeth, a former hospital emergency room director, was living the American dream of a big house and luxury cars but after seeing patient after patient suffering from cancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases, he realized that the earth and its people were in trouble. Turning to faith for guidance, his family eliminated many possessions and reduced consumption.

“The average home uses over 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month. Our average is less than 150 kilowatts,” he writes.

Sleeth now writes, preaches, and teaches full time concerning faith and the environment. He explains, “It is always cheaper, easier, and better for the planet to save energy than to try to make it.”

His local schedule:

On Friday, Sept 15, he will speak at Texas Southern University at noon, at Christ Church Cathedral from 4 to 6 pm, and at Deer Park United Methodist Church at 7 pm.

On Saturday, Sept 16, he will be at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 10 am, then travel to the Woodlands for a 2 pm talk and to Beaumont for an evening talk. He returns to St Paul’s for two talks on Sunday, Sept 17. All talks are open to the public.

As his Houston speaking schedule shows, Sleeth’s message of responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship is resonating with congregations. Sleeths Texas tour is sponsored by Texas Interfaith Power and Light in partnership with local faith and environmental groups, including the Houston Climate Protection Alliance, Clean Houston, and Sustainable Dallas. Sleeth’s Texas schedule can be found at Texas Interfaith Power & Light.

Later this month, on Sept 27 at the Wortham Center, the eminent Harvard entomologist and self-styled provisional deist Edward O. Wilson, will offer a multimedia presentation based on his new book, The Creation: A Meeting of Science and Religion. Progressive Forum will sponsor the evening.

Wilsons book takes the form of letters to a fictitious Southern Baptist minister. It pleads for the preservation of biodiversity and argues that it is time for both secular humanists like himself and devout believers time for both scientists and religious leaders to engage in a productive dialogue to save the glory of nature because harming the planet threatens us all, no matter what our beliefs. For more information, see The Progressive Forum website.