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| Dr. Forrest Inslee |
Could you explain the mission and vision of Circlewood? Especially the emphasis on the interconnectedness of all life, in light of the Christian tradition?
We are in a period of rapid ecological change that requires a transformation of humanity’s worldview and way of life. Followers of Jesus can help lead the way by developing an ecologically-conscious faith (eco-faith) that models this transformation and helps move it forward. Circlewood’s purpose is to accelerate this development so that health is restored to the community of creation, the Church’s witness is strengthened, and humanity embraces a way of life that ensures a just and sustainable future for generations to come. To this end, we have developed a long-term mission focused on “accelerating the greening of faith” through:
Developing media that build global awareness, community, and change. Training a generation of earthkeepers through immersive educational programs. Creating a world-class center for eco-faith development and innovation.
The interconnectedness of all life is reflected mostly in the “ecological consciousness” we seek to foster. All things in an ecosystem work together, and to overemphasize one element over others is to harm all elements.
For Circlewood, how does that mission and vision work itself out in the Puget Sound area? In working with other, similar communities?
Two things come to mind: On a very local level, we care for a forest; on a more regional level, we shape our communication with an awareness that many people in Cascadia connect spirituality with experiences in nature.
We have forty acres of forested land on Camano Island, WA. We are in the process of building an environmental education center there that will be a context for teaching earthcare principles to all sorts of people. Part of our collective witness, and even our acts of worship, will be reflected in how we live with and care for the forest.
When Circlewood talks about “the greening of
everything,” that includes helping people to see creation care as part of faith
practice. As we live that out in our work and our community, we hope that we
can make connections and conversations with others who sense spirit in nature
(as so many in this region do). We listen to their stories of connection and
gladly share about our own experiences as Christ-followers who encounter God in
creation.
Can you tell us a bit about Circlewood Village and offer any updates?
Circlewood Village will be a community of
people—some living on the land, and some visiting the land short-term—who
gather around a common desire to become better kin to our nonhuman relatives in
creation. Importantly then, we’ll seek to live in ways that participate respectfully—even
lovingly—with the ecology of the forest. Early steps toward that community
should happen this year; in the second half of 2022, we hope to complete our
first educational gathering space, and to get our first residents living
full-time on the land.
In what ways could Circlewood serve as a model or inspiration for others?
We believe that there are no small efforts in
the work of earthcare. Every decision matters, from how your source your food
to the kind of car you drive. We can’t allow ourselves to be always overwhelmed
by the really bad situation of our planet; instead, we just need to do what is
right—in our time and in our place, and in our ecologies. We know for example
that Circlewood’s efforts to promote creation care aren’t going to reverse
climate change. What we do know however is that, as Christ-followers, we are
called to love and care for God’s creation. Our objective isn’t to save the
world, so much as it is to do the work in front of us and trust the rest to God.
I think Mother Teresa said it best: it is enough to do “small things with great
love”—and there is comfort and grace in that, I think. So, if Circlewood can
serve as inspiration to others, we hope that they will, as individuals and
faith communities, find the unique and beautiful things that God has for them
to do—and do them with great love.
What about the importance of living in community? In what ways has Circlewood found this to be important?
Circlewood was born out of an organization
called Mustard Seed Associates, which was built up by Tom and Christine Sine.
They themselves model intentional community in their Seattle home, and from the
beginning have always dreamed that there would be a sort of eco-village
established on the forty acres on Camano Island. In an individualistic culture
like ours, community doesn’t come naturally for many. Cultivating it really
does have to be intentional. However, just as we can understand aspects of God
in and through nature, we can also experience Spirit in new and diverse ways
through participation in community. As we grow the community on the 40 acres,
we hope to model this truth.
During a 2021 webinar, James Amadon mentioned the concept of ‘an ecologically-conscious faith,’ could you explain this concept?
We believe that God created the world such that all life is
connected in an interdependent relationship. If we emphasize the needs and wants
of people, especially at the expense of the needs of other elements of the
ecologies we live in, then we are not truly caring for creation in the ways God
intended. In contrast, an ecologically-conscious faith takes seriously God’s
charge to us to love and serve creation—and such a faith makes caring for the
earth an expression of both obedience and worship.
From your perspective, why have environmental issues gone unnoticed by much of the Christian Church in North America? What’s causing the disconnect on this issue?
Elements of the Church have come to
overemphasize the primacy of human need, such that we don’t see issues of
environmental degradation as important. A related set of assumptions that some
Christians hold is the belief that, in the end times, believers will be taken
to heaven and this present world will burn away. Why then, the reasoning goes,
should we be concerned with protecting a planet that will all disappear
eventually? Maybe a third factor has to do with the politicization of environmental
issues. Unfortunately, to be concerned or not about the environment has, for
many, become a matter of allegiance to one party or the other.
What gives you hope? Where do you find it?
Personally, I find my hope in the many stories of hope I hear from the people I interview on my podcast. So many of them have found unique ways to bring their authentic selves, their interests, and their capacities to the work of earthkeeping. Their lived stories inspire others to do the same. Even those who admit that they struggle to remain hopeful always come back to the conviction that to be a Christian also means to care for creation—so we can only worship and obey God’s charge to be good earthkeepers, even if we don’t see much evidence of the impact of our actions.
Listen to the earthkeepers podcast here.
Tom and Christine Sine offer a variety of resources on their Godspacelight website.
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