International Earth Day Eve Simulcast

For the most recent info about Matthew Sleeth on this site—including about opportunities to meet Dr. Sleeth in Monterey in November 2019—see “Former ER Doc Attending to Planet’s Health: Matthew Sleeth and Blessed Earth.”

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Bicycling—and its physical, economic, and environmental benefits—is among the topics when Matthew Sleeth, MD is interviewed about lifestyle.

His son, 20-year-old Clark Sleeth, inspired my return to cycling as a means of transportation.

Matthew Sleeth biking near his home.

Earth Day Eve Simulcast

On Wed, April 21, the evening before the 40th Earth Day, Matthew Sleeth, MD and his nonprofit BlessedEarth.org are calling together the largest faith-based assembly ever gathered to focus on caring for the Earth.  From 40 countries, over 1,000 churches and non-church groups have signed up to participate already.  The  live global simulcast will take place at 7:30 pm Eastern time. Details at Blessed Earth website.

In Monterey County, a public gathering will take place at 7:30 pm Pacific time to view the delayed simulcast at the First Presbyterian Church, 501 Eldorado, Monterey.   For details, phone the church office (831/373-3031).

Matthew Sleeth’s visit in Monterey

In 2007, Dr. Sleeth spoke at First Pres, Monterey as part of a tour organized by Interfaith Power and Light, a Religious Response to Global Warming (4/19/07 Monterey County Weekly). 

Kate Daniels of the Women’s International News Perspective news site wrote a summary about Sleeth’s 4/19/07 visit, and Jessica Simon of the WIP wrote a 4/19/10 article about the Blessed Earth global simulcast. (Update: Sorry, the web addresses that previously led to that info are no longer working, as the WIP website is no longer active.)

Earth Day from a Faith Perspective

For many people, Earth Day suggests giving something up.

Lately, people of faith are among those suggesting a different way of thinking about environmentalism:  that it’s a chance to regain some of life’s lost richness.

And it’s a chance to assert responsibility for the problems that threaten us.  “Help us not think someone else is in charge of our lives but that we have an opportunity to shape our future.”  That’s how Pastor Jay Bartow put it in his Earth Day address April 18 at Monterey’s First Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Bartow addressed a mistaken understanding of the directive to humans in the creation story of Genesis with regard to having dominion over the earth.  He quoted Matthew Sleeth from Sleeth’s book Serve God, Save the Planet (Chelsea Green and Zondervan, 2007):   “Dominion comes from a Hebrew term meaning ‘higher on the root of the plant.’  Dominion does not mean ownership or even unrestricted use.  Implied in our dominion is our dependency on everything under us.  Cut the root out from under a plant, and the fruit above it will perish…”

Read more

Dr. Sleeth’s latest book is The Gospel According to the Earth:  Why the Good Book Is a Green Book (Harper Collins, 2010). Matthew’s wife, Nancy, is author of Go Green, Save Green:  My Family’s Journey to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint (Tyndale, 2009).   Emma Sleeth, their teenaged daughter, authored a book for teens, It’s Easy Being Green.  Check out more about their work at their own website, http://www.blessedearth.org or from the WIP’s perspective at http://www.thewip.net

And Clark Sleeth?  As a 20-year-old med school student, Clark used a half-tank of gas in five months, bicycling and walking as his primary method of transportation.  He was the catalyst for my return to cycling as a means of transportation.

For more about  Matthew Sleeth and the global simulcast event, see “Former ER Doc Now Attending to Health of the Planet.”

Kate Daniels of the Women’s International Perspective interviewed Nancy Sleeth on April 25, 2010. (Update: Sorry, the web address that previously led to that interview is no longer working, as the WIP website is no longer active.)