I am leading a conference at Montreat, the beautiful Presbyterian conference center outside of Asheville, NC, Thursday to Sunday, April 24-27. It’s called Inhabiting Eden (original, no?). I hope you will consider coming, and will pass the word to others.

Here
is the info on the Montreat website.

Here is more information: 

Some think the Bible
concerns only humans and God. Yet from the first creation story to the end of
Revelation, Scripture imagines a larger universe inhabited by other creatures
besides ourselves. Genesis 1 shows God’s pleasure with the earth and all its species
long before humans appear. Genesis 2 pictures humans made from the ground in
order to serve and preserve God’s garden. The speeches of God in Job imagine
nature as a wild place, barely understandable to people, yet adored by God. As
we come to terms with our ecological limits, we can reignite the imagination to
see more clearly our place in creation’s intricate web, to cherish more
actively its delicate beauty, and to relish our responsibilities to treat
life—human and other—with respect and awe. Enjoying the Eden of Montreat and
listening to Scripture, we will explore a spirituality of grateful care, and of
realistic hope for facing our generation’s ecological crises.

The class includes time for learning, group interaction,
contemplation and exploration, and fellowship. The formal sessions are titled:

Session 1: Inhabiting Eden: Why Does It Matter?

Session 2: Practicing Gratitude in a World of Entitlement

Session 3: Practicing Connection in an Insular World

Session 4: Practicing Lament in a Numb World

Session 5: Practicing Hope in a World of Despair

Session 6: Conclusion: Practicing Life in a World of Wounds