Matthew Sleeth (Christian environmentalist)

Matthew Sleeth
Occupation	Creation Care leader, author, and Executive Director of Blessed Earth

Matthew Sleeth, MD is an advocate of the global creation care movement in the Christian church. A former emergency room physician, Sleeth wrote his first environmental book, Serve God, Save the Planet (Zondervan),^[1] in May 2006. Since then, he has spoken more than 900 times in churches, schools and to media outlets — more than any other evangelical — about the biblical mandate to care for the Earth.

In 2008, Sleeth wrote the introduction to The Green Bible (HarperOne) and in 2010 wrote The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book is a Green Book (HarperOne). Through his nonprofit, Blessed Earth, Sleeth wrote and released a 12-part creation care series called Blessed Earth (Zondervan), with accompanying guidebooks, in 2010.

Education

Sleeth attended West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV, for his undergraduate degree in English. He earned his MD degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine, where he graduated with honors.

Ministry

Writing

Sleeth's ministry began with his writing of Serve God, Save the Planet (Zondervan), in May 2006. In its ninth printing, the book has become a touted foundational resource for those beginning the Creation Care journey. His writing continued during his role as General Editor of The Green Bible (HarperOne, 2008), for which he also wrote the introduction.

His latest work is The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book is a Green Book. Written in accessible language and themes, the book further presents Sleeth's case for Creation Care.

Other writings include articles by Sleeth published in outlets such as Christianity Today "Books and Culture," Creation Care Magazine, Guideposts, The Huffington Post, and The San Diego Tribune.

Non-Profit

In early 2008, Sleeth and his wife, Nancy, founded Blessed Earth, an educational nonprofit that inspires and equips Christian communities to become better stewards of the Earth. Through outreach to churches, campuses and media, Blessed Earth attempts to build bridges that promote measurable environmental change and meaningful spiritual growth. Later in 2008, Sleeth was asked to serve as a visiting scholar in Creation Care at Houghton College in Houghton, NY, for the 2008-2009 academic year, where he oversaw the environmental transformation of every part of the institution — from curriculum to operations.

Beliefs

Sleeth is motivated strictly by the biblical mandate to care for creation. He believes that it is humans' responsibility as created beings to tend and protect the Earth. Sleeth, through his writings and non-profit work, promotes individual and group actions that conserve energy and care for the beauty of the world. Sleeth also believes people are each morally responsible for the poorest among us, and that natural resources are threatened by ongoing destruction of the natural world. To show true and meaningful love for others, Sleeth believes that all are called to give generously of their abundant resources.

Bibliography

• Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Zondervan, 2006)
• Featured in The Great Warming (DVD), 2006
• Featured in Renewal (DVD), 2007
• Introduction to The Green Bible (HarperOne, 2008)
• Chapter in Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation (Sierra Club/Counterpoint, 2008)
• Chapter in Zealous Love: A Practical Guide to Social Justice (Sierra Club/Counterpoint, 2008)
• Featured in Start> Becoming a Good Samaritan (DVD), (Zondervan, 2009)
• The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book is a Green Book (HarperOne, 2010)
• Blessed Earth film series (Zondervan, 2010)
• "Hope for Creation" film series guidebook (Zondervan, 2010)
• "Hope for Humanity" film series guidebook (Zondervan, 2010)

References

1. ^ Miller, David Ian (22 January 2007). "Finding My Religion". San Francisco Chronicle. http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-01-22/news/17225114_1_evangelicals-public-health-earth-day. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 

External links

• Matthew Sleeth, MD, Official Site
• Blessed Earth
• Nancy Sleeth, Official Site

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