First Native American Roundtable Sept. 13: Respect for the Earth, Native American heritage are Turtle Island Project goals

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First Native American Roundtable Sept. 13: Respect for the Earth, Native American heritage are Turtle Island Project goals by YOOPERNEWSMAN

The new North American Theology: Pastors call for progressive change in environmental and cultural thinking or risk a decline in the health of society

Turtle Island Project: First Native American Roundtable and Regional Conference is Sept. 13-15 along shores of Lake Superior in northern Michigan

(Munising, MI) - Two Midwest pastors say the world is at a critical environment crossroads that demands stopping human abuse and waste the of the planet's natural resources..

The new Turtle Island Project (TIP) in northern Michigan promotes respecting Native American heritage and using the knowledge of Earth-based cultures to address the world's environmental crisis.

Chicago theology professor and project board chair Rev. George Cairns said he's "deeply concerned that much of humankind and the Earth - as we know it - will be gone by the end of this century."

Project founder Rev. Lynn Hubbard is says some Christians and other religions are guilty of religious imperialism - thus blocking out the knowledge of cultures that have a deep respect for nature.

The TIP will also battle racism and other social ills like domestic violence. In mid-August, the TIP sent two folks bands to South Dakota to hold a free benefit concert that helped the country’s oldest native American battered women’s shelter on the Lakota Rosebud Indian Reservation. The White Buffalo Calf Woman Society has programs to address the legendary poverty on Lakota reservations and a teen suicide crisis - as over 600 teenagers have attempted suicide in the past two years - 15 teens have died.

Hubbard has schedule a series of national and regional conferences and the first will start with a Native American Roundtable on Sept. 13. The agenda of the roundtables will be set only by Native Americans and other indigenous peoples - whom organizers hope will contact the Turtle Island Project with topics.

A professor of Practical Theology and Spirituality at Chicago Theological Seminary, Dr. Cairns says Earth based religions like American Indians and the Celtics have a vast reservoir of knowledge and ideas about the proper way to respect the planet ensuring a sustainable future for all..

(**Celtics Pronounced - Kell-tics)

Rev. Hubbard - an evangelical Lutheran pastor - and Rev. Cairns - an ordained United Church of Christ minister - are seeking public input on their new "North American Theology" - a work in progress that will map out ways to change human impact on the planet and list "sacred places" around the world. Rev. Cairns said "Sacred Places" can range from an inner city neighborhood to a lake or creek near your home.

Rev. Hubbard said Christians who have "benefitted from the power structures of the church have defined what the gospel is to everyone."

Dr. Hubbard said that narrow but widespread definition of the gospel was set through "our own Euro-American vision of who we are, who God is, and our relationship with nature - at the exclusion of everyone else - period."

At a recent conference in Ann Arbor, Rev Hubbard told religious writers and scholars that "those who have had power and control over the church must now scoot over and make room for them (other cultures) in our pews - and maybe, heaven forbid, actually listen to what they have to say, listen to their voices.".

Both pastors believe that Native Americans and other Indigenous Peoples can teach Christians a lot about respect for the health of the planet and each other's religions.

The Turtle Island Project first regional conference and Native American Roundtable is (Thursday-Saturday) September 13-15, 2007 at the Eden on the Bay Lutheran Church in Munising.

The hours are 7-10 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday.

All Native Americans are urged to contact the Turtle Island Project to set the agenda for the first roundtable

The Native American roundtable opens the conference on Thursday, followed by two days of presentations by Rev. Dr. George Cairns, a professor at Chicago Theological Seminary.

Dr. Cairns will discuss Celtic and Native American spirituality, and post-modern science.

Everyone is invited to all events and there is no charge to attend.

The Turtle Island Project has numerous conferences and seminars planned over the next year including well-known speakers.

A Native American roundtable will be held at 7 pm (ET) on the Thursday prior to each regional conference.

The agenda of all roundtables will be set completely by First Nations (American Indian) peoples.

All conferences, retreats and Native American roundtables will be held at Eden on the Bay, Lutheran Church, 1150 M-28 West, Munising, Michigan.

All seminars will be held at Upfront and Company, 102 East Main Street, Marquette, Michigan.

Call 906-387-2520 - or 906-475-5068.

Email: TurtleIslandProject@charter.net

For complete event information visit project main website:

http://www.turtleislandproject.org/

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