Baptist Preacher Recounts Decades of Climate Action While Looking Toward the Future
"Caring for the planet, God's creation and people is a moral, ethical and spiritual issue primarily," shared Rev. Tom Carr while recounting his start in environmental protection in 1986. Compelled to care for God's creation, Rev. Carr founded Eco-Justice Network, a coalition of over 300 religious leaders who made it their primary duty to advocate for strict environmental policies, as well as, local level climate initiatives.
Carr was chosen by Blessed Tomorrow's partner organization, the National Religious Coalition on Creation Care to receive the Steward of God's Creation Award for his decades of action. Recognition is nice, but for this Baptist preacher, his climate work is far from over. On Nov., 5, Carr and many other religious leaders will host their third Climate Stewardship Summit, a conference to discuss faith in climate initiatives. For more information, or to join the proceedings, check out their webpage here.
Suffield Pastor Has Long History Of Championing Environmental Causes
Mikaela Porter | Hartford Courant
SUFFIELD — The Rev. Tom Carr is dedicated to God, the environment and others.
"In 1986, I was in Dayton, Ohio, and I had this epiphany while watching 'NBC Nightly News,'" Carr said. "Back in the mid-'80s it was the garbage barge. It was on the news one night and then the next. I hadn't had much passion with eco-justice and when I saw that it just struck me — what are we doing to the planet and each other?"
Carr, 57, grew up outside Detroit, Mich., and after graduating from the seminary in Rochester, N.Y., went to Dayton, Ohio, to minister at a First Baptist Church there.
From 1992 to 2013, Carr was a pastor at the First Baptist Church in West Hartford and then moved Suffield Baptist Church.
"We share one planet, it's in many ways the one thing we all hold dear and sacred in all religious traditions," Carr said. "We may not all use God, but we all see Earth as sacred and holy and that it's our call to live within all of life."