I must say that I have, in a very twisted way, began to find the response the gulf oil spill interesting. There are the environmentalists driving up in their SUVs to condemn BP. There is the president flying his jumbo jet for himself so that he can show that he is in charge and addressing this issue. There are law makers huffing and puffing and then refusing to pass legislation that can make a difference. Then there is BP trying to look the contrite beyond petroleum company, after we have learned that carelessness, recklessness and greed helped cause the disaster. It is a great theatre of posturing. The reality is that as long as we have a lifestyle base on oil, there will be deep water wells. As long as demand grows greater risks will be taken. As long as politics rely on big business dollars ,lax legislation and enforcement will be bought. Oil in the gulf is the result of the life we each live, and the political and economic systems we encourage to support that life. If we don’t want oil in the gulf – then something more fundamental must be transformed.
Wait – isn’t transformation what we are about as people of faith? If faith is real and alive it is able to bring about transformation in people’s lives so that we can be the living presence of God’s healing of the world. In other words, if our faith isn’t able to lead us in a meaningful transformationn of our lives in the areas of our world most broken, then we are fooling ourselves. So here is a question . . . how is your faith, leading you to transform your life, in response to oil in the gulf and pollution in the air? As communities of faith how are we being transformed in response to this disaster? In the midst of a theatre of posturing, where are the faith communities living out lives of confession, repentance, grace, and transformation. If you have a story please share it, because as the spirit is alive, so there are communities already living out God’s call to the healing of the world that God so loves.
PT
What if...? 
