Christian Union: The Magazine Summer 2017

COR N E LL | On Campus Agricultural Sustainability and Faith CORNELL PROFESSOR TEACHES CLASS BASED ON HIS CHRISTIAN BELIEFS By Francine Barchett, Cornell ’20 C took on a whole new meaning and rose to a new level. Fick’s agricultural ecology and sus- resurrection, which motivated him to follow Christ. Since then, his person- al relationships, studies, and career Fick identifies a positive connection between Christian values and sustainable living that stems from the beginning of Genesis and implores readers to think consciously about their food choices. 2 “Faith or worldview is a great moti- vational force.” He discusses topics ranging from ecology to the “biblical diet,” sustainable crop man- agement, poverty concerns, and empowerment of wom- en, all with the Bible-based message of personal stew- ardship and responsibility. Fick identifies a positive connection between Chris- tian values and sustainable living that stems from the beginning of Genesis and implores readers to think consciously about their food choices. Building off his book’s success, Fick has been teach- ing the Food, Farming, and Personal Beliefs class at Cor- Gary Fick, a professor emeritus at Cornell, nell for 11 years. Although teaches a class entitled Food, Farming, and he would have preferred to Personal Beliefs. use faith in the course title, personal beliefs is used be- tainability expertise not only allowed cause the department considered faith him to publish in peer-review journals, inappropriate for a science class. Nev- but also to highlight the topics from ertheless, Fick freely voices his book’s a Christian worldview in his 2008 Judeo-Christian perspectives, teaching not only those seeking to live the Bible’s sustainability implications, but also the many students studying agriculture or development. Cornell’s International Agriculture and Rural Development major strongly supports the class, agreeing that meaningful connec- tions—especially at an international level—occur from understanding na- tive people’s religious impetus. book, Food, Farming, and Faith. A professor emeritus, Fick’s career “Sustainability requires change,” Fick poses in his book’s introduction. is marked by over 40 years of research hristians who wonder what the Bible conveys about farming, eating, and sustainable living should have a conversation with Cornell crop and soil scientist Dr. Gary Fick. In his book, Food, Farming, and Faith, as well as his Cornell course on the same topic, Fick presents bibli- cally-founded and agriculturally-sup- ported statements. What stirred him to write and teach scientific material from a Christian perspective? And what is his advice for believers desir- ing to live more sustainably? A look at Fick’s life and motivations help bring these answers to light. Having grown up in rural Nebras- ka, Fick does not recount a time when he was not passionate about agricul- ture or the environment. His father, a rancher and conservationist, inspired his interest in soil and conservation management and motivated him to adopt it as a profession. Even though Fick excelled studying agriculture, he found high grades and social recog- nitions completely empty. Then he heard Episcopal priest Dennis Bennett preach the miracle of Jesus’ death and 41

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