Steward of God?s Creation Award

The Steward of God?s Creation award is bestowed to those individuals who exhibit courage and commitment in the caring and keeping of the earth in a heroic, distinguished and effective manner. Awardees are determined by a vote of religious leaders and bestowed at a public event, normally the National Prayer Breakfast for Creation Care, which is sponsored annually by a coalition of religious organizations and affiliates.

Dr. Robert Jonas, Ed.D.
Northampton, Massachusetts

In 1999 and again in 2000 Dr. Robert Jonas helped promote the Washington Week concept when he joined with many other religious leaders to speak to Congressional representatives about the importance of conserving and preserving America’s national forests. He participated in early dialogues with the World Bank, he recorded the proceedings and in the process helped in the effort to persuade Bank officials of the importance of setting aside grant funds to restore the degraded forests in Mexico.

Through his efforts at the RCFC’s initial Washington Week programs, he was so moved by the experience that he committed one-third of his busy schedule as a psychologist to forest and land preservation issues. He turned his family’s own private forest lands into a model of protection and preservation from commercial exploitation. 

As director of the Empty Bell Sanctuary in Watertown, Massachusetts, Robert is an author, professional psychotherapist, student of the shakuhachi (Japanese flute), photographer and forester. He also leads spiritual retreats and coordinates an interfaith dialogue between Christianity and Buddhism.