A Christian Relationalship With Creation: Towards A Sacramental Ecology
This morning I came across an excellent post my Josh Brown (who was inspired by Jordon Cooper who in turn was quoting Thomas Friedman) about how critical it is to address consumerism (and consumption) if we expect to have any impact on protecting and/or restoring our suffering environment. While Josh doesn't dismiss the importance of the many popular eco-friendly changes people are adopting (such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs), these small gestures do not address the root causes and contributors to our current ecological situation.
I am not fully convinced that Friedman makes his case on all points, the point is that we can easily become distracted from the core focuses we should be concentrating on. Further, in our market driven culture, our best intentions can often be taken advantage of, resulting in our increased consumption. Many articulations of the eco-revolution are simply too one-dimensional and this must change.
This reminded me of my own journey in search of the relationship between ecology (including, but not limited to, the environmental issues it raises) and Christianity. As I have said in several earlier posts, I truly believe that for all the good it does, the environmentalism movement (or the Green Revolution) is simple inadequate. And yet, many Christians who want to do the right thing ecologically have no other foundation to build from.
I believe that in order for Christians to begin to adequately, responsibly and effectively play our role in the ecology movement, we must first develop a Biblical theology and spirituality in respect to Creation. It is hard for us to understand how fundamentally our worldview has been shaped and shift over the last few centuries to severe the natural relationship to Creation. Most of the Bible is written through those former lenses, and while our understanding of Scriptures is still possible, it does rob us of some of it's depth. It what I have begun to call moving towards a sacramental ecology.
I will explore what this means more thoroughly in a future post, but I would first like to hear from you:
1. What can we do to rediscover this sacramental ecology in Scripture?
2. In what ways can we adjust out lives to embrace this new worldview?
3. Beyond individual application, what can we do as communities/churches?
Imagine if more sermons were prepared -- and more church services held -- outdoors!
Here's my encouragement for us all:
Find a piece of "wilderness." It doesn't have to be very big. Just somewhere where our Creator's work is more somewhat more evident than our own. Rejoice in the beauty of what you see.
"Welcome to the 'real world." The things God has made (His "Book of Nature"), His Word in Scripture and His Incarnation in Christ (who is the Word) are the most real and magnificent things in our lives. Thus, our lives are best lived when centered in these three "words." With respect to the "third word," His Book of Nature, we were surely not meant to base our existence on "life in a box" - the house box, car box, school box, office box, etc., moving from one box to the next scarcely noting the beauty of God's creation...See how Christ, the Word of God, indwells and upholds everything around you.
Finally, seek first the Kingdom of God. Seek God Himself in all three of His Words. Seek Him in the Book of Nature and ask Him to change your material cravings from the things of man to the things of God. Gain strength from His beauty as evidenced in all He has made. Strength to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Strength to forever enjoy His love. Strength to love your neighbor. It is Christ who strengthens us. Christ who, with God, spoke Creation into existence. Christ, God incarnate who gave His life to restore us to Himself, and Christ who upholds creation today. Christ who is before all things and in Whom all things hold together. Meet Him in His creation and there gain strength. Go into the beauty of Creation and experience His love; there learn to love God, THE Lover, and what He has made. Then you will have the courage to take His love to others. (Comment this)
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)
I am a natural outdoors person, gardening and bushwalking / tramping for pleasure and regeneration, so I am naturally passionate about valuing creation.
Theologically I found Francis A. Schaeffer books that he wrote about them very helpful. Pollution and the death of man, was his statement book, but I think he makes the same points in quite a few of his book lets or other literature.
It is a bit dated, though not as much as you would expect for 30 + years old.
The key thesis that helped me a lot was that creation was good because God made it. And we should love it, cause he loves it. Quite simple really, but with huge implications.
Cheers David (Comment this)
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)
I don't think that is a particular christian mindset just a western one - so your question is larger than how do we connect with ecology but how do we connect with each other - in which case the christian view of a holistic spiritual/physical/tangible/material world can be a very helpful one. At least to help us unmesh ourselves from the other dominant narratives in our culture... (Comment this)
I think that is what worries me the most- that we have a worldview that denies or ignores the interconnectedness, when in fact we ARE connected and our choices have an impact on each other, for better and for worse.
I agree that this mindset is not just a Western one, though I would suggest in respect to a spirituality of Creation, we are worse off than most. St. Francis is often seen as an environmentalist, but that is too shallow an interpretation of his own spirituality, as he did not see a division between his love and relationship with Creation and that with humanity and God. I see this in many indigenous cultures too.
Thanks for the great thoughts.
Peace,
Jamie (Comment this)