For the Beauty Chapter Three

After outlining the messy state our planet is in Dr. B-P turns his attention to Christians and asks, "Is Christianity to blame for this mess?" It's a fair question to ask, right? Or IS it? God says to Adam and Even in the garden in Genesis, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28). See there it is! It's in the Bible that Christians are to fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over it. Well, yes there it is, but in what sense are we to subdue and have dominion? In chapter three B-P addresses this oft asked question (as well as many others)and offers some better explanations.

"We must learn," says B-P, "to read the Bible anew precisely because our behavior is out of line with the ecological vision of Scripture" (69). B-P makes a call to read the Bible with new eyes in order to receive ecological wisdom.

So, what are the complaints against Christianity concerning creation care? Well, there are four that B-P addresses:

1. Monotheism, in general, and Christianity in particular, is the primary cause of the despoilation of the earth.

2. The Christian emphasis on dualisms of soul and body, spirit and matter, denigrates the earth and sanctions its misuse and exploitation.

3. Christian eschatology (or "last things") negates any rationale for preserving the earth.

4. And finally, because of the rise of technology and science, Christianity bears a huge burden of guilt for the present situation.

One by one, B-P tackles each of these complaints and disspells the myth that Christianity is somehow the primary cause for the current ecological state of our world. Concerning Genesis 1:28, does dominion mean domination? Is this verse a "license" to exploit anything and everything on the earth. The short answer is no, it is not. One key to defining dominion, says B-P, is to take example from an ideal king in Psalm 72, who exercises dominion correctly. The psalm says that a ruler executes justice for the oppressed, delivers the need, helps the poor, and embodies righteousness in all he does (74). To exercise dominion is to bring about shalom (or peace). To rule properly is to serve. "We are to serve and protect the garden that is creation..." (74).

To protect and serve...

It's not only the "motto" of most of our police and local law enforcement agencies, it's also the "motto" of humanity in relationship to the earth. To protect and serve.

The Green Bible is Here!

I had the opportunity to preview the just released Green Bible published by HarperCollins in conjuction with The Sierra Club, The Humane Society, and Eco-Justice Program. It just so happens my ethics professor, Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger, served on the publicating committee for this project. For more information, click here to check it out!

You might remember the Red Letter Bible (the words of Jesus were inked in red color). Well this is the Green Letter Bible. Any reference to creation, or caring for the earth is inked in green. There are over 1000 references in green! If anything...this kind of Bible is at minimum a reminder that not only as Christians but as a global village of people we need to care for our earth which sustains us in so many ways.

PS - I would be happy to receive such a gift. =)

painting revelation: a visual exploration of the last book of the Bible

I had the privilege of meeting Rev. Debby Topliff of West Michigan. Not only is she a pastor, but an artist. She visited the seminary last week to display her artwork based on Revelation, and to lead our morning worship for the week. I have provided a link to her website. I commend her work to you. Peace.

Friday Humor

When my back seized up, I called my doctor's office, explaining that I was a minister and was in too much pain to deliver my sermon. Could they help?

The woman on the other end asked me to hold. The next thing I heard was a loud voice announcing, "I have a minister on the phone who can't stand to preach!"

~Gilbert Vieira from Reader's Digest

Still Rings True Today

"Oh, if we only had persons of prayer among those who oversee the fate of the nation and the fate of the economy! If, instead of relying on human devices, people would rely on God and on his devices, we would have a world without injustices, a world with respect for rights, a world with generous participation by all, a world without repression, a world without torture."

~Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador, July 17, 1977

New Creation

New Creation from FC Post on Vimeo.

This is unbelievable! Way cool! Thoughts?

For the Beauty Chapter Two

Chapter two is appropriately titled, "What's Wrong with the World?"

Creation is groaning, says St. Paul. The state of the world is not good, and in this chapter Dr. B-P attempts to outline the ways in which our planet is crying out as if in pain. The staggering statistics in this chapter are frightening and despairing - even in B-P is half right! So, what are the contributing factors to the earth's groaning?

POPULATION
Global population had doubled in only forty years, and it grow by 80 million each year. That's 80,000,000 each year! The popluation grows exponentially.

HUNGER
If the hungry people in the world today were lined up shoulder to shoulder, how long would the line stretch? Answer: Around the world 18.2 times!! This is unbelievable. Approximately 1.2 billion people are undernourished and do not eat enough calories per day for a normal life.

BIODIVERSITY
Three species of plant or animal goes extinct each day! One species every eight hours is gone forever.

DEFORESTATION
Tropical rain forests are deforested at the rate of 25 million acres each year - roughly the size of the state of Indiana.

WATER
Approximately 1.5 billion people do not have adequate drinking water. That's 25% of the world's population.

LAND
18 tons of topsoil per hectare are lost each year in the U.S.

WASTE
The average American throws away 1500 pounds of trash a year. That amounts to 52 tons of trash over a 70 year lifespan. Enough disposable diapers, if stretched end to end, are thrown away each year to reach the moon and back seven times!!!

ENERGY
The U.S. devours approximately 24% of the available energy. The average American consumes twice as much energy as compared to other industrialized nations.

AIR
100% of Sweden's lakes are too acidic to support local wildlife.

CLIMATE
Our climate is changing. Greenhouse gas concentrations are up. Temperatures are rising in certain places, and cooling in others.

This chapter is chuck-full of staggering statistics which leave the reader with a feeling of despair. Thankfully, this is only chapter two. There is much more to come, but in the mean time, how are you and I contributing to the groaning of creation? What can you do starting today to be more responsible concerning the care of the earth? Big gains can be made through small steps like recycling; turning off unused appliances and lights; riding a bicycle or walking to work; collecting rain water; consuming less; fasting? There is so much to be done, yet there is much we can do to make a difference.

Lamentations of the Father

Lamentations of the Father (audio file) by humorist Ian Frazier.

In Brief: For the Beauty Introduction and Chapter 1

Introduction
What possible relevance, the author asks, does ecology have for Chistian theology? What is theologically wrong with ecological degradation? These are some very tough questions that Dr. Bouma-Prediger asks, but the purpose of his book For the Beauty of the Earth is to answers questions such as these and prompt some more. The central claim of the book is that authentic Christian faith requires (notice the language, he very intentional about his use of words) ecological obedience. "To care for the earth is integral to the Christian faith." What do you think - do you believe that authentic Christians are required to be ecologically obedient? Why or why not?

Chapter 1: Where Are We?
Chapter one's primary focus is calling the reader to his/her attention to their surroundings. "Do you know where you are?" asks Dr. B-P. "What is the soil like around your home? What are five agricultural plants in your region? What flowers bloom where you live? When did it last rain?" And so on goes the line of questioning. Questions like these test our knowledge of where we are. For example, I live in West Michigan. My soil is very sandy in some places, but in others very hard from clay deposits. Five agricultural plants that grow in my region are: apples, blueberries, corn, soybeans, strawberries. Tulips are the predominent blooming flower where I live. And it rained last night. And so I ask you - do you know where you live? We know the things we love, and if we know where we live in a more intimate way, we're likely to love and care more for it.

Dr. B-P contends that we are ecologically illiterate. We're simply not aware of our surroundings, therefore, our unawareness (or knowledge) leads to apathy or disconcern for the creation around us. Hence, "knowing, caring, and practical competence constitute the basis of ecological literacy" (David Orr). To wrap up chapter one, I'll close with a list, from the book, of 5 components to seeing our place:

1. We need a broad understanding of how people and cultures / societies relate to each other and to nature.
2. We need to know something about the ecological crisis that we face.
3. We need to know something about the dynamics of our world - historical, political, religious, etc.
4. We need to have some familiarity with the development of "ecological consciousness." Are we humans, earth dominators? Or are we just visitors in a world that is not ours?
5. We need alternative measures of well-being. For example, the Sustainable Economic Welfare versus the GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

In summary, to be more ecologically literate requires some knowledge of various systems, dynamics, and interrelationships between humans and the "world." We need some understanding of people, societies, the ecological crises of the day, as well as some knowledge of alternative standards for measuring just how well we're doing besides the Gross Domestic Product. Is knowledge key? Will knowledge prompt you or me to care more? These questions will be explored further.

To close this post, I'll end with a quote from the book, "The fit between humanity and its habitat" is the agenda of the twenty-first century, a matter of human survival. We simply must become more ecologically literate. We have no choice.

Book Discussion: For the Beauty of the Earth

I am reading a wonderful book entitled For the Beauty of the Earth by Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger of Hope College - from right here in West Michigan. I just so happen to be taking a seminary level ethics course with the good doctor, and this text of his is required reading. And because I think this book has a lot to offer, I'd like to share some 'wealth' of information concerning creation care. Why do I want to share this? In short, I believe that when we talk or listen to sermons about stewardship, we never (yes, never) talk or hear about creation stewardship though it is apparent (at least to me) that this is a really big concern to the biblical authors (and to God for that matter).

So, I hope to engage Dr. Bouma-Prediger through is insightful book, highlight key points from each chapter, and offer questions for further consideration. This is the first time I've taken on a task such as this, but I think it will be fruitful.

From the back cover of For the Beauty of the Earth:
At a time when it seems humans have erred much in their understanding and keeping of the planet, For the Beauty of the Earth explores the relationship between Christianity and the natural world in the most thorough evangelical treatment available on a theology of creation care.

Preview of coming attractions - Chapter 1 "Where Are We? An Ecological Perspective on Place"