Environanity
An interesting article appeared in the Calgary Hearld this week. The headline asks the question, “Is the environment becoming the new millennium’s religion?” (Emma Gilchrist, Calgary Hearld, Thursday May 14 2009, N5). It goes on to profile the Unitarian Church of Calgary and there efforts to achieve “Green sanctuary” accreditation. One member of the congregation is quoted saying, “I see [environmentalism] as the future of the church, … that’s where the kids are.”
The little Christian community I am part of in Bowness, Calgary also values the environment. We’ve started a community garden on the lot beside the building we meet in and helped collect garbage and clean the neighborhood on the annual Bowness garbage day. I wonder what the paper would write about us? Is the environment taking over our theology?
I’m thankful that the answer is no. Reading about other faith communities placing their environmental endeavors at the top of their mission should give us at Awaken pause though and remind us that we need to understand the environment as part of God’s overarching plan for the redemption of all things. We can’t deify the environment itself but still must work to see it as the God who lovingly created it does.
Land is a recurrent theme through the whole story of God. Creation starts with the separation of earth from the heavens (Genesis 1). God was present in the garden at the beginning and called it good (Genesis 1). Among the first punishments from God was the requirement to work the land in order for it to bear fruit (Genesis 3). The people of God lived by faith that the land would be restored to them and allow them to live free from conflict (Hebrews 11). In the New Testament we hear apocalyptic tales of the earth being redeemed it’s status prior to sin entering the world (Revelation 21). No doubt this list is no where near complete but serves only to exemplify that our environment is not to be abused and discarded. Rather we are charged to, “Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” (The Message, Genesis 1:28)
If the Hearld were to come and observe us at Awaken I hope this would be how they would describe us; a people taking this responsibility seriously because that is where God is at work not because it is, “where the kids are.” God is redeeming our neighbourhood, calling it to submit little by little to his will and his order for living. May we at Awaken learn to submit to God’s will for the sky and land and be faithful in our responsibility for, “every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth.”
The little Christian community I am part of in Bowness, Calgary also values the environment. We’ve started a community garden on the lot beside the building we meet in and helped collect garbage and clean the neighborhood on the annual Bowness garbage day. I wonder what the paper would write about us? Is the environment taking over our theology?
I’m thankful that the answer is no. Reading about other faith communities placing their environmental endeavors at the top of their mission should give us at Awaken pause though and remind us that we need to understand the environment as part of God’s overarching plan for the redemption of all things. We can’t deify the environment itself but still must work to see it as the God who lovingly created it does.
Land is a recurrent theme through the whole story of God. Creation starts with the separation of earth from the heavens (Genesis 1). God was present in the garden at the beginning and called it good (Genesis 1). Among the first punishments from God was the requirement to work the land in order for it to bear fruit (Genesis 3). The people of God lived by faith that the land would be restored to them and allow them to live free from conflict (Hebrews 11). In the New Testament we hear apocalyptic tales of the earth being redeemed it’s status prior to sin entering the world (Revelation 21). No doubt this list is no where near complete but serves only to exemplify that our environment is not to be abused and discarded. Rather we are charged to, “Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” (The Message, Genesis 1:28)
If the Hearld were to come and observe us at Awaken I hope this would be how they would describe us; a people taking this responsibility seriously because that is where God is at work not because it is, “where the kids are.” God is redeeming our neighbourhood, calling it to submit little by little to his will and his order for living. May we at Awaken learn to submit to God’s will for the sky and land and be faithful in our responsibility for, “every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth.”
"It’s good-natured land.... It responds to good treatment." It responds to bad treatment too, of course, and quicker…. The problem is how to maintain good treatment beyond an occasional lifetime.
-Wendell Berry in Hannah Coulter
posted by Luke at
12:14 PM
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