Creation Corner: The Pope and the environment

 The Pope's propitious choice of a name: Francis

 

In his first address to the nearly 200 members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, the newly-elected Pope explained his name choice, Francis (of Assisi), by proclaiming a primary concern for the world's poor while others in the world greedily exploit nature for their own selfish values.

 

Saint Francis of Assisi is adopted by many ecologists as their patron saint.

 

Citing his predecessor Benedict's criticism of the "tyranny of relativism", whereby the co-existence of peoples takes second place to individualistic values, Pope Francis decried the material poverty that derives from such "spiritual poverty."  As peaceful co-existence is threatened by such personally proclaimed selfish rights, we should work for peace.

 

To create a more humane and just world, to work for peace, we need to care for the good of others, to build bridges connecting all people, especially promoting a dialog between one end of the world and another as we become more interdependent.  And such a dialog needs to occur among all the world's religions.

 

In sum, fighting poverty, both material and spiritual, building peace and constructing bridges are the reference points for the journey he wishes to invite us to join.  "But," as he concluded, "it is a difficult journey, if we do not learn to grow in love for this world of ours.  Here too, it helps me to think of Francis, who teaches a profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another's detriment."

 

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-diplomatic-corps-church-fighting-p

 

This monthly "Creation Corner" column originally appears in the newsletter at www.uclc.org .

April Religious Environmental Stewardship Weeks

Earth Day Sunday 2013 and Soil and Water Stewardship 2013 Week

Two opportunities to employ a religious perspective on environmental issues this spring 2013 come from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the Eco-Justice Program of the National Council of Churches (NCC).

For the NACD Soil and Water Stewardship Week of Sunday April 28 to Sunday May 5, the theme is "Where Does Your Water Shed?"  It is one of the world's largest conservation-related observances.  Outreach materials for churches include sermon starters, hymns and scriptures on the topic, and stewardship education materials suitable for all grade levels (guides, activity sheets, cd/power points, a poster, bookmarks, etc.).

See http://www.nacdnet.org/stewardship/2013 or contact your local county conservation district office. 

For the NCC Eco-Justice April Earth Day 2013 "Green Your Sunday Morning Routine" theme, see www.nccecojustice.org .  By looking at our ecological footprint (for example, as we turn on a light, take a shower, eat breakfast, etc.) and seeing what opportunities exist for change, we can become better caretakers of God's creation by reducing our environmental impact. 

The resource provides examples for individuals, churches and communities.  Sermon starters, a bulletin insert, prayer, a call to worship, etc., all raise up the Sunday Morning Sustainability theme, and separate denominational versions are available (Disciples of Christ, ELCA, PCUSA, RCA, UMC).

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Re: sustainability, also of note is the "Spring of Sustainability" sponsored by the Sustainable World Coalition, April 1 to June 14, a free series of events featuring interviews and panels with more than 50 global sustainability leaders, including Bill McKibben, Michael Brune, Hunter Lovins, Randy Hayes, Janine Benyus, and John Perkins.

Participants can connect via phone or web.  Register at no charge at www.springofsustainability.com .

Religion & Science; Climate; the Outdoors; Energy Justice

Religion & Science:  If you are seeking to know "that the most fundamental scientific truths in contemporary physics and biology are analogous to and fully compatible with the most profound spiritual truths in all the great religious traditions of the world", see Rebirth of the Sacred: Science, Religion and the New Environmental Ethos by Robert Nadeau (Oxford U.P.).  He posits a science/religion dialogue can serve as the basis of an environmental ethos, that, in turn, can give rise to a movement of religious environmentalism.

Climate:  "U.S. roasts in hottest year on record by landslide" was the recent local newspaper headline in a look-back at 2012.  "34,008" was the number of "new daily high temperature records set at weather stations in the U.S. in 2012" according to TIME magazine (Jan. 21, 2013, p. 9).

For an historical context of the strategies used by climate change deniers, see The Inquisition of Climate Science by James Lawrence Powell (Columbia U.P.).

To read why a politically conservative atmospheric scientist accepts the broad climate change science consensus on global warming, and how to distinguish human-caused change from normal atmospheric variation, see What We Know About Climate Change by Kerry Emanuel (MIT Press).

The Outdoors:  To understand something of which we have historically lost (a specific American landscape, the public garden cemetery), and how recovering its themes ("an ethic of communal care, with a sense of beauty and repose related directly to an acknowledgment of mortality and limitation") may help us re-think our approach to ecological crises, see Arcadian America: The Death and Life of an Environmental Tradition by Aaron Sachs (Yale U.P.).

As a post-script to an earlier column highlighting the benefit of nature-immersion, consider what Edith Cobb (1895-1977) proposed in her Ecology of Imagination in Childhood, that, after reviewing the biographies of 300 "geniuses", one common thread was present: intense experiences of the natural world in childhood.  Contact with nature spurs creativity.

And for the person seeking a greater dose of "vitamin G" (Green exercise) comes this recommended title: Outdoor Fitness: Step Out of the Gym into the Best Shape of Your Life by Tina Vindum.

Energy Justice: Finally, for a rather complete analysis of various issues (energy, environmental, corporate, educational, community, etc.) see www.energyjustice.net .

Earth-Honoring Faith; 4 Laws of Ecology; Quotations

Earth-Honoring Faith

Does your religious tradition honor God's creation?  How does your faith, translated into action, honor the earth?

That seems to be the question addressed by Larry Rasmussen, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in his Earth-Honoring Faith: Religious Ethics in a New Key (Oxford University Press, 2012), as described by Internet-sourced accounts of the new book.

The problems are well-known: "climate change, species extinction, the destruction of entire ecosystems, the urgent need for a more just economic order."  As we consider the natural elements of air, water, sunlight, fire and earth, what religious resources can we use to transition ourselves "from an industrial-technological age obsessed with consumption to an ecological age that restores wise stewardship of all life"?

Perhaps what is needed, from all faith traditions, is a common "spiritual and ecological ethic that accounts for the well-being of all creation."  Such practices as "mysticism, sacramentalism, prophetic practices, asceticism and the cultivation of wisdom" can "counter the consumerism, utilitarianism, alienation, oppression, and folly that have pushed us to the brink."

His effort is given rave reviews: "a tour-de-force"; "eloquent, comprehensive, and compelling"; "a vision that is sorely needed"; "interdisciplinary thinking at its best"; "his scholarship is impeccable"; "Rasmussen shows that a paradigm shift to an ecologically conscious civilization is possible."

Rasmussen writes, in the "Prelude" to his book: "This is a work in religious ethics.  Its burning questions are the questions of all ethics: How are we to live, and for what?  What makes lives, any lives and all lives, go 'round well?  What is good, right, and fitting?  And while this book, as any book, can do precious little by itself, it belongs to those questions."

Such questions are deserving of consideration in our congregations, sermons, Christian education classrooms, homes, communities, corporate suites and halls of government.

The Four Laws of Ecology (Barry Commoner 1917-2012)

Known to many general readers as the formulator of "The Four Laws of Ecology," Dr. Commoner died last year.  A cellular biologist and college professor, in 1970 TIME magazine featured him as "the Paul Revere of Ecology" in a cover story.  Some today regard him as the greatest environmentalist of the 20th century.  His books include The Closing Circle: Nature, Man and Technology (1971) and Making Peace With the Planet (1990).

The "Four Laws of Ecology," with various simple explanations given on different web sites, and which can be applied to ones daily life, are:

1. Everything Is Connected To Everything Else.  There is one ecosphere for all living organisms and what affects one, affects all.  Humans and other species are connected/dependent on other species.  With this in mind it becomes hard to practice anything other than compassion and harmlessness.

2.  Everything Must Go Somewhere.  There is no "waste" in nature, and there is no "away" to which things can be thrown.  Everything, such as wood smoke, nuclear waste, carbon emissions, etc.,  must go somewhere.

3.  Nature Knows Best.  Humankind has fashioned technology to improve upon nature, but such change in a natural system is, says Commoner, "likely to be detrimental to that system."  The Creation, one can argue, has an intelligence, and to tinker with that "unintellectually" we get global warming pollution, etc.

4.  There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.  Exploitation of nature will inevitably involve the conversion of resources from useful to useless forms.  In nature, both sides of the equation must balance, for every gain there is a cost, and all debts are eventually paid.

Among Commoner's achievements are these two:

a.  As a central figure in the mid-20th century anti-nuclear testing movement, he issued warnings about radioactive fallout (based on an analysis of children's baby teeth) that helped lead to a 1963 nuclear test ban treaty that phased out atmospheric testing.

b.  He broadened his ecological message by becoming a politician, running as the the USA Presidential candidate on the 1980 Citizens Party ticket.  His running mate was LaDonna Harris, the Native-American wife of Fred Harris, former Democratic Senator from Oklahoma.

Quotations for Inspiration in 2013

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, (s)he finds it attached to the rest of the world.  John Muir

I go to nature to be soothed and healed , and to have my senses put in order.  John Burroughs

The love for all living creatures is the noblest attribute of (humanity).  Charles Darwin

Note: This is an expanded version of the January 2013 column that appeared in the monthly newsletter of the United Churches of Lycoming County, Williamsport PA (www.uclc.org) .

12/12 Creation Corner, Nature: What's It Good For?

Creation Corner Column for December 2012

Nature: What’s It Good For?

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”  Genesis 1:31

The science of wellness is showing us what we know intuitively: that getting “outdoors”, taking the first step outside, is good for us.  This awareness of nature’s importance to human health is the subject of Your Brain on Nature: The Science of Nature’s Influence on Your Health, Happiness, and Vitality, by Eva M. Selhub, MD and Alan C. Logan, ND (Wiley, paperback, 2012).

Many of us experience much time “indoors”, our being “digitally distracted” by looking at one screen or another (computers, televisions, checking e-mail, cell phone text messages, using smart phones, tablets, Kindles, I-pads, playing indoor video games, etc.).  This can become an overload of streams of technological data, and increasingly too many of us experience mood disorders (stress, anxiety, depression, attention-distractions, hyper-activity), inertia, addictions, immune and sleep issues, cognitive deficiency, creativity lapses, “brain fade” and “senior moments”, etc.  A malaise seems to accompany our life in urban civilization.

Such “videophilia” leads to people becoming “denatured”, removed from nature and withdrawn into an inside world.  It is nature deprivation.  Richard Louv has spoken of this in his work as “nature-deficit disorder”.  Some warn that nature-withdrawal can lead to a “less empathic view of nature”, and that one cannot be “green” without a meaningful exposure to nature.  Videophilia competes with “biophilia”, the latter, as hypothesized by Edward O. Wilson, being an inherently human preference, emotional affiliation and contact with nature.

Many studies illustrate the benefits of immersing our five human senses in nature.  This is variously called nature exposure, eco-therapy, forest-walk therapy, light-therapy, nature-based recreation, the slow-nature movement---all representing the healing power of nature.

Some of the “nature cures”, footnoted at www.yourbrainonnature.com , that improve our mind and body, include lower blood pressure and heart rate; feeling more relaxed; enhanced attention, memory and creativity; more positive thoughts and less hostility; boosts to white and red blood cell counts; a decrease in blood cholesterol, improved production of some immune functions; less mental fatigue (“fog”); an improved sleep-wake cycle; vitamin D and calcium absorption; improved performance on cognitive tests; less impatience and irritability, etc.

This all makes sense biblically.  We were created in a natural environment, and we physiologically adapted to it.  Unless we have lost our way, our everyday rhythms are attuned to those of the environment.

So a prescription for what ails some of us can be as small as stepping outside our door for a five-minute “dosage” of activity.  Park the car far from the store entrance.  Visit a park. Walk under trees.  Seek a quiet, natural place, preferably near water.  If you vacation, go to a natural area, not a city.  Do gardening.  Lie on the grass.  Sit near a window and watch the clouds.  It’s free medicine!  Walking-therapy!!  Nature nurtures us!!!  God’s creation is indeed very good for us.

Note: My interest in this subject stemmed from an article in Outside Magazine by Florence Williams  in the December 2012 issue, “The Nature Cure: Take Two Hours of Pine Forest and Call Me in the Morning”  (www.outsideonline.com).

November 2012 Creation Corner Column: Faith Partnership Initiative of the Sierra Club

Faith Partnership Initiative of the Sierra Club

 

With more than 30 short essays (averaging 8 pages each) in an accessible paperback edition, a recent title from the Sierra Club's faith partnership initiative provides the groundwork for further stimulating thought and discussion about the environment.

 

The broad range of authors and their perspectives (Mormon to Eastern Orthodox, Protestant to Buddhist, evangelical to nature writers) is sure to engage the reader, in one way or another, in the book, Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation, edited by Lyndsay Moseley.

 

Four main themes include "the biblical call to stewardship, the concept of creation 'groaning' under its burden of abuse, our human relationship with animals, and the growing movement for environmental justice as an expression of the commandment to love others as oneself."

 

As the essays are arranged alphabetically by the names of the authors, here is an alphabetical list of some specific topics addressed:

 

• animals as companions on earth or exemplars of sacrifice
• baptismal water imagery and meaning
• building hopeful activism in congregations
• childhood insights into creation that grow in power with maturity and study
• the grace by which we live and our obligatory thanks for our sustenance
• green energy in American churches
• the life and teachings of Jesus (baptism, testing in the wilderness, garden parables, the exalting of the poor and marginalized)
• putting our beliefs into practice
• the Samaritan story and Jesus's promise of "abundant life"
• shattering boundaries around whom and what we should care for
• teaching the young about endangered cultures and creatures worldwide
• trees as rooted angels or messengers, living things that reach to heaven
• why did God make humans so powerful?

 

Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is the largest (1.3 million members and supporters) and most influential grass-roots environmental organization.  A Club theme is encouraging people to "explore, enjoy and protect the environment."

 

To see their 2008 report highlighting one exceptional faith-based environmental initiative in each of the 50 states, "Faith In Action: Communities of Faith Bring Hope For the Planet", see http://www.sierraclub.org/ej/partnerships/faith/ .

 

Somewhere it has been written: "If you take care of creation, creation will take care of you."  Does your vocation, your "calling", include taking care of creation?

10/12 Creation Corner Col., 15th Anniversary, Spiritual Ecology, PA-IPL

15th Anniversary of Creation Corner Column, Spiritual Ecology, PA-IPL

15^th Anniversary of Creation Corner column

 

This marks the 15^th year anniversary of this “Creation Corner” column in the print and on-line newsletter of the 65-year-old ecumenical organization, United Churches of Lycoming County, based in Williamsport PA (www.uclc.org).  Material compiled by Lutheran layman Michael Ochs is provided with an educational hope that people of faith will be motivated to take action on behalf of the integrity of God’s creation, in their lifestyles, churches, communities and advocacy.

 

“The earth is the Lord’s” (Ps. 24:1); our vocation is to “tend and keep it” (Gen 2:15); to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8) inasmuch as “the whole earth has been groaning in travail, waiting to be set free from its bondage” (Romans 8:19-23).

 

                                                       Spiritual Ecology

 

Spiritual Ecology, by Leslie E. Sponsel is a 2012 book that brings to light some history of what many understand as the connection of religion and nature by examining the lives of selected people(s), from animists and indigenous people to the Buddha and St. Francis of Assisi, to, more recently, the likes of Thoreau, Muir, Steiner and Buber, and into the 21^st century, with profiles of the Dali Lama, Wangari Matthai (1940-2011, Kenyan Green Belt and Green Party leader, Nobel Peace Prize awardee in 2004), and the Ecumenical/Green Patriarch Bartholomew’s leadership within the 250 worldwide million members of the Orthodox Church in promoting environmentalism as a sacred duty.

 

Because, to paraphrase what the late Rudolf Bahro has said, there is no crisis in the environment, but rather, it is within ourselves, each of our souls, our spirit, the need to change our relationship to the earth is primary.  We must have “an internal change in our intellectual emphasis, loyalties, affections and convictions” (Aldo Leopold).

 

Our priorities can change as we are transformed by our spiritual or religious traditions that uphold creation’s integrity, or redeem it when it is broken.  As a Lutheran hymnal offertory prayer says, “…we dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made.”  Thus: creation care’s spiritual basis.

 

Sponsel’s book, the http://www.spiritualecology.info  web site, and his course on the subject at the University of Hawai’i , bring together in a comprehensive way the foundation for understanding how an evolving spirituality can inform our experiences in nature and our ecological values, our attitudes and behavior, morals and ethics, what we revere and hold in awe, inspiring our active energy and achievements.

 

Clearly, the secular approaches to a sustainable future, the science and technology, the politics, the regulations (or lack of same), etc., have proven to be inadequate; indeed, the dysfunctional or blow-back consequences are real and devastating (war’s effect on earth, fossil fuel dependence, increasing CO2 and global warming, conflict over natural resources, etc.).

 

So, informed by Spiritual Ecology, “Do no harm” could become our credo, for “the whole earth is filled with God’s glory” (Is. 6:3).

 

                              PA Interfaith Power and Light Conference

 

The annual PA Interfaith Power and Light conference will be in Harrisburg October 14.  The theme is “Power for PA: Climate Change and Faith-Based Action” (www.paipl.org) .

 

PA-IPL is one of 39 state affiliates nationwide as a religious response to global warming (http://interfaithpowerandlight.org) .  IPL’s intent is to protect earth’s ecosystems, safeguard the health of all creation, and ensure sufficient, sustainable energy for all.  The means to do this is by being faithful stewards of creation by responding to global warming through the promotion of energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

 

Speakers include PSU’s Dr. Richard Alley, host of the PBS series “Earth: An Operator’s Manual,” and Rev. Fletcher Harper of www.greenfaith.org , speaking on “Greening Our Faiths: Educating and Mobilizing our Communities to Protect the Earth.”

 

Green Faith’s next conference is Oct. 21-22 in Milwaukee WI, “Ground for Hope: Mobilizing Interfaith Partners in Action for the Earth.”  Speakers include Lutheran eco-theologian Peter Bakken of the Wisconsin IPL, and Native American leader Winona LaDuke, whose Honor the Earth organization has received many awards.  She was the Green Party vice-president candidate in 1996 and 2000.