In The Beginning: Creation Appreciation #2

We've already deviated from the syllabus a bit, but next week, our class will get back on track with week 3.

This Sunday we reviewed our previous discussion about the value of God's creation and speculations about His purposes.

We then read the remainder of the second account of God's creation, found in Genesis 3. From that reading we considered the following ideas:
1. What was the first sin? Disobedience? Consumption? Greediness? Misuse of earth’s resources?
2. Talk about the Garden of Eden. How do you imagine it? Climate? Water? Ground? Plantlife? Animal life? Food?
3. What is our relationship with God's creation in Eden?
4. What is our relationship with God’s creation, post Eden?
5. What is our relationship with God’s creation in today’s Western society?

Then we meditated on this video, considering the artistry and creativity of God in His creation. Maybe this video gives new insight into the "good" of God's creation. Creating people from dirt is impressive.


We took an ecological literacy quiz:
What type of soil is local to where you live? What type of agricultural plants grow near you? What type of birds light in your yards? What animals share your land? Name 5 trees that grow in your neighborhood. How many days until the next full moon? How many stars and constellations could you see last night? How many stars and constellations could you not see due to light pollution? Where is your food grown? What is your primary water source? To where does your trash go?

And finally we closed with 5 reasons, according to environmentalist David Orr, to improve our ecolacy (ecological literacy):
1. "We need a broad understanding of how people and societies relate to each other and to natural systems, and how they might do so sustainably." That is, we must understand creation's interdependence.
2. "We need to know something of the speed of crisis that is upon us." This of course, assumes there is a crisis, but even arguments against a current crisis proposition that there is not enough data to make a case one way or the other. Then, we can all agree that we ought to be in the business of collecting data to help steward our environment.
3. "Ecolacy requires a comprehension of the dynamics of the modern world." What historical, political, economic, religious forces have molded the condition of the modern world?
4. "Ecolacy requires broad familiarity with the development of ecological consciousness." This goes to the heart of the ethics of nature – What has value? Do we use and abuse resources or do we steward?
5. "We need alternative measures of well-being." For instance the popular production measuring stick, the GDP, omits the depletion of nonrenewable natural resources and the costs of water and air pollution. We need measurements of production that take these factors into account.

Now here's the danger: We could read that list and say, "this is a secular discussion that ought to be held in our governments and in societal forums." I argue against that. Learning, respecting, and loving God's creation is fundamental to our faith. Creation is always the starting point for anyone coming to a faith in God. In the Garden is where we first know God. Any misreadings we have of the Garden lead to misunderstandings about our Father. He first reveals himself in His creation, and then gives a broader glimpse of himself in Christ. We spend many resources developing our Christology and unfortunately tend to neglect our creation theology. If we love God, then we must love his creation.

Next week, on to the Psalms...