Chapter 2: The Gospel of Creation

Chapter 2:  The Gospel of Creation

By Mary Jane Oakland

As I begin to write this I am reminded of the words of our dearly loved priest, The Rev. Dr. Barbara Schlachter and the work she did in retirement to organize and take action for the good of the environment:  “I have always seen creation as a gift from God and where God is revealed… I believe we are called to be partners in the ongoing care and use of creation. Teaching my grandchildren to be caretakers of creation and to live in harmony with it and in community with people the world around is part of my call, and so is taking action to protect the planet I will leave behind."  

The title of the chapter is notable, calling attention to the Good News of Creation. It opens with acknowledging that many reject “the rich contributions which religions can make toward an integral ecology and the development of humanity….Nonetheless, science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for both.”

Section 1:  The Light Offered by Faith

Perhaps this section can be summed up in this quote:  “If we are truly concerned to develop an ecology capable of remedying the damage we have done, no branch of the sciences and no form of wisdom can be left out, and that includes religion and the language particular of it.”  

Section 2:  The Wisdom of the Biblical Accounts

This section begins with the creation accounts in Genesis describing the braiding of the relationship with God, with our neighbors, and the earth. And there is a lengthy discussion of Genesis 1:28, “have dominion over the earth” and contrasting the misunderstanding of that phrase with Genesis 2:15 to “till and keep.” To cultivate and work the earth garden while caring, protecting and preserving. Our responsibility is to God’s earth and “we are not God.”  This section moves from Creation to Cain and Abel, the descriptions of Sabbath in Deuteronomy including Sabbath for the land, the laws in Leviticus about sharing the produce of the land, and ending with sections from the Psalms and the prophets.  This section ends with these summary sentences: “A spirituality which forgets God as all-powerful and Creator is not acceptable.”

Section 3:  The Mystery of the Universe

“In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the word ‘creation’ has a broader meaning than ‘nature’ for it has to do with God’s loving plan in which every creature has its own significance.”  This section begins the work of looking at how the scientific study of nature and the work of the church must work together to care for nature and protect humans from self-destruction.  

Section 4:  The Message of Each Creature in the Harmony of Creation

This section can be summarized in this quote from the Bishops of Japan, “To sense each creature singing the hymn of its existence is to live joyfully in God’s love and hope." And it comes to an end with the hymn of St. Francis of Assisi: 

Praise to you, my Lord, with all your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

who is the day and through whom you give us light….

Section 5:  A Universal Communion

The issues discussed in this section are underlined with these words from Pope Francis, “Everything is connected. Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society.”

Section 6:  The Common Destination of Goods

This section argues that the natural environment is a collective good, and the support for the right to private property must be balanced so that the goods may serve all. The section ends with a question posed by the New Zealand bishops in 2006; “What does the commandment ‘Thou shall not kill’ mean when twenty percent of the world’s population consumes resources at a rate that robs the poor nations and future generation of what they need to survive?”

Section 7:  The Gaze of Jesus

Jesus was attuned to the beauty of creation (the wild flowers, the birds) as he taught the people. Jesus was not extreme ascetic, but came eating and drinking (Matthew 11:19). He did not despise the body or the things of the world. Jesus spent most of his life as a craftsman affirming the work and toil in everyday life. In the incarnation we see the continuous arc of God’s work begun in creation.  

I found this chapter to be an important one as we continue to develop our understanding and our language as we bring our faith together with the knowledge from a broad range of disciplines to “care for our common home.” This chapter puts together an understanding of creation with our faith in Jesus that I believe will be useful for all of us. I especially commend this to all working with children and youth. For those of us who preach, this chapter is basic as we shape our language and thoughts in our proclamation of the Gospel. As you plan for rogation and care of creation services this spring, I think this chapter may be helpful. 

Reading and reflecting on Laudato Si during Lent in Swaziland is a deep experience, as the people here are coping with the aftermath of severe drought. And the worst is yet to come as the maize harvest over the next weeks will be very small in relation to need. 

I am writing to you from Swaziland on a day when there is no water in our taps, as part of the “water shedding” program in the city of Mbabane. The rhythm seems to be two-to-three days off followed by two-to-three days with running water. David and I visited St. Francis primary and high schools (with over 1300 students) today and their water is turned off, too.  They do have water tanks so they are managing. The Diocese of Swaziland has identified two schools in this city that have sent the children home, because they do not have water tanks. As I am writing, water tanks are being installed and treated water will fill the tanks, so those schools can again open and children can learn. The poorest will continue to bear the brunt as more and more people become food insecure following the harvest (over the next weeks). I can only encourage us  all to “read, mark and inwardly digest” to become more faithful stewards and heralds of our “Common Home.”