Introduction
To answer the relationship between “ecological” aspect
through the lens of a Christological Perspective around the central character
of Jesus Christ. There must be a clear knowledge of definitions, which will
help to serve as a platform to understand the contemporary theological issues
confronting Christians and the Church. Words like “ecological,” “liberation”
and “Christological” that have helped developed contemporary theology of
“ecology.”
Theology of ecology or Ecotheology?
When turning to an online Merriam-Webster dictionary to
uncover definitions of words to help begin the search. The dictionary
definition suggests that “ecological” has three references.
Definition of ecological
1: of or relating to the science of ecology
2: of or relating to the environments of living things or to the
relationships between living things and their environments
3: of or
relating to human ecology
(ecological,
n.d.)
The definition highlights crucial
information; ecological relates to the science of ecology, the relationship
between living things and their environment, or human ecology. Ecology may not
be a common word in the pews of some churches, as it was virtually unknown and
now on the lips of society is the aim of recycling for conservation. (Dicker,
1996, p. 101; Bray, 2012, p. 277) Christians cannot turn a blind eye to the
fate of the environment, the Bible in the creation story places humans having a
key responsibility of dominion over the material world. (Bray, 2012, p. 277) In
relations to the research of an external entity, Jesus Christ and how does this
contribute to a Christian understanding in “ecology” Note, the phrase “the
environment of living things” clearly refers to all living creatures, which
humans are part of the whole. Humans are not alone as “living things” From a
Christian understanding of the sacred scriptures, in both the Hebrew and
Christian Bible, God is the central entity in relationship between “living
things and their environment” as creator. The study of the relationship between
ecology and God is known as “ecotheology.” To get to a definition of
“ecotheology,” need to consult websites to draw an idea of the word.
The first website to defines
“ecotheology” according to Wikipedia, "is a form of constructive theology
that focuses on the interrelationships of religion and nature, particularly in
the light of environmental concerns." (“Ecotheology” 2018, para. 1) and
next website for a church understanding, Uniting Earth Ministry of the Uniting
Church in Australia NSW/ACT, ask a question, “What is ecotheology?” states,
"Ecotheology is the simple acknowledgment, practically unthinkable for
most westerners in the 1960s, that there is an intimate connection between
Christian’s faith in God as Creator, and how we treat the rest of
Creation." (“What Is Ecotheology,”
n.d., para. 1) In essence talks about a relationship experience between
Christian's faith and the treatment of Creation, which parallels with "the
interrelationships of religion and nature" but Uniting Earth Ministry
acknowledges keys elements; Christian's faith, God as Creator, and creation
treatment. From these definition, “ecotheology” deals with human relationship
in the environment with God as Creator and God as Creator with humans. This
awareness of ecology has brought the church into a clutch of problems,
according to Dicker. This awareness lead to development of firstly, the use of
earth resources for humans’ consumption and secondly, the affect having upon
ecological system. (Dicker, 1996, p. 101) Migliore is right is depicting the
work of Jesus and God’s grace as” While the good news of God’s free grace has it
center in the liberating and reconciling work of Jesus Christ and will have its
final and victorious realization when God “makes all things new” (Rev. 21:5),
the sovereign goodness of God is already at work in the act of creation.”
(Migliore, 2014, p. 96) The purpose of Jesus Christ by God with the creation of
the world is that all acts of God be redeemed and restored in Jesus Christ.
(Migliore, 2014, p. 96) This awareness by some Christians of the belief that
the environment is a responsibility that the church should be engage to protect
from abusive use about “environmental concerns are often left to fringe group
who are derided as “tree-huggers” and the like.” (Bray, 2012, p. 277)
Ecological Christology?
A unique way of understanding Christology and ecology is
from an account that Brunner mention.
An indigenous
Christ-follower named Afua Kuma depicts Jesus as the Lord of the Obo-Kwahu
forests in Eastern Ghana. For Kuma, Jesus is God of the African destitute, a
feeder and advocate of the orphan, and a fighter of the dark powers of Kakae – the monster who rules the forest
with his oppressive powers. In the Liberator’s destruction of evil, the forest
becomes safe once again for travellers, hunters, and Creation. Jesus is
the ‘Osagyefo, who, like Moses, leads
God’s people and Creation to freedom. Kuma’s praise of the “Jesus of the deep
forest” speaks to her rich African theology and profound identification with
the natural world. Kuma speaks of a Jesus whose liberating actions are as much
about the forest as about humans.
(Brunner, 2014, p. 102.)
The observation of Brunner in the account quoted about Kuma includes the environment and which is more difficulty “for the Western church to make similar connection between Christology and ecology.” (Brunner, 2014, p. 102) Brunner goes on and confirms Ruether observation about Christology can inform the practice of ecology. (2014, p. 102. Christian conception about new understanding is a major hurdle where Ruether has observed as “They see this as the rise of a new nature worship, something they regard as totally contrary to biblical faith.” (Ruether, 2011, p. 354). There are two thoughts that Ruether states about ecological Christology is “the redemption of the world” and “the healing of the wounds of nature” (2011, p.354) Healing and redemption are two hallmarks that is part of Christology.
A contemporary voice comes from the Home Brewed Christianity
website says this about Elizabeth Johnson, "Catholic feminist theologian,
... talk about Christology in ways that inspire ecological concern. Three areas
she sees ecology and Christology intersecting are the ministry of Jesus, the
belief in the incarnation, and Christ’s death and resurrection. Great
stuff." (Johnsons, 2010, para.1) Johnson adequately describe three
intersection points between Christology and Ecology; the ministry of Jesus, the
incarnation, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Reid mention
Johnson’s work, “a wisdom interpretation of Jesus, developed by Elizabeth
Johnson, has been taken in an explicitly ecological direction by Denis
Edwards.” (Reid, 2001, p. 80) The wisdom interpretation will be picked up the
sacramental tradition section of this paper. According to Reuther, she relates
these three intersection points as being “two different types, which I call the
“covenantal” and the “sacramental” (Reuther, 2011, p. 355) for ecological
theologies. She draws upon the following description.
The covenant type is represented by
books such as Richard Austin’s Hope for
the Land. It draws strongly from Hebrew Scripture, and claims the Bible as
the primary source of ecological theology. A second type is that of Matthew
Fox’s The Coming of the Cosmic Christ
and Thomas Berry’s The Dream of the
Earth. Fox claims a biblical basis for his thought in the cosmological
Christology of the NT. He also draws on Patristic and Medieval mysticism and
casts a wide net of ecumenical dialogue across world religions.
(Reuther, 2011. P. 355)
The Covenantal Tradition
Reuther aligns “the covenantal tradition” to Protestant
based on ecological ethics search and “the sacramental tradition” to Roman
Catholic “tend to stress.” A “moral
relationship to nature” exists in the covenant tradition as against a “right
relations in law” for sacramental tradition according Reuther (p. 355).
The act of restoration is developed by Reuther surrounding
the concept of work and rest in the creation story of Genesis. The account of
God creating over six days and rested on the seventh day is a summary of work
and rest. She writes, “This pattern of work and rest is mandated through a series
of concentric cycles, of seven days, seven years, and seven times seven years.”
(Reuther, 2011, p. 357) (see Exod 21:2; 23:10-13) An interesting event occurred
in the fiftieth year and designated as the Jubilee year when restoration took
place. This restoration of land, debts are forgiven and freedom of captives to
their former status Reuther writes, “The earth is to lie fallow, and animals
and humans are to rest. All the accumulated inequities of the past seven times
seven years are to be rectified: humans fallen into debt, loss of land and
enslavement, and nature distorted by oversee of land and animals. All is to be
restored to right balance.” (2011, p. 358) This redemption and restoration that
lead to renewal of all things “underlies Jesus’ language in the Lord’s Prayer”
(2011, p. 358). Not only is the eschatological hope of final perfection held
but one of current practice of the Sabbath economy of rest in the redemption
and restoration to former relationship was part of the covenant working between
God and his people is suggested by Reuther. The Christ in the New Testament is
implied by Reuther is the work of redemption and restoration through
forgiveness to all people was established a right relationship with God. This
idea was the outworking of the covenant relationship that was established
between all living creatures and their environment in returning all to its
former existence by being renewed through rest is expressed by Reuther of the
covenant tradition. (Reuther, 2011, pp. 356-360)
The Sacramental Tradition
The sacrament tradition “valued by Roman Catholic
Christianity compliments the covenantal tradition that has been emphasized by
Reformed Christianity and its secular heirs.” (Reuther, 2011, p. 360) Reuther
notes the cosmic nature of “the community as a living whole” representing the
creation of God and God dwells within and over. Reuther states, “the visible
universe is the emanational manifestation of God, God’s sacramental body.’ (p.
360) Reuther develops the Hellenistic Judaism the manifestation of God through
the vision of divine Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon 7:24-8:1) as God’s agent for
creation. (p. 360) Continuing on this theology, “in the NT, this cosmogonic
Wisdom of God is identified with Christ.” (p. 361) As being identified as with
Jesus as the Christ, who participated in the death, burial and resurrection for
the redemption “but also incarnate the cosmogonic principle through which the
cosmos is created, sustained, redeemed, and reconciled with God. In the
cosmological Christology found in the preface to the Gospel of John, in the
first chapter of Hebrews, and in some Pauline letters, Christ is the beginning
and end of all things.” (Reuther, 2011, p. 361; Reid, 2001, p. 72) Reid notes,
“It is this insight that opens possibilities of an ecological Christology”
(Reid, 2001, p. 72) It is noted by Reuther that “sacramental theologians of the
twelfth-century Victorine School set their reflections on the sacraments of the
church in the context of the sacramentality of creation.” (Reuther, 2011, p.
362) The late twentieth century Ecological theologians, Thomas Berry and Matthew
Fox, noted Reuther “to rediscover and reinterpret this tradition of sacramental
cosmology” (Reuther, 2011, p. 362; Reid,
2001, p. 80) in the rediscover of the cosmological Christ.
An Ecumenical Understanding
For the
purpose of this section, is to gain an understanding of the ecumenical mission
is what is seen as “all creatures in the universe.” To guide through this
understanding is Seung-h An, Professor of Missiology, Youngnam Theological
University and Seminary. In the opening paragraph of a critique An undertaken
states, “In ecumenical mission, however, the target group is much broader and
the focus is generally on social justice for the poor and oppressed and shalom
for all creatures in the world.” (An, 2013, p. 195) The focus will be on “all
creatures in the universe” as against the “traditional mission was focused
largely only on humanity, ecumenical mission includes the universe and all its
creatures in the scope of its mission.” (p. 195) An also reported that “human
beings have harshly exploited the created world” and “nature in many places is savagely
exploited, resulting, resulting in ecological crisis and disasters which
threaten even the continuation of life on our planet.” (p. 195) An goes on and
quote The San Antoni report: Your Will Be
Done in Christ’s Way (Geneva: WWC Publications, 1990), 52 as follow;
2.) God calls us: to exercise our
stewardship with justice; to maintain the integrity of creation; to use and
share the earth’s limited resources; and to sustain and fulfil the lives of
all. 3.) The affirmation of God’s ownership of the earth challenges concepts
and practices of ownership such as: a) exploiting nature; b) viewing land
solely as a commodity; c) claiming exclusive national ownership of respective
parts of the earth; and d) devising and maintaining cultural factors to protect
privileges.
(An, 2013, pp. 197-198)
An present an insight into the thinking of the ecumenical
mind through this report as it addresses the mission in terms of ecological
concerns as part of God’s creation. It addresses the environment for all
creatures and the use of resources.
Conclusion
What I have presented is a partial insight into the
understanding Christological perspective of ecology through the terminology of
“Ecological,” and taken a step further with “Ecological Christology through the
lens of “covenantal” and “sacrament” traditions. Finally touch on the
ecumenical mission target of all creatures with reference to the San Antonio
report. To see Christ in the creation is part of the cosmology of the New
Testament as wisdom. Also highlighted was the redemption and restoration of the
covenant relationship of rest for renewal. Both “covenantal” and “sacramental”
were seen as complement of each other.
Bibliography/Reference
List
An, S. (2013). The target of
mission in ecumenical mission theology: a critique. Currents in Theology and
Mission, 40(3), 195–201. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0001943697&site=ehost-live
Bray, G (2012). God is love: a biblical and systematic
theology. Wheaton: Crossway
Brunner, D. L., J. L.
Butler, A. J. Swoboda. (2014). An
introducing evangelical ecotheology: Foundations in scripture, theology,
history and praxis. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing House.
Dicker,
G. S. (1996). Faith with understanding. Melbourne: The Joint Board of Christian
Education.
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(n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecological
Ecotheology,
(2018). Retrieved October, 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotheology
Elizabeth
Johnsons, (2010) Retrieved from https://homebrewedchristianity.com/2010/12/09/elizabeth-johnsons-ecological-christology-homebrewed-christianity-88/
Migliore,
D. L. (2014). Faith seeking understanding: An introduction to Christian
Theology. (3rd Ed). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company.
Reid, D.
(2001) Enfleshing the human: An Earth-revealing, Earth-healing Christology. In
D. Edwards (Ed.). Earth revealing – Earth healing: Ecology and Christian
theology. Collegeville: Minnesota.
Ruether,
R. R. (2011). Ecology and theology: Ecojustice at the center of the church's
mission. Interpretation, 65(4), 354-363,340. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/899270969?accountid=10344
What is
ecotheology? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://unitingearthweb.org.au/theology/1-what-is-ecotheology.html
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