The Natural World

   

      It is our affirmation that God created the whole of the natural world and breathed into it the gift of life.  It is also our affirmation that God created all of us and gave us the gift of life.  It is important, then, that we see the life of the natural world and our own lives as intertwined.  We are a part of the whole of creation, not apart from it.

This view of our connection to the natural world is expressed in the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church: “All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it.  Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings.”

Such a view calls for us to see ourselves as part of a vast and wonderful web of life that surround us and supports us.  God has made us to be connected to the other creatures of the earth, to the lakes and rivers and oceans, to the forests and mountains and plants, to the total environment within which we live.

There are certain consequences that follow from this kind of understanding.  These consequences will have much to do with the quality of life that we enjoy and with the health and wholeness of this good earth.  These are consequences, then, that mut be taken very seriously by all of us.

It is important, therefore, that we commit ourselves to the following:

t    We need to take the necessary steps to establish a clean and healthy environment.  This means reducing our local and national habits of pollution, and cleaning up what we have already spoiled.  It is vital that we have clean air, clean water, and clean food.

t    We need to take seriously the call to preserve our earth’s natural resources.  These resources are a vital heritage for all of us and should not be laid to waste in the name of economic profit.

t    We need to develop more responsible life-styles that will lead us to better patterns of consumption.  These patterns should mean less use of the world’s resources, a more generous sharing of the resources that we do use, and more deliberate ways of recycling.

t    We need to develop more sustainable and less-damaging forms of energy for the peoples of the world. This will involve a substantial level of financial investment and the creativity of our science and technology sector.  The sooner we proceed in this direction, the better it will be for all of us.

 

None of this can be accomplished easily, quickly, or painlessly.  But it has to be done if we are to enjoy the essential goodness of God’s Creation and to leave a livable world for future generations.

Resources: 

t    National Council of Churches: http://www.webofcreation.org/ncc/index.html

t    video - God’s Creation and Global Warming, available through above web address.

 

Open Doors: 

t    Observe Earth Day Sunday, closest to April 22^nd.

t    Examine eco-justice issues your church can address (eliminate paper plates and styrofoam cups during coffee hour/dinners, set up a recycling center, etc.)

Back to Table of Contents