Shalom and the Soil
Dear First Pres SLO Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of the one who was there at the beginning—the Creator Christ—the one who invites us to tend the earth. (See Colossians 1:15-17)
Today is Earth Day, a day that has been set aside since 1970 to remember our world and work for peace. Anyone think a day like this isn’t necessary?
The Central Coast is a part of the origin story of Earth Day. In 1969 there was a massive oil spill along the Santa Barbara coastline. A US senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, flew over the site and was shocked by the widespread damage. He joined with activists John McConnell and Denis Hayes to coordinate the first Earth Day celebration the following year.
What does this have to do with us as Christians? Plenty.
In the very first chapter of the Bible we see God creating things and giving out responsibilities. In Eugene Peterson’s translation of Genesis 1:27-28, we see this:
God created human beings;
he created them godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
He created them male and female.
God blessed them:
“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”
Our calling from God from the first page of the Bible is to take responsibility for the earth and everything in it—to do our best to ensure the health and sustainability of the world we live in. So many people have come to believe that caring for the environment is a recent, lefty cause, made up by the folks who brought us Earth Day. That’s not true, and there’s more.
If you’ve been with me over these last six years you know that I use a very precise definition of the biblical idea of Shalom. Often times we reduce it to mean simply “peace,” (as if peace were simple!). This crucial Hebrew word means a lot more than just peace—it’s a description of wholeness and health for everything, just as God intended. A theologian named Cornelius Plantinga said this:
Shalom is the webbing together of God, humans and creation,
in justice, fulfillment and delight.
If we’re ever going to find even a shred of that Shalom, then we need to make sure that all of creation is included. That means taking care of our air and water and other natural resources—making sure that we don’t overuse what God has given to us to the point of destroying it.
So Happy Earth Day to you. Let today be a reminder that the whole idea of creation care is central to our story as people of faith. Don’t let anyone dismiss it or tell you that it’s some liberal attack on free enterprise. God gave us the responsibility to tend the earth for ourselves and for future generations.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Blessings to you and yours this Eastertide,
Pastor John