I was told that I would get used to the smell of poo. I’m still waiting…
Even with lashings of tree tea oil to soak our daughter’s nappies there is a pungency around our house that the neighbours are starting to notice. Amongst the poo-orientated problems of parenthood is the question ‘how can someone so small make so much?’ I’m sure far more comes out one end than ever goes in the other!
So why are we putting ourselves through trial by reusable nappy? Are we yoghurt knitting, tree huggers who only wear clothes made from organic yak hair? Or are we recent converts to environmentalism – apparently along with the Conservative Party and the president of the USA? Actually none of the above, (although we are vegetarians, which means when the sun comes out we lean towards the window).
The nappies, the locally bought food, the light bulbs, the bikes, the saving our 20%, the bathing with a friend, the recycling, etc, etc, are all part of an attempt to be eco-friendly that’s not an optional extra lifestyle choice but something at the heart of our Christian discipleship.
Eco-friendliness has not always been seen this way. In the 80’s, when recycled toilet paper made your eyes water, to be green was seen by some of the Faithful to be a bit new age. The Christian business was to save souls, not whales or rainforests. This was unfortunate to say the least. Not only was it unbiblical it also meant that many people with genuine spiritual leanings rejected Christianity because so often it appeared uncaring and detached from environmental issues.
So what’s the basis for claiming a green streak in the faith? Was Jesus an eco-warrior hippy? Well He did show a closeness to nature (see all those miracles), not to mention the beard and sandals… but perhaps its pushing it to claim Zacchaeus was up the tree because he was protesting against a motorway extension. Actually it goes much deeper than that. Christianity teaches that God is a loving Creator who has left fingerprints all over a stunningly beautiful creation.
The earth really is the Lords, and everything in it (Psalm 24). Every vibrating atom, towering mountain, crashing wave and weary houseplant offer joyful praise to the Creator (Psalm 65). The Creator has not made this work of art that is earth and cleared off, but rather, continually upholds and sustains it (Psalm 104). So lets not wreck it, pollute it, over commodify and consume it, overheat it or squander it. As the pinnacle of this wonderful creation (I know its hard to believe sometimes) we are charged with working with God in this ongoing task of creating. (An accurate reading of Genesis 1:28).
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If more were needed to get people recycling in the aisles my point goes deeper still… Christians are fond of saying how Jesus died to reconcile people with God. In fact Colossians 1:15-20 states that God, through Christ’s blood on the cross, was reconciling to Himself all things, not just people, on earth and heaven. Perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise since Genesis 2 tells how we are made from mud. We are not separate from the earth but very much part of it and if we don’t do all within our power to avert environmental catastrophe then we chop through the very branch we are all sitting on.
There are numerous groups and organisations that can be joined be it Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, or the Green Ecology Link. One very effective move to make is signing up with the Generous Community – a Christian based internet community that commits to lifestyle changes that, when replicated by thousands of folk, can make a big difference.
However, perhaps most importantly, Christians can develop a spirituality that cherishes our God-given island home, and inspires lifestyles that mean we tread gently where our children will follow (even after they have got over the embarrassment of being the only kid at playgroup in washable nappies.) We can bring the elements that figure so frequently in the Bible into our prayer and worship. Soil, water, air, fire and green stuff can all form part of symbolic actions and meditations. Perhaps we can follow the seasons in our worship pattern like Christians do around the world and have done for centuries. It would be good to do our praying and praising outdoors a bit more, be it on pathways, up mountains or in the park. Nothing speaks better of the power and creativity of the Spirit than a full force gale in the face.
Perhaps in developing such connections with God’s earth we will generate a sense of solidarity with Creation, which is we are reliably informed, yearning with the rest of us for the freedom that only Christ can bring (Romans 8).
More on the generous community at www.generous.org.uk |
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