For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now… Romans 8:19-22
Six years ago I blogged my notes on Romans 8:12-25 from the adult Sunday School class I facilitated every week pre-covid. I referred to "the interwoven interdependence and interconnectedness of human creatures (that's us!) and the rest of God's created order that we sometimes refer to as the natural creation." That means all creation relies on all creation like the wonderfully intertwined rope in Kate's FMF rely illustration.
Theology of creation is one of my long-time passions. Like most people, I'm becoming more and more aware of how the non-human creation and we humans rely on each other for… everything.
For the past couple of decades, with the ecumenical Season of Creation, denominations and many local churches have emphasized specific aspects of life on planet earth for several weeks (mileages may vary) leading up to the first Sunday in October that commemorates St Francis of Assisi; on St Francis' feast day, many congregations offer the community a festive Blessing of the Animals as a truly geographical parish event. Although in the global North the liturgical Season of Creation celebrates the fullness of summer and anticipates a bountiful autumn harvest, it originated in Australia.
Even the originators have updated and tweaked the emphases and liturgies some, but the three-year cycle has a specific focus for each Sunday that includes forest, land, water, outback, sky, humanity, storm, fauna, flora, jubilee for the earth, protecting the commons…
A couple years after starting this blog I compiled a starting bibliography for the book about ecotheology I've long dreamt of writing. I've added a few titles but haven't yet started writing, but I hope readers of his blog and Urban Wilderness – its mostly scriptural first cousin – have noticed how often I consider the mutual reliance of human creatures, non-human critters, and the amazingly diverse, color-filled variety of plants that support – and rely upon – all of us and that God also calls us to steward.
By the way, I'm super excited I'll be guest preaching on September 24th for Earth Sunday. If my notes are coherent enough, I'll write them out to blog here.
Sounds like an exciting plan.
ReplyDelete