Week 24

The green family.  

At a friend's house our family dressed green. It was our green day for Earth Day. Actually it was just Dayse's idea for the family to take a nice picture. But the idea reminded me of something I studied in the seminary. Theologians try to pinpoint what is the center of the Old Testament theology. Theology books also talk about peripheral theologies, one of many is called Ecotheology. It teaches that we are connected with the natural world and that our actions affects nature, in terms of blessings or curses. There are verses in the Old Testament that demonstrate this symbiotic relationship, for example: Dt 11.10-17; 22.6-7; 28.12a, 23-24; Os 4.1-3. The God of Israel is Lord over nature and over us. No wonder why nature and I are so connected. We have the same Lord that sustains both. In the movie, “The Day The Earth Stood Still,” Klaatu (Keenu Reeves) says he came to save the earth from mankind. If man dies, the whole earth survives. This is a very contemporary ecological thought. We are destroying the earth. It makes some sense. Remember however, Jesus came to save man instead. Our Klaatu came to save mankind, so that man could survive—and earth too.