Returning to Sinai – 10 Spiritual Principles for Climate Justice

God and the world – the Nature of Being
  1. Creation is not our possession. The human person must recognize this and find his/her rightful place in relation to this fundamental fact. For some of us, this leads to a sense of gratitude for God’s gifts.

 

Source 1: Genesis1:1

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth.

 

Source 2: Genesis1:26-27

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness..”

 

Source 3: Psalm 36 vs.6.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgements are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

 

Source 4: Mt 6, 26-28

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your

Heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by

being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about

clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell

you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 

Source 5: Luke  1:46-55

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

 

Source 6: 1 Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

 

  1. Creation is not simply external to God. It is, in significant ways, permeated by God’s presence and being, manifesting the divine agency and reality. 

 

Source 1: Leviticus 25:23:

The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants.

 

Source 2: Job 12:7-10:

But ask the animals and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.’

 

Source 3: John1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God … 14 And the word became flesh and lived among us ..full of grace and truth.

 

Source 4:

a. Isaiah 35

1 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,

it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;

say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

 

b. Romans 8 vs 22-27:

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?

25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

 

Source 5: Teilhard de Chardin

“The cosmos is fundamentally and primarily living…Christ, through his incarnation is interior to the world, rooted in the world in the tiniest atom.”

 

  1. Within creation, and between humans and other parts of creation, as well as among religious communities, there is interdependence. All are part of a greater whole wherein each element both receives and gives influence, impact, love, and growth.

 

Source 1: John 14:19-20:

In a little while the world will no longer see me , but you will see me; because I live you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

 

Source 2: 1 Corinthians 12 vs 4:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good..

 

Source 3: 1 John 1:5:

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light in whom there is no darkness at all.

 

Source 4: Energieversorgung, (1980), II, 2. [43] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 339.

“Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection… Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things”.

Humanity and Its Responsibilities

 

  1. The distinctive task of humanity is to nurture and serve this interdependent life-giving, and so to resist the temptation to exploitation, waste, and harm. Acting in the interest of human well-being cannot be something pursued in separation from working for the well-being of the whole created order.

 

This finds two prominent expressions:

  • Commitment to no harm to creation and the responsibility to protect it.
  • Commitment to serve, advance, and aid in the growth and evolution of all parts of creation.

 

Source 1: Genesis 1:26-27 [as above],

 

Source 2: St Francis Song of Creation: “All creatures of our God and King.”

 

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

Refrain:
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heav’n along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

 

Source 3: Laudato si 68

“This responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world, for “he commanded and they were created; and he established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds and he set a law which cannot pass away” (Ps 148:5b-6). The laws found in the Bible dwell on relationships, not only among individuals but also with other living beings. “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and withhold your help… If you chance to come upon a bird’s nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting upon the young or upon the eggs; you shall not take the mother with the young” (Dt 22:4, 6). Along these same lines, rest on the seventh day is meant not only for human beings, but also so “that your ox and your donkey may have rest” (Ex 23:12). Clearly, the Bible has no place for a tyrannical anthropocentrism unconcerned for other creatures.”

 

Source 4: Teaching of the Church of Latter Day Saints

We are invited to participate in the work of creation. The divine process of creation is not yet complete. Every day, God’s creations continue to grow, expand, and multiply. A most wonderful thing is that our Heavenly Father extends to us an invitation to participate in His creative work.  Our role as stewards of earthly creations is not solely about conserving or preserving them. The Lord expects us to work diligently, as moved upon by His Holy Spirit, to grow, enhance, and improve upon the resources He has entrusted to us—not for our benefit only but to bless others.

 

  1. The human person has capacities that are conducive to the realization of this vision, as well as forces that are destructive. Ego, self-centeredness, greed, arrogance, and more are negative traits stemming from a limited sense of the human person. These have the potential to destroy humanity and creation. The soul, or the higher aspects of the human person, have the capacity to realize the fuller vision of humanity’s role in the broader scheme of the meaning of life and creation.

 

Source 1: Matthew 22:37- 40

Jesus says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment . And a second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ [Also in Mark 12:30-31.]

 

Source 2: Laudato si, 218

“A personal conversion entails the recognition of our errors, sins, faults and failures, and leads to heartfelt repentance and desire to change. .. To achieve such reconciliation, we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions and our failure to act. We need to experience a conversion or change of heart”.

 

  1. There is an inherent relationship between the human person (within) and nature and objective reality (without). Whatever is within is reflected without. Thoughts, speech and action have the capacity to bring harm to others. At the root of dealing with violence and harm is the recognition that transformation for the good must occur from within..

 

Source 1: James 1:19-27

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it— not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 

Source 2: Prayer written by Pope Francis:

A prayer for our earth

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

 

Source 3: Ezra Taft Benson, Church of Latter Day Saints

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in….The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment.

 

  1. The processes of growth, transformation, return and repentance are fundamental to human existence.

 

Source 1: Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the Church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times but, I tell you, seventy -seven times.”

 

Source 2: [The Lord’s Prayer in] Luke 11:2-4

‘… forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’

 

Source 3: [Jesus word on the way to the cross in] Luke 23:34

‘Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing’

 

Source 4: [The Parable of the Prodigal Son in] Luke 15 :11-32.

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

 

Living in Spirituality and Responsibility

 

  1. There are reactions when we harm the earth and others. Actions have consequences and no action can be ignored. The weight of our actions and their short and long-term consequences lead us to find ways of mitigating harmful actions and to work for the good.

 

Source 1: John 13:34.

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’

 

Source 2: The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord,
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.

 

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.

 

O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

 

Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive.
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

 

O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
And to love as to love with all my soul.

 

Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive.
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

Make me a channel of your peace.

 

  1. As humans, we are empowered by mind, reason and spiritual understanding. These require us to adopt a mindful and attentive view of the natural world and its needs. They also mandate us to take seriously the lessons and conclusions that humanity has reached by application of its mind in scientific study and through common reason.

 

Source 1: Anglican teaching on ‘Authority’ https://stjamesgreeneville.org/worship/scripture-tradition-reason/

In the Episcopal Church, we are called to live out our faith on a daily basis, whether we are at home, school, work, or recreation. The building blocks of our faith are ScriptureTradition, and Reason.

Scripture
Holy Scripture is the word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The 39 books of the Old Testament contain the story of God’s love and God’s redemption of God’s people from creation up to the birth of the Christ (Jesus of Nazareth). The Old Testament contains the laws God gave to the Hebrew people. The New Testament contains the story of Jesus’ life and teachings, the accounts of his life as told by his followers (found in 4 gospels) and the beginning of the church [ekklesia or community of believers] and letters from early church leaders to the ekklesia. The New Testament is contained in 27 books. Within a worship service in the Episcopal Church, lessons from scripture are read from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Gospel (the story of the life of Jesus), the Psalms (ancient songs from the Old Testament). Additionally, the prayers, rites, and rituals included in the Book of Common Prayer, mostly come directly from the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

Tradition
As followers of Jesus, we are part of the living faith of the Jesus Movement that spans 2,000 years. The community received from Jesus’ disciples and apostles became the church. Tradition is the embodiment of our experience as Christians throughout the centuries. The heart of our tradition is expressed through the Bible, statements of faith (called the Creeds – written in first centuries of the church’s existence), the Sacraments (vehicles of God’s grace including the Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist), and the ordained ministry passed in apostolic succession by Jesus’ original followers to his Church. Our tradition is expressed with many voices, among which are a variety of worship styles, languages, cultures, architecture, and music. Our tradition encourages this diversity. We seek to value the life and story each person can bring to the community of faith. As in a multi-textured tapestry, each person’s offering is woven into the life of the whole, making it stronger and more beautiful.

Reason
The gift of Reason, as a complement to Scripture and Tradition, leads us to seek answers to our questions and to grow spiritually. Being active in a community of faith strengthens us to carry our faith into the world. Weaving Scripture, Tradition, and Reason together, our faith is strengthened as we grow in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

  1. The life of attentive, intelligent love is embodied in compassion: in openness to the pain and vulnerability of the world. Care for the other is expressed in love and compassion as fundamental spiritual principles. These are to be applied to other humans, human communities, and other parts of creation.

 

Source 1: 1 Corinthians 12:26

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it’

 

Source 2: I Corinthians 13

And now faith, hope and love abide, these three, and the greatest of these is love.

 

Source 3: [The Parable of the Good Samaritan] Luke 10: 25-37

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant[a] walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins,[b] telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

 

Source 4: Revelations 21:1 and 22:1-2

‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth’..

Then the Angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

 

Source 5: Bishop June Osborne on Matthew 25: 37-40

Religion must concern itself specifically with the ways in which climate change affects the poor so adversely and the resultant responsibility for vigilance.   The most vulnerable and exposed must be at the centre of our care .

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