overemphasising ecology?
February 6, 2008
I had an interesting response to an event last weekend which went as follows:
‘I agree with much that was said but there is a danger of overemphasising the importance of ecology in scripture. The Bible is primarily a message to humans, in fact solely. Christ came because of humans, the creation groans since Genesis 3 because of humans, its redemption is at Christ’s second coming. There is no need to challenge these key principles to speak against the materialism and unbridled greed of our generation’
I am grateful for this, because it is a common response to the sort of work that I am doing. I feel I have to emphasise God’s concern for the whole creation at this time and not just God’s concern for humans. The church has developed a way of talking about the good news that scarcely mentions the natural world. The Bible is addressed to humans but it is not about humans only, it is about the whole creation. I very much share my correspondents views about materialism and greed.
