— Cultivating an Imago Dei Creation Care Ethos —

     There are many models of creation care that are helpful in illuminating one’s understanding of our deontological responsibility to the environment.  Virtue, Stewardship and Priestly models have contributed significantly to providing new perspectives on adopting a creation care ethos.  However, a greater understanding of creation care is found in a model that discerns creation care from the perspective of conformity to the Imago Dei and the intentional cultivation of the corresponding fruit of the Spirit.

The Holy Acts of the Lordand the Imago Dei

     Before Genesis, the book of beginnings describes the character and holy attributes of the Triune God of creation, it describes His mighty and creative acts.  Genesis 1 vividly describes a chaotic universe that is “formless and void.” It is an image of a primeval soup of electrons, protons and other elements that lack form and order. The Spirit of God hovers over the "deep" expanse of these elements. However, by divine agency the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) brings order to the existing chaos, meticulously creating the cosmos. Interestingly, evolutionary theorists paint a strikingly similar picture of formless elements and gasses after the "big bang" that cooled over billions of years and formed the universe as we know it.

     The same God who createsall things ex-nihilo, out of nothing, fashions humankind in His own image, the Imago Dei, and gives humankind dominion over all of His creatures:

                        Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, 

according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the

                        fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, 

and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping 

thing that creeps upon the earth.”  So God created humankind in 

his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he 

created them.

It’s important to note that humankind is first created in the Imago Dei, the moral and rational image of God.[1]  Understanding this, the Patristic father Athanasius argued “the Word has been made man, it is so that men may be made gods[2]”. This idea of divination, common in EasternOrthodoxy, asserts that the telos of the human experience is to share in the divine nature, becoming like God in virtue and character.  This was the Lord’s original plan for humankind, to reflect His glory and character in an extraordinary manner.   Immediately following God’s creation of his magnum opus, humankind, the Lord gives Adam and Eve dominion (Hebrew=radah, to rule) over the earth and it creatures.  However, this dominion is meant to be an outflowing of the divine image and character. Its governance is rooted in the lovingkindness of the Creator. Thus, the Psalmist asserts in Psalm 26:

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the 

children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

Motivated by genuine love and care for His creatures, the Lord rules over all of creation in a manner consistent with his loving nature and character. 

Augustine and Irenaeus on the Imago Dei

      Perhaps one of the most influential thinkers about the Imago Dei is the fifth century theologian St. Augustine of Hippo.  According to Augustine’s soteriology, in the Edenic Paradise of Genesis 1 and 2, humankind was made in the perfect image of God. Unfortunately, this perfect image was severely corrupted by Adam and Eve’s rebellion to the command of Yahweh.  The passions and sins of humankind are a direct result of this wounded and distorted image.   However, it is only through the Incarnation that the Divine image is restored in humankind[3].     

     The Patristic theologian Irenaeus provides a different perspective on the Imago Dei. According to Irenaeus, humankind was created in the perfect image of God. However, like little children, we had to grow into the “likeness” of our heavenly Father. Therefore, holiness is a continual process and journey towards perfection.   Interestingly, this comports well with John Wesley’s ideas of Christian perfection being a progressive and lifelong journey.   

    Humankind’s conforming to the image of God is important to a proper understanding of creation care because it is the wellspring of all human behavior and action. The more that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds and reflect the character and virtue of the Holy One, the better our interactions will be in the biosphere.  It’s fair to say, the one who resembles his Creator in virtue can be expected to behave like Him.   Therefore, the foundation of strong Creation care ethos is rooted in faithful reflection of Christ within us, whose glory during the transfiguration filed the air with inexpressible light. 

The Divine Nature as Reflected in the Fruit of the Spirit

 A natural result of reflecting the Imago Dei, is the beauty of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  The fruit of the Spirit are outflowing virtues associated with the Paraclete, the third person of the Triune Godhead.  

Love and Patience

     Have you ever wondered what it would look like to live in love, peace and symbiotic relationship with Mother Earth?  Too often we only think of the fruit of the Spirit as requisite qualities for interpersonal relationships with other human beings.  However, a proper understanding of the Sprit challenges us to extend the virtues of love and peace to all the created order.  We should daily ask ourselves how we can live in love and peace with the earth.  However, this question evokes a deeper philosophical question-what is love? In his letter to Christian in Corinth, the Apostle Paul provides one of the most enduring definitions of love:

 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or

                        arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable 

or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.

                         It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

                        (I Corinthians 13:4-7, NRSV)

The Apostle’s word, not only challenges us concerning human relations, but also a new approach to creation care.  What would it mean to truly love the earth, to be patient with its natural rhythms and cycles of production without manipulating it with unnatural fertilizers to maximize growth and yields?  What would it mean to be patient with the earth regarding its natural energy sources of wind, solar, water, instead of greedily destroying the earth’s surface in search of coal that pollutes our air and streams?  What would it mean to show kindness to the earth, in the way that we interact  with the biosphere on many levels?  No doubt, such a perspective comports well with the Kantian Categorical Imperative model of ethics which works towards the mutual thriving of all in society. Such a perspective acknowledges the inherent symbiotic relationship between humankind and the environment, our fundamental dependence upon one another.  

Peace

     According to the prophet Isaiah, the Kingdom of God is founded upon a Messianic king who will bring everlasting peace to the world order.  Many theologians embrace the concept of the Millennial reign of Christ on earth, where immortal Christians will reign with Christ over the nations.  However, the peace of the Kingdom of God is not just a future reality but a present one as well.  Imagine, if you will what it would mean for humankind to commit to living at peace with the created order.  If we were to adopt a s posture of peace towards the earth, how would this influence our interactions with all other creatures?    It’s doubtful that we would over fish our oceans, poison the vast life of creatures in our rivers or cause irreparable damage to the earth in pursuit of its minerals and treasures.  Indeed, the Apostle Paul commands believers to do all that we can to live at peace with our neighbors.  We should think of the earth as a neighbor to be respected and honored.  This comports well with native American views of creation regard the earth as brother.

Joy and Gentleness

      What would creation care look like if we adopted a posture of joy and gentleness towards the created order?  Indeed, the scriptures assert that the Lord takes great delight in His creation and that all things were created for His delight.   The adoption of such a posture would no doubt open our eyes to the vast wonders of nature.  We would delight in the rising and setting of the sun each day, the sound of the gentle wind flowing through the airy stream, the sound of the lark in the forest.  Such delight opens our eyes, changes our perspectives, awakens our souls to the beauty that surrounds us every day.  St. Francis of Assisi was a beautiful example one who took great joy in God’s creation. In describing his spiritual awakening, Francis asserted it was like scales fell off his eyes, and he saw creation as never before. In his awakening, Francis saw the Divine hand in nature. Nature was the handiwork of the master artist who created all things “ex-niho” and breathed into humankind the breath of life. Thus, Francis asserts in his song Brother Sun, Sister Moon:

Praise be You my Lord with all Your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

Who is the day through whom You give us light?

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,

Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,

In the heavens, you have made them bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,

And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,

by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praise be You my Lord through Sister Water,

So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,

through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praise be You my Lord through our Sister,

Mother Earth

who sustains and governs us,

producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

St. Francis’ is not bashful in his delight of  the Lord’s creation. For Francis, God’s invisible attributes, divine power and glory are revealed in the world and the universe.  Indeed, a chief purpose of creation is to reflect the glory of its Creator, giving us glimpses of the ineffable[4].

Longsuffering

     An intrinsic characteristic of the Lord God is his longsuffering nature. This is exemplified in Yahweh’s lovingkindness towards His Bride Israel for hundreds of years, as they vacillated between periods of commitment and apostasy.  Yet, the Lord repeatedly forgave the Hebrew people and longed to establish intimacy with His chosen Bride.  Similarly, we should suffer long with the earth when its storms, quakes and winds bring destruction to humankind.  Although it is incorrect to attribute natural disasters to the agency of an angry and punishing God, we must recognize the human impact of the environment. The industrial age has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the ozone layer, the accelerated melting of glaciers and warming of our ocean’s waters.  We should do all we can to reduce our carbon footprint on the earth.  Perhaps then, we will reduce the frequency of natural disasters.   

Meekness and Temperance 

 Meekness and temperance are essential fruit of the Spirit.  Scripture asserts that Jesus, the second person of the Trinity humbled himself, emptied himself and broke into time to redeem His creation. Although a king, the Son of God clothed himself in corruptible flesh that upon kissing it, we might become immortals. Such a humble posture towards creation would radically change the way we interact with all of creation. Instead or arrogantly viewing the world and its resources as commodities to be exploited for selfish gain, humility requires humankind to think of the “other” first.  A meek approach to interacting with the earth would recognize the inherent beauty and worth of creation. It would help us to not just see the earth as a commodity to be leveraged for selfish gain.

    Self-control is often thought of as an ascetic virtue, the stuff of ancient anchorites seeking dispassion against the deadly sins. However, according to scripture, it is a major trait of the Christian. Imagine a world where temperance, self-control governed the way we interacted with the biosphere.  Self -control would govern the amount of resources we use daily, influence the manner in which we dispose of toxic waste, govern the way in which we use and manage all the earth’s precious resources.  

Introducing an Imago Dei Model of Creation Care

at Ebenezer, United Methodist Church

     I currently serve as the pastoral intern at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Stafford, VA. It is large urban congregation of over 2000 members and growing.  Ebenezer is a dynamic church church that supports foreign missions in Bo, Sierre Leon and a host of local ministries to youth and older adults.  One of the major ways to establish a creation care ethos at Ebenezer would be through the ministry of preaching (kerygma).  At Ebenezer, we typically design teaching series that provide ample opportunities for pastors to explore the depth, breadth and width of biblical themes and theological issues.  Dedicating a teaching series to an Imago Dei/Fruit of the Spirit Creation care model would provide the teaching staff with opportunity explore biblical mandates and responsibilities regarding the care of the earth.  Special attention could be dedicated to exploring the intersection between creation care, Christian growth and maturity.

     The Imago Dei Model of creation could also be covered in bible studies designed by the pastoral staff that explore Christian holiness and the fruit of the Spirit in creation care. Members would be given ample opportunities reflect fully on new paradigms of creation care and their respective responsibility to care for the earth and its resources.

Inspire Wonder and the Development of Personal Creation Care Covenants 

    Ebenezer could periodically take members on trips that help them to delight in the earth. Periodic trips to areas local, state and national parks such as Great Falls National Park in Virginia and Maryland, Shenandoah National Park and Virginia and other locations, could help bring some of the theology alive for parishioners.  Wonder, is an important element to cultivating long-lasting interest and care of the natural world.

     Pastors at Ebenezer UMC should encourage parishners to create Imago Dei/Fruit of the Spirit covenants with God. These covenants should reflect individual commitments to work towards reducing one’s carbon footprint on the earth as well as commitments to support a creation care ethos in one’s community. 

Community Garden

     Another way to help establish a creation care ethos at Ebenezer would be to establish a community garden like Anathoth Gardens in Cedars Grove, North Carolina. Like Anathoth, such a garden could be used as an instrument of healing in the community and to deepen the community’s understanding of the importance of creation care.  Ebenezer UMC was recently given acreage across from our main campus that is currently designated for projects to accommodate growth.  The allocation of part of the acreage or other more suitable land towards such a project could provide a way for the community to connect with the earth and cultivate a keener eco consciousness.   Moreover, such a garden could be used to produce food for needy families in the community and to teach community members sustainable farming practices. 

Partnership With Environmental 

Groups in the Virginia Commonwealth

     One of the most constructive ways in which Ebenezer UMC can cultivate an Imago Dei creation care ethos is through getting involved with existing organizations committed to the conservation of land and water.  Such groups include organizations like the Nature Conservatory, committed to conservation of Virginia forests, rivers and bays, oceans and coasts[5].  

     Other organizations include Landscope America dedicated to addressing key environmental threats in Virginia[6].  These issues include maintaining open spaces, conserving lands, preserving native plants and animals and protecting eco-systems and habitats.  Some of the highlights of their work this year include:

·      1,830 - Acreage of this year’s record controlled burn conducted at the Conservancy’s Piney Grove Preserve and the adjoining Big Woods State Forest.

·      9,616 - Total acreage of Piney Grove Preserve and the state’s Big Woods Wildlife Management Area and State Forest. Collaboration enhances the scale of restoration in the Virginia Pinelands.

·      37M - Gallons of gasoline (and resulting emissions) offset to date through forest-carbon credits generated by the Conservancy’s Clinch Valley Conservation Forestry Program[7].

     Another organization that Ebenezer members may want to partner with is the Environment Virginia Organization.The organization specializes in researching environmental challenges facing Virginia and informs the public about the potential impacts[8].   Among their many efforts, the Virginia Environment Organization is dedicated to the proliferation solar energy.  Thus, they assert on their website:

            Hundreds of thousands of Americans have gone solar and millions 

more are ready to join their ranks so all of us can power our lives and our

            communities with clean, renewable, local energy. The barriers to solar are 

falling faster than ever, too, with more and more cities, states and

 companies adopting innovative pro-solar policies that have made solar cheaper

and easier to install. That’s why we have 10 times more solar

 power in the U.S. today than we did in 2010, enough to power more than

5 million homes, with another home going solar every two minutes, 

as of the end of 2015.

    The increasing use of solar across the country is encouraging regarding reducing America’s carbon footprint.  The further that we move away from fossil based fuels, the less pollutants we will introduce into the environment.  

    When Athancious asserted that God created man that man might become God, he articulated the quintessential telos of humankind, to beautifully reflect the Imago Dei.  As Ireneus asserted, although we are born in the perfect image of God, like children we must grow into His likeness through spiritual growth and obedience to the Word.  It is only then that we will be conformed to the image of Christ in this world, producing the fruit of the Spirit towards our fellow man and the earth.  The hope of humankind, is to have the mind of Christ, to begin viewing the entire created order through the eyes of God.  For such a view compels us to show love, peace, patience, joy, gentleness goodness, longsuffering meekness and temperance to our beautiful Mother earth.  Then we will join St. Francis in his beautiful hymn of praise:

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

Who is the day through whom You give us light?

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,

Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Biography

 Professor Smith, Church History Lectures/Duke University, 2015

https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/virginia/index.htmAccessed 12/5/2017. 

https://www.landscope.org/virginia/threats/Accessed12/5/2017

[8]https://environmentvirginia.org/page/about-us-44/Accessed12/5/2017Enter your text here...