We began with a lecture by Dr. Ernst Conradie, a South African theologian from the Department of Religion and Tehology at the University of the Western Cape.
Notes:
- "Environment" is an anthropocentric term because it is concerned only with what surrounds you.
- To describe or ascribe the world as God's beloved creation is to interpret it.
- Creation is not the world, but the world is creation.
- Thomas Berry saw animals eating each other as intimacy not enmity.
- Different ways to see creation:
- Creation as God's fountain of life: light from light. In all its fullness, fecundity and vulnerability.
- Creation as God's home - the household of God.
- Creation as God's work of art - a drama or song
- Creation as God's playgroun - child's play
- Creation as God's own body - and thus sacred
- Creation as God's beloved child - good and beautiful like a newborn
- The Garden of Eden is a vision for the future that as been thrown back in the past as an idea of what God intended.
- Eden is a critique of the present.
- Greed is bad but desire can be good.
- Animals pass on knowledge and experience through DNA but humans can also pass it on through language, even if only one person has the experience - much faster transmission.
"Stragely, in a world that always talks about vision, we lack a compelling vision to take us forward."
- we don't have many true visionaries, and those that are usually become world famous.
Things to look up:
Ernst's book 'Climate Change: A challenge to the churches in South Africa"
Coming soon: his book "Creation and Salvation"
I also purchased Ernst's book 'Christianity and Earthkeeping: In search of an inspiring vision', which covers 19 of the major reasons why Christians are interested in caring for the earth - both good and bad
No comments:
Post a Comment