Ecology and social justice are intimately linked. Natural resources in third world countries are plundered as poor nations struggle to repay debt. In the name of economic development the poor are dispossessed and communities uprooted. Too many live with the lack of adequate food supplies, clean water, adequate health care and education. Twenty percent of earth’s human population control eighty percent of its wealth and consume eighty percent of its resources. Human activity, including the production of green house gasses and over-clearing of rain forests, is almost certainly affecting world weather patterns. In Australia the problem of soil salinity caused by over clearing is robbing us of valuable agricultural land. Climate change could see more land become unsuitable for agriculture, not only in Australia but also in the rest of the world. Rising sea levels threaten the existence of some island nations and will cause the relocation of many others living in low-lying areas of the world. Within the next fifty to one hundred years climate change and other environmental problems may cause food shortages, a growing refugee problem, and conflict between nations as they struggle to cope with the changes forced upon the world. Creation care is the world’s most significant social justice issue. Environmental destruction robs future generations of the natural beauty and wonder that God made for our enjoyment. Environmental destruction is ultimately self-destruction, for the survival of human life is dependent upon the survival of the natural world. We cannot address social justice issues without facing up to environmental issues. Neither can we address environmental issues without addressing issues of social justice.
GOD’S WILL
In Genesis 1 the words “And God said”, “Then God said”, or “God blessed them and said”[i] appear 11 times. The Contemporary English Version[ii] (CEV) translates the various expressions commencing “Let” in the New International Version as “I command”. Creation was an expression of God’s will. He “who fashioned and made the earth … did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited” (Is.45:18). Adam was formed of the dust of the earth, made of the same substance as the birds and animals (Gen.2:7,19). God made humans in His image and likeness as an integral part of this world, to work it and care for it (Gen.1:26: 2:15). He commanded that earth teem with life in all its variety. Our first duty to God is to maintain His creation. The creation story challenges a world where the economic imperative often overrules environmental concerns. To disregard creation care is to disregard God’s expressed will. God will eventually create a new world to replace the one our sin has destroyed (Rev.21:1-5; 11:18).BROKEN COVENANTS
God made a covenant with Adam. Adam could eat from any tree
in the garden with one exception (Gen.2:16,17). Disobedience resulted in
expulsion, suffering and death (Gen.2:17; 3:16-24). The earth was also cursed
as evidenced by the appearance of thorns and thistles (Gen.3:18). Thorns are
later associated with God’s judgements against sin (see, eg. Is.5:6; 7:23-23;
32:13; Jer.12:13; Hos.9:6; 10:8; Nah.1:10). On Calvary Jesus wore the crown of
thorns, symbolic of the curse sin brought on God’s good creation (Mk.15:17).
Parallels exist with the Sinaitic covenant. God brought His redeemed people
into a good land flowing with milk and honey (Lev.20:24). While ever they
remained faithful to God they would enjoy peace. God would bless them with
children, abundant harvests, and fertile livestock (Lev.26:1-13; Deut.28:1-14).
Unfaithfulness would bring drought, famine, bloodshed and expulsion from the
land (Lev.26:14-46; Deut.28:15-68). Throughout the Old Testament the health of
the earth reflects the health of the human relationship with God. Sin affects
the entire creation – not only humanity. For example:
Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you and all that live in the land: There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are all dying (Hos.4:1-3).
The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left (Isa.24:4-6).
A GRACE RELATIONSHIP
God wanted to show the world through Israel what it meant to live in a grace relationship. It was grace, God’s “undeserved kindness” (1 Pet.5:10, CEV), that had delivered Israel from Egypt. Israel existed as a free and independent nation only because God had set His love on them and because of His promise to their ancestors (Duet.7:8; 9:6). A nation of redeemed slaves was to treat the poor and aliens with compassion (Ex.22:21,22,25,26; 23:6,9; Lev.25:8-10,36,37; Duet.15:8,12-14). The land was not their’s, it was God’s (Lev.25:23). He gave them the ability to acquire wealth (Deut.8:18). Therefore the wealth it produced was also His. They were not to hoard it to themselves but to be generous in their dealings with the poor and indebted. Too many people in our world today are denied the basics of pure water, adequate nutrition, basic health care and the chance of an education. What a difference it would make if those of us who took these things for granted accepted them as gifts from God to be used to serve the poor rather than the consumer economy.
Humanity
experienced grace at the very moment of their creation. By His creative act God
had provided for humanity’s every need. Adam and Eve played no part in the
creative process. They were created to rest in God’s completed work. How
fitting that the Sabbath stands as a memorial to both creation (Ex.20:11) and
redemption (Deut.5:15). Through redemption God invites us back into the Edenic
relationship, to rest again in His provision. Through their annual rituals the
Israelites were constantly reminded of God’s great act of kindness. Passover
(Deut.16:1), Unleavened Bread (Deut.16:3) and Tabernacles (Lev.23:42-43) all
commemorated the deliverance from Egypt. In Deuteronomy 26 the people are
instructed to present the first fruits of the harvest to God. As part of the
ceremony the priest was affirm the Lord’s goodness in delivering them from
oppression and bringing them to a land “flowing with milk and honey”
(Deut.26:9). The Exodus experience was to live on in the minds and hearts of
Israel from generation to generation. Three times each year all the men were to
appear before the Lord – Unleavened Bread, Pentecost and Ingathering (Ex.
23:14-17; 34:18). Jerusalem became the centre in which these feasts were
celebrated. As the men travelled to Jerusalem their borders would be
unprotected from their surrounding enemies. As Israel had taken possession of
the land God had driven their enemies out before them. They were stronger
militarily than Israel. It was only by His strength that the land had been won.
God promised the land would be safe during these annual pilgrimages (Ex.34:24).
Every seventh year the land was to rest. In this year the Israelites could
neither plant nor reap. God promised He would provide abundantly for them
during this time (Lev. 25:20-22). Obedience to the covenant required a
demonstration of trust in God’s promises to protect and provide.
JESUS, SOCIAL ACTIVIST
A casual
reading of the prophets suffices to demonstrate Israel’s continual attempts to
evade the covenant’s provisions for the socially disadvantaged. Luke’s gospel
in particular resonates with the Old Testament’s prophetic cry. John the
Baptist told the crowds to share what they had with those who had nothing (Luke
3:11). It is not possible to spiritualise Luke’s version of the Beatitudes
without distorting the text:
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. (Luke 6:20,21,24,25)
The rich man who tore down his barns to build bigger ones is
described as a “fool” (Luke 12:20). How different is the attitude of this
“fool” to our attitude today as we seek to accumulate the fruits of our labour
for our own enjoyment? Immediately after this parable Jesus turns our attention
to God’s provision for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.
Christians are to seek first the things of the kingdom, trusting God to provide
life’s necessities (Luke 12:22-31). Rather than building bigger barns, Jesus
instructed His disciples to: “Sell your
possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not
wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes
near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also” (Luke 12:33-34). Those of us living in the affluent West are also
confronted by the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). In the
global village of the twenty first century the poor are sitting at our gate.
Jesus not only taught compassion for the poor, He directly
confronted the oppressive social structures of His day. He rebuked the leaders
of the people for their failure to act with compassion. Many of His parables
challenged the prevailing social mores of His day[iii]. The burden of
Roman and temple taxes forced many of the poor into debt slavery and
imprisonment. Through the temple system the ruling class increased their wealth
at the expense of the poor, circumventing the Torah’s provisions to protect the
weak[iv]. When Jesus drove
the traders from the temple He was just as concerned with justice as with
reverence for the place of worship. Jesus was not crucified for telling people
to say their prayers and to go to Church. He was crucified because He
challenged the power and authority of a corrupt social, political and religious
system.
A COSMIC REDEMPTION
Christ’s
redemptive work encompasses far more than the restoration of the Divine/human
relationship. As a consequence of our first parents’ sin the earth was cursed
(Gen. 3:17). In Isaiah 24:5,6, quoted above, human sin has defiled the earth
and the earth is under a curse. In the everlasting covenant God made with Noah,
his descendants, and all living creatures (Gen.9:1-17), God warned He would
demand “from each man … an accounting for the life of his fellow man” (Gen.
9:5). “Bloodshed pollutes the land” (Num. 35:33). The King James Version (KJV)
says “defileth”. The Hebrew conveys the idea of profaning, defiling, polluting
or corrupting[v]. In Revelation
11:18 the time comes for God to destroy “those who destroy the earth”. The KJV
gives as an alternate translation “corrupt the earth”. The Greek allows either
translation[vi]. With
continuing revelation we learn that anyone who hates is a murderer in God’s eye
(1 John 3:15). “In the Bible hatred and love as moral qualities are not
primarily emotions, but attitudes expressed in actions”[vii].
In laying down His life for us Jesus showed us the true meaning of love (1 John
3:16). Following John’s reasoning, we are condemned as murderers when we fail
to share the material wealth God has entrusted to us with those who are in need
(1 John 3:17). Earth today remains polluted, defiled, by attitudes that see the
accumulation of wealth in the hands of a small minority while millions live in
abject poverty. “The creation waits in eager expectation … in hope that
creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into
the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom.8:19-21). Numbers 35:33
states “atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed,
except by the blood of the one who shed it”. It follows then that “the blood of
Jesus … [that] purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7) also atones for our
defilement of the creation. Through Jesus, God reconciles “to himself all
things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through
his blood, shed on the cross” (Col.1:19 c/f Eph.1:10). In the new earth there
will be no curse (Rev.22:3). Redeemed human beings will live in perfect harmony
with the Creator, each other and the creation.
THE BOOK OF REVELATION
The
language and the symbols of the Book of Revelation are rooted in the Old
Testament. While the Old Testament is concerned primarily with Israel and her
immediate neighbours, Revelation is universal. The covenant theme runs
throughout Revelation. The rainbow, symbolic of the Noahic covenant (Gen.9:17)
is seen encircling the heavenly throne (Rev.4:3) and above the head of the
mighty angel of chapter 10:1. In the Old Testament the covenant was kept in the
sanctuary, or tabernacle (Ex.34:28, Deut.4:13, Ex.31:18). Eventually this was
replaced with the temple. In Revelation we see a golden censer and golden altar
(8:3), reminiscent of the temple services; the temple and the Ark of the
Covenant (11:19); and “the tabernacle of the Testimony” (15:5,6). The language
of the seals, trumpets and plagues reflects the covenant curses of Leviticus 26
and Deuteronomy 28. Christ is “the Lamb” (Rev. 5:12), one of the sacrificial
animals of the Mosaic covenant. Likewise the emphasis on obedience to God’s
commandments reflect the Old Testament admonitions to obey the instructions of
the Mosaic covenant. In Revelation 14:6 the “eternal gospel” which is the good
news of salvation through the Blood of Jesus, the New Covenant, is proclaimed
to the world.
ANCIENT BABYLON
Revelation portrays the universal conflict between the
forces of good and evil – Christ and Satan. God’s people are called out of
fallen Babylon (Rev.18:2,4). In the Old Testament it was Babylon that carried
God’s people into captivity. In Revelation Babylon is “the great city that
rules over the kings of the earth” (Rev.17:18 c/f v3-5). Jeremiah 50 and 51
give a good insight into the way God saw Babylon. Babylon was a land of idols
(50:2); an arrogant, oppressive power that defied God (50:31,16,33,29). She
practiced violence and bloodshed (51:35) and had pillaged the Lord’s
inheritance (50:11). In Ezekiel Babylon is described as “a land of merchants”
(16:29), a “city of traders” (17:4) and “the most ruthless of nations” (30:11).
In the following verses Babylon is described as being destructive of all
creation:
On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression. All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing. Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down”' (Isa.14:3-8).The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them (Hab.2:17).“I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who destroy the whole earth,” declares the LORD. “I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you off the cliffs, and make you a burned-out mountain" (Jer.51:25).
MODERN BABYLON
Babylon was the antithesis of the principles of justice,
equity and compassion incorporated in the Mosaic covenant. She sought to
conquer the earth and fill her storehouses at the expense of others. Babylon’s
rule was one of military might. The weak were vanquished before her. Babylon is
a fitting symbol of the modern world’s political, economic and social
structures. Multinational corporations exploit third world labour in their
drive to maximise profit. Western shareholders profit from corporations who
enter arrangements with corrupt and oppressive regimes. Governments of third
world nations allow inappropriate development in order to service their debt to
developed nations – the poor are forced from their traditional lands without
compensation, natural resources destroyed and an increasing number of species
become extinct in the name of economic development. While millions live in
abject poverty, suffering from starvation, the Western world is obsessed with
the pursuit of an ever-increasing array of consumer goods. A small majority
whose lifestyle is ecologically unsustainable spends billions on extravagant
lifestyles, entertainment and pleasure. Christians in developed nations share a
lifestyle with the wider community that is built on the exploitation of the
world’s poor. In their service of the prevailing socio-economic systems there
is little to distinguish their lifestyles from that of their secular
neighbours. Those voices that challenge the status quo, speaking out on behalf
of the oppressed and calling for ecological sustainability, come mainly from
outside the Church.
WORSHIP THE CREATOR
Babylon’s sins are the sins of the modern world. John, in
vision, saw a mighty angel flying above the earth calling on people of every
tongue, race and nation to worship the Creator (Rev. 14:6,7). We gain an
insight from the worship scenes of Revelation into the meaning of worship. The living
creatures before the throne acknowledge God is worthy “to receive glory and
honour and power” (Rev.4:11). This worthiness comes from an acknowledgment that
God is the creator of all. In chapter 5 Christ is proclaimed worthy because of
His great act of redemption. In chapter 7 worshiping beings proclaim “Amen!
Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and strength be to
our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (v12). God is worshipped in chapter 11 when
He begins to reign and for His act of judgement. Although the word worship is
not used with the following texts those who make the proclamations are
obviously proclaiming the worthiness of God and therefore worshiping
(Rev.12:10-12; 15:3,4; and 16:5-7). God is praised in 19:1-8 “for true and just
are his judgements. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the
earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his saints” (v2).
After God is praised in verses 1-3, the 24 elders and four living creatures
again worship God.
Worship is an acknowledgment of God’s power and authority –
power and authority based on His acts of creation and redemption. This
acknowledgment must necessarily be accompanied by lifestyle choices. Twice in
Revelation Gods judgements are said to be “true and just” (16:7; 19:2). The
language of the seals, trumpets and plagues in Revelation contain strong
parallels to the covenant curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. God does
not change (Mal.3:6). He continues to call people into a covenant relationship.
In the Old Testament pestilence, famine, bloodshed and environmental decay were
the lot of all who disregarded His ways. This was true for Israel and her
neighbours. Revelation presents the issues that faced the people of the Old
Testament in a universal, end time setting. Rebellion continues to be
destructive of the created order, bringing disease, famine, bloodshed and
environmental degradation. Those who truly worship the Creator will live in
harmony with His ways. Trusting in His provision they will seek to preserve
life in all its forms while challenging the structures of inequality,
oppression and exploitation that are the ways of Babylon.
WHOLISTIC GOSPEL
The prophetic voice of old spoke to the social conditions of
the day, telling the people where they had departed from the way of the Lord,
warning them of the consequences of unfaithfulness, and calling them back to
God. If the Church of Christ is to fulfil its prophetic role it must emulate
the prophets of former times. Some Christians mistakenly believe that ecology
and social justice are distractions to the Church’s mission. We are untrue to
the gospel if we fail to proclaim it in its fullness, to show how the
principles of grace affect every aspect of our life. Christ’s followers find
spiritual fulfilment by living out His principles in their interaction with
others. Before the Church can respond adequately to issues of ecology and
social justice it must rediscover the Bible’s wholistic spirituality. As we
speak of these things in the context of God’s “undeserved kindness” we uplift
Jesus as the world’s only hope. The Church’s first priority in its response to
injustice and inequality is to incorporate into its mainstream teaching
ministry a theology of ecology and social justice grounded in God’s grace. Only
as the Holy Spirit transforms individuals are they prepared to transform the
world into a better place.
THE CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH
The Church must challenge and help its members to work
through their individual responses to environmental and social justice issues.
Developing Bible study guides for use in Sabbath School, small groups, and
personal study, and to help pastors in sermon preparation will help meet this
need. The issues and arguments are often complex, with differing views sounding
equally compelling to the lay person. We must allow for and respect different
views, recognising that committed Christians can hold opposing views on the
correct course of action.
Individually and corporately we can examine our attitudes
and behaviours and make changes that will lessen our impact on the natural
world. Living simply that others may simply live is a challenge worth taking
seriously. When I go to the beach I place my rubbish in the bins provided or
bring it home. If left behind the small amount of rubbish I generate would
hardly make a difference to the beach’s beauty and, if washed into the sea,
would hardly threaten the survival of ocean life. So why do I bother? The small
actions of one individual will not make a noticeable difference. The collective
small actions of many have a major impact. We can all choose to reduce our
dependence on fossil fuels – for example, making greater use of public
transport when practicable – to support recycling programs, to reduce the waste
we generate. Disposable plates and cutlery add to the growing problem of waste
disposal. Taking our own reusable items to social functions, while being a
small inconvenience, helps demonstrate a concern for the creation. One of the
catch phrases of the environmental movement is “reduce, reuse, recycle”. It is
a message Christians must heed.
The consumer society is resplendent with its success
symbols. It rewards its faithful servants with designer labels, top of the
range models, the right address, the latest in home entertainment equipment,
overseas holidays and the like. Advertising conveys the powerful message that
fulfilment and acceptance is obtained through ownership of things. All of us
seek acceptance. We are, after all, tribal creatures. Most, if not all of us, judge
others and ourselves by personal achievement – such as education, promotion,
career and income. But the world is not a level playing field. We don’t all get
an equal start in life, not all are presented with the same opportunities, and
many face major setbacks in life’s journey. The world is not fair. Jesus said
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth … But store up … treasures
in heaven” (Mat.6:19,20). Heaven measures success by different standards to
that of this world. As we free ourselves from the shackles of consumerism,
being satisfied with a more modest lifestyle, purchasing items more for their
functionality than for their image value, we will have more to share with the
world’s disadvantaged. A commitment to social justice and environmental care
begins with lifestyle choices.
Christians concerned for the environment and social justice
should find real affinity with other people and community groups committed to
these causes. Some are overtly political. The Seventh-day Adventist Church
engages in political activism in the areas of religious liberty, alcohol,
tobacco and other drugs. While as Christians we may not agree with some things
some activists do, we can meet them on common ground, lending our support where
it does not violate conscience. Giving support to others, joining in letter
writing campaigns and helping to promote just causes will help Christians build
bridges to the community. Rural land care groups and suburban bush care groups
are non-political. Local churches could commit to the care of an area of local
bush, or participate as a group in the annual “Clean Up Australia Day”.
I remember attending a conference organised by TEAR
Australia, an evangelical aid organisation actively involved in promoting
social justice issues within a Biblical context. The number of young people at
this well attended weekend gave it the appearance of a youth rally. Tony
Campolo says youth today are looking for a challenge. Ask them to give their
lives to Jesus so they can go to heaven and the response will be low. Ask them
to give their lives to Jesus so they can help those in real need and they’ll
flock forward[viii]. By
articulating a distinctly Biblical response to environmental and social justice
issues and encouraging Christians to live out that response, the Church will
provide a real and relevant challenge to today’s youth. Environmental and
social justice issues provide common ground for Christians of different
denominational backgrounds to meet together. Working together on these issues may
help bring healing to the divided body of Christ and result in a strengthened
witness to the world.
Christians are called to anticipate the return of Jesus by
living out the principles of His kingdom in this world. The Lord requires us to
“act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with … [our] God” (Mic.6:8).
We begin to embrace the principles of His kingdom when we embrace environmental
and social justice issues as a response to His “undeserved kindness”.
May 2001
[i] Unless
indicated otherwise, all Bible quotations are from: The Holy Bible, New International Version. International Bible
Society. 1973, 1978, 1984.
[ii] The Holy Bible, Contemporary English
Version, American Bible Society. 1991, 1995
[iii] Jerome
H. Neyrey, ed. The Social World of
Luke-Acts: Models for Interpretation. Peabody:
Hendrickson Publishers Inc. 1991. This provides a good insight into the social
world of first century Palestine.
[iv] J.H.
Elliott “Temple
versus Household in Luke-Acts: A Contrast in Social Institutions” in The Social World of Luke-Acts: Models for
Interpretation. p 235.
[v] Enhanced Strongs Lexicon, Oak Harbour.
Logos Research Systems, Inc. 1995
[vi] ibid.
[vii] The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Zondervan Bible Publishers. 1985. Comment on 1 John 2:9-10.
[viii]
Deborah Hedstrom, “Campolo on What’s Important”, Signs of the Times Vol. 116 No. 3.
Warburton. Signs Publishing Company.
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