Weekly Reaction #14 - What Happened?

What happened? That’s what I’ve been thinking about over the weekend as I have thought about this last required blog. I think it’s safe to say that most of us had no idea that the semester would take the path it has followed. I for one had never put much thought into climate change, population growth, and general earthly stewardship. I knew that taking care of the Earth is important and that general respect is a safe bet. But I had never truly wrestled with this topic. To be honest, skepticism was my first reaction. I think this is because I usually associate planet care with extremist green people who seem to care more for polar bears and trees than they care for hurting people. At the same time, I was semi-interested in how our professors would approach this issue from an academic and a Christian perspective. Because I dislike forming an opinion without know the facts, I was also interested in actually learning the truth behind the concerns over our planet’s health. After rereading my first blog, I remember quickly realizing that learning the truth and/or facts would be harder than I thought. There are so many perspectives and opinions! Somehow, educated and sincere people can have almost completely opposite opinions. This was made clearly evident after reading the national geographic articles at the beginning of the semester (which I found quite interesting and enjoyable to read). And then we began discussing...and discussing…and discussing…in circles. Learning about the facts and what we can do fix things became somewhat of a frustration and, seemingly, an impossibility.
Then we started reading Berry, Bouma-Predigar, and Wirzba. I began to see the importance of creation care as it pertains to Christians. Creation should be a priority because it is God’s creation, our home, and the future home of other people. To me, the last reason is the most straightforward reason. There seemed to be many theological and ethical answers in the readings but, for me, taking care of the planet we live on makes sense because there are others after us who we should be considering. I feel like loving others is the most basic and simple command Jesus gave us. Just for that command, we as Christians should take this topic seriously.
All of the reading and discussion about why we should care did not really help us understand how we should care. After Dr. Sunberg’s visit and our trip to Shipshewanna, the theme of place began to reveal itself. The real impact we have on the world is not necessarily what we accomplish but how we live. My blog, “Doing vs. Being,” really sums up this idea perfectly so I won’t go into it much. Rather, I would like to explore further the question Prof. Stipp asked us in class. How has this class affected my life, mindset, and/or future?
I must say that I have not come up with some grand idea that will decrease waste in Ludwig or increase awareness of the Earth’s food crises. What this class has left me with is a knowledge and awareness of the importance of place. I had never thought about how important putting down roots is for a family, a community, and a country. The novels and text we read near the end of the semester made me seriously consider where my place is. It has given me another reason to put an effort into investing in the community of Olivet, the community of my floor, and the community of my friends and family. It has also caused me to think about how my future will look as I meet new people, graduate, and begin a life wherever God plants me. And this means understanding that comfort and ease is not the goal. This is the goal of our culture. We are taught that making money, having the perfect family, and exciting experiences is all you need in life to be happy. But no where in the Bible are we called to live cozy lives centered around our every desire and whim. We are called to be active in our communities, whether local, national, or global, in whatever way God has equipped and called us. If this calling is to tackle the problem of child trafficking or face the food crisis or raise awareness of climate change, then so be it. We need to be ready and willing to plant our roots and take action wherever God puts us. To quote myself (I like saying that!), are we going to be of this world, living the lifestyle that is most comfortable? Or are we going to be participating in the alreadiness of God’s kingdom by living authentic lives in community with other believers and the Earth?