Looking for God: an Ongoing Tale - Irreversible environmental damage

Tamara, Jeff, and former college chaplain Mitch have been talking about the Christian idea of creation and the opening sections of the Bible. Jeff gets up to excuse himself.

“Thanks a lot for talking with me. You've made me question the negative way I was looking at the idea of God creating the world. Now I can understand that if the god described in the Jewish and Christian Bible created people to be a bit like him, it could make people treat each other better. As you say, that could help prevent a lot of bad things like slavery, and any other kind of oppression.”

“It was great talking with you.” Mitch shakes Jeff's hand and, after a few other words, watches as Jeff heads out to catch his next class.

Now it's Tamara's turn to say what's on her mind. “I get what you were talking about with Jeff. But is there more to this idea of creation that you've been talking about?”

“What do you mean?” Mitch asked.

“Well, I have two questions. I just read on line an article on the CTV website. It says that the planet is in big trouble — irreversibly damaged — and we had better do something about it fast. I know you and Jeff talked about this a little bit (see last week's column), but I want to talk about this a little more. So, first, doesn't the idea that people are created to be like God result in big problems? Some critics of Christianity claim that that idea has led to people dominating and destroying the world. My second question is about the ecological crisis we read about every day. What would your idea of creation say about that?”

Mitch thinks for a moment. This is turning out to be one of the most gruelling lunches he has ever had, but he thinks he is up for the challenge.

“On the first question, yes, that does seem to have been a problem and still might be. But I suspect it is less a problem about Christianity and more a problem of modernism.”

“What do you mean?”

“Before about the year 1800, most people lived closer to the land, depending on nature for adequate food and all kinds of other resources for living. But, with the rise of modern capitalism and industrialism, we could depend more on our technologies and economic management, and less on nature to get by.

“At the same time, it was Western society that cut itself loose from its Christian moorings that more and more took matters into its own hands. And the result is rampant consumption of the planet's resources, in many way a mindless consumerism, and widespread destruction of the environment. Although many of the people who led the way in this were living in a society influenced by Christianity, they themselves were not, I think, following Christianity here as much as they were swept along by powerful modern ways of thinking.”

“So, Christians are off the hook?”

“I would say that not all Christian are off the hook, but it is not accurate to claim that our current environmental crisis is the result of Christianity. It would be much more truthful to say that it is the result of modernism gone extreme.”

“Ok, so let's talk some more about the ecological crisis. What does Christianity say to that?”

“Great question, but it's almost 2:30. Can we take this up next week?”

To be continued.

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.