Walking Gently

Walking gently through the earth was a phrase that hit me a few years back. It started with a realisation of how interconnected we as humans are with Creation. This realisation came with the insight that this is how God had always meant it to be according to the Genesis creation narratives. John-Phillip Newel speaks of how the modern world has lost its understanding of Creation as being sacred and of God. Now hear me right this is not pantheism, where the creation is God. It's the correct understanding that Creation is of and through God and thus scared. In the formative centuries of Christianity, early Church Fathers grappled with articulating the mystery of divine creation as spoken of in Genesis. Their writings reflect a deep engagement with the concept of "ex nihilo", striving to distinguish Christian beliefs from both pagan philosophies and Gnostic ideas. However, once we say that creation was "ex nihilo" (That God created from nothing) we can inadvertently fall into the trap of treating the earth and all its resources as nothing. Well nothing more than a way of making ourselves rich though them, rather than living in harmony with them. JPN argues that early Celtic Christianity like many of the early indigenous cultures had a much more healthy understanding of Creation. Sadly the understanding we have inherited and thus perpetuated is what he calls the Imperialistic Christianity model, where advancement comes through over-powering and dominion. Imperial Christianity is a term to try and explain the impact that the Roman Empire had on early Christianity. One good example is before Christianity was adopted as the official religion of Rome, Christians would attempt to live lives of active non-violence. However, after it was adopted, it was not unusual to find Christians both serving in the army and killing others as a way of serving God and country, and with (we are guessing) little problem with aligning the two. For me, its an attempt to live out the great commandment of Mark 12:3-31 to Love God, your neighbour and yourself. As well as Micah 6:8 to act justly love mercy and walk humbly with God. It is lived out through things like the car i drive, i would like to own an electric, but i can't afford it, but i can drive a car that has as little impact on the environment and others as possible. Likewise, recycling can become an act of honouring God, dare i say almost a form of worship. It's a way of living that i am learning and developing as i go. It's not one i have got sorted, you who know me well know i have messed up in many ways at different times. But hopefully this is a statement of intent, that will grow develop and be fleshed out over the years that i have left, and in the ministries and opportunities that are afforded me.