Domination or Co- Creation ?
“Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
“Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
There is a current struggle between those who believe that ( due to humanity's misuse and abuse of our planet), our Blue Planet faces an environmental crisis and those who refuse to acknowledge this. Whilst the former are supported by the majority of leading scientists, the latter still hold a powerful sway in mainstream politic and commercial life.
Until very recent times, the vast majority of the pollution and damage has been caused by Western Societies. This, in part , is both strongly routed routed in a fundamentalist interpretation of the Judaeo- Christian Scriptures and the massive expansion of Industry in the past 400 years.
A major text used by fundamentalist Christians is found in Genesis 1:28 . This is often quoted and used to justify 'man's ' ( because its mainly males and not females) right to do almost anything they want to the rest of creation.This quote from Genesis is often referred to as the Dominion Mandate. A common translation from the original Hebrew is as follows:
A major text used by fundamentalist Christians is found in Genesis 1:28 . This is often quoted and used to justify 'man's ' ( because its mainly males and not females) right to do almost anything they want to the rest of creation.This quote from Genesis is often referred to as the Dominion Mandate. A common translation from the original Hebrew is as follows:
Then God blessed them, and God said to them,
“Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;
have dominion over the fish of the sea,
over the birds of the air,
over the birds of the air,
and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
This interpretation is quite different from the earlier roots of Christianity. In addition, with the advances in Science we now know far more both about the Cosmos and Creation and humanity's influence on the environment. The quote from Teilhard De Chardin ( probably the most influential Christian Scientist & Mystic of the past 500 years ) has more in common with St Paul's view of followers of the Christ ( See 1 and 2 Corinthians) .
De Chardin has developed a view of Spirituality and Christianity that integrates with our understanding an knowledge of modern science and the on the Cosmos and Creation. Thankfully, an increasing number of leading Christians have challenged and are challenging the Dominion Mandate interpretation . Recently Pope Francis , in his Encyclical Laudate Si commented on this in the following way..
De Chardin has developed a view of Spirituality and Christianity that integrates with our understanding an knowledge of modern science and the on the Cosmos and Creation. Thankfully, an increasing number of leading Christians have challenged and are challenging the Dominion Mandate interpretation . Recently Pope Francis , in his Encyclical Laudate Si commented on this in the following way..
This is a powerful reminder that the Christian message has deep routes in respecting the environment. These reach all the way back to its foundations. Many of the early Mystics taught that we were co-creators with God in this on-going creation.
A recent post on creation , which explored Creation and Spirituality, shared examples from Hinduism, Native American and the Celtic Traditions. These are similar to De Chardin's concepts and are shared by the continuation of St Francis' examples and teachings. They reflect on the ongoing development and expansion of Creation and our responsibilities as Co- Creators in Creation.
Sharing my own roots and Tradition , an example of a 1st Century b.c.e Poem was given. Fast forward to the 21st Century and the work of John O Donoghue, an Irish Celt and Scholar of Spirituality and wee find the following extract from his wonderful Poem In Praise of Earth . It is a long but wonderful poem and 4 verses are shown below.
IN PRAISE OF EARTH
Let us bless
The imagination of the Earth,
That knew early the patience
To harness the mind of time,
Waited for the seas to warm,
Ready to welcome the emergence
Of things dreaming of voyaging
Among the stillness of land.
Let us thank the Earth
That offers ground for home
And holds our feet firm
To walk in space open
To infinite galaxies.
That offers ground for home
And holds our feet firm
To walk in space open
To infinite galaxies.
Let us ask forgiveness of the Earth
For all our sins against her:
For our violence and poisonings
Of her beauty.
For all our sins against her:
For our violence and poisonings
Of her beauty.
That we may awaken,
To live to the full
The dream of the Earth
Who chose us to emerge
And incarnate its hidden night
In mind, spirit, and light.
To live to the full
The dream of the Earth
Who chose us to emerge
And incarnate its hidden night
In mind, spirit, and light.
John O Donoghue
Ultimately, we each have the responsibility to face up to the challenge of Mature Spirituality and to play our unique part as Co- Creators. This is best summed up by Gandhi a famous saying of the Hindu Saint and Father of Modern India .
Gandhiji expresses this challenge succinctly and clearly below
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