Finding My Voice: A Turning Point at Calling Lake

By way of confession, I thought I would share the following story before I jump right into my next book on gender roles. It was an especially meaningful chapter of my journey to discover my place as a woman in the kingdom of God. I know that it is simply an anecdote, and therefore doesn't prove anything with regard to what the Bible says, but I hope it will convince you of my good intentions: that I am not grasping of leadership, not closed to God's leading in this area of my life. My experience in this story also gave me the permission I needed to continue my quest for understanding in this area.

***

(c) Becky Bonham

My husband's extended family (about 25 of us) got together over Father's Day weekend earlier this year to spend some time together at my sister-in-law's cabin. In advance, an email had been sent out by the same (very organized) sister-in-law with a proposed schedule for all the basics: dishwashing schedule, meal sharing, etc. There was also a request for a volunteer to lead the Sunday worship time. I wouldn't have responded except that she had specifically clarified that she was looking for a "man or woman" to lead. So, I responded that "if nobody else is interested" in doing it, I'd be willing.

That is how I ended up being in charge of the informal Sunday service at Calling Lake this June.

As it was, I was nervous, as very few if any of my extended family have seen me teach. The confidence with which I normally lead was overshadowed by insecurity at this new audience, in front of whom I would feel especially vulnerable. Not only was I the youngest of the adults, I was a girl. And most of these were Baptists. And one of them - Steve's dad - was a Baptist pastor. By this time, I'd already been reading my Biblical equality book for awhile and had become uncomfortably aware of the differing view of the roles of women in the church. Would I offend anyone by leading, simply because I was female? Or worse, would I speak as a representative of women and screw up?

I revamped a Sunday School talk that I had given at our church a few years' previously on Matthew 16:24-26, on what it means for us in our daily lives to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. I felt good about it the first time I'd taught on it, so it seemed like a safe bet to use again. But then I thought about my Baptist-pastor-father-in-law and I was plagued with doubts: Had I got my facts right? Were my hermeneutics correct? I checked and double-checked my notes and attempted to calm myself.

Then, the night before I was to lead, I lost my voice. Only one out of every three syllables I spoke was audible. I was sniffling nonstop. All I wanted to do was sleep. Well, that and teach, which was why I didn't ask Steve right then to see if anyone else would be able to take my place. Despite my fears, my nervousness, and my second-guessing of myself, I wanted to do this. Teaching is in my blood. So, I went to bed and hoped for the best.

(c) C. Derkson

During the course of the night, I woke up many times to cough, blow my nose, or suck on another cough drop.  In my half-sleep I prayed, "Please let me get over this by morning." As I tossed and turned, a thought occurred to me: What if God was trying to tell me something by this sudden, poor-timed illness? What if I wasn't supposed to teach tomorrow? Or ever? And so I prayed a second time, "Lord, if you want me to do this, then please, let me get well. But if you don't, then...don't." I drifted back to sleep for awhile, only to wake up again, with the thought of how painful it would be if God responded by choosing not to heal me, how hurtful if his answer was indeed, "Despite your passion, despite your preparation, and despite your desire to share my own words with others, I don't want you to teach - because of your sex." Unable to bear the weight of such a thought, I released it to God and drifted back into a fitful sleep.

I woke up an hour before the service was to begin and my voice was completely gone. Surely now was the time to find a replacement. Still, I resisted. In my stubbornness, I got up, looked over my notes and went to the kitchen to make myself some honey and lemon tea. Within minutes, I began to find my voice.

And so, with a quiet but steady voice, I shared from my heart that Sunday morning in the presence of the entire Bonham family. And I believe God blessed it. Several family members jumped into the discussion. At one point, a brother-in-law responded to my comment about how I felt recently that I was "living in the 'no' of God" and I was given a brief opportunity to share a bit more personally a few details of my struggles over the last few years that I'd never gotten to share with any of them before. The discussion was lively and continued until, getting nervous that I was letting it go on too long, I asked for a volunteer to close in prayer. At this point, another brother-in-law interrupted and asked if he could share a few more thoughts, and the discussion continued for another half hour or so. My father-in-law never spoke, but in the end he prayed and mentioned me by name, thanking God for what I had to share with everyone this morning.

Afterward, several family members approached me to thank me for sharing. My sister-in-law commented on my obvious passion for teaching. My brothers-in-law told me how much they enjoyed the discussion. Even my teenaged nephew said, "That was really good, Auntie Becky." (!!) I didn't even think the teenagers in the group would even be listening to what I had to say! A short while later, my father- and mother-in-law came over and gave me hugs, telling me I'd done a good job. The apprehension I had felt earlier was washed over with relief and a profound sense of joy - because I'd done what I love, I did it well, and I felt affirmed in doing it, both by my family and by God, who healed me just in the nick of time.

With respect for the private details of these real people and my relationships with them, I'll simply say that it was a turning point in some of those relationships. I felt that a few misconceptions fell away that day and my loved ones got a truer glimpse of who I really am. Doors were opened in relationships that had remained closed up to that point. Discussions have since been enlarged, to cover more topics and embrace deeper passions. In the end, I have felt more known by my family than I had ever felt in the past, and to my relief, that was a blessing and not a curse.

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Thoughtful Christianity, Part 4: Empty "Threats" and the End of Knowledge

Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life, by John Stott
progress: completed

Mindless Witness

Someone once shared a story she had read about the immediacy of the need for witness. The main point was a question, "What if you knew your neighbour's house was going to burn down this very night - wouldn't you warn them?" I've heard similar metaphors before, and of course I understand that the main point is that we need to take matters of the soul seriously. But that particular day, my mind took a different turn. I couldn't help but ask myself, "But would they even believe you?" If someone came to me and said something along those lines, my first thought would probably be, "How do you know?" and, depending on who was telling me, I might even wonder if they were trying to threaten or intimidate me. Whether I took the risk of believing such an apparently outrageous suggestion would depend on who was telling me, and how well he or she knew me. If a stranger said it, I would likely consider them a quack, and perhaps even a threat to my safety. If a family member or close friend said it, I would be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and hear them out.

A person will rarely accept even the well-intentioned advice of a complete stranger, at least not without sufficient information to make an informed decision of their own. And that requires both the advisor and the hearer to exchange and evaluate ideas in order to make wise choices - namely, to use their minds.

(c) Becky Bonham

Instead, what we as Christians can sometimes fall into is what John Stott describes as "an emotional, anti-intellectual appeal for 'decisions' when the hearers have but the haziest notion what they are to decide about or why." (66) It seems to me that the street-corner preacher with the sign "Believe in Jesus and be saved!" has very little hope of attracting any real interest, because he has so little to say about who this Jesus is, or why anyone should believe in him. When Jesus is reduced to nothing more than a pithy slogan or appeal, he is thereby stripped of his identity and rendered meaningless to the hearers. Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7 is the consummate example of a thoughtful, thorough sermon that spoke right into the hearers' realm of knowledge and experience, giving them all they needed to accept his message (or refute it, as they did in this case; well-reasoned evangelism doesn't guarantee a well-reasoned response).

As much as we can heartily acknowledge the Spirit's ultimate role in preparing, softening, and turning hearts toward God, that doesn't change the fact that our role is to reason with unbelievers. This, as Stott points out, is made clear in the abundant use of words throughout the Acts especially that intertwine evangelism with the affairs of the mind: "persuade," "argue," "explain," and "prove." He writes,

To set the Holy Spirit and a reasoned presentation of the gospel over against each other is a false antithesis. (72)

and then goes on to quote Gresham Machen from his book The Christian Faith in the Modern World:

There must be the mysterious work of the Spirit of God in the new birth...Without that, all our arguments are quite useless. but because argument is insufficient, it does not follow that it is unnecessary. What the Holy Spirit does in the new birth is not to make a man a Christian regardless of the evidence, but on the contrary to clear away the mists from his eyes and enable him to attend to the evidence. (quoted on page 72)

I risk getting a little quote-happy here, but Stott's closing comments for this section are worth repeating in their entirety:

Our objective is to win a total man for a total Christ, and this will require the full consent of his mind and heart and will.

I pray earnestly that God will raise up today a new generation of Christian apologists or Christian communicators, who will combine an absolute loyalty to the biblical gospel and an unwavering confidence in the power of the Spirit with a deep and sensitive understanding of the contemporary alternatives to the gospel; who will relate the one to the other with freshness, pungency, authority and relevance; and who will use their minds to reach other minds for Christ. (73-74)

Amen! May I grow more and more into just such a person.

Conclusion

Stott sums up his little book with a reminder that believers are not to view knowledge as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. "Knowledge," he writes, "carries with it the solemn responsibility to act on the knowledge we have, to translate our knowledge into appropriate behavior." (80) The appropriate behaviour, the end of knowledge, is expressed in four main areas of the Christian life: worship, faith, holiness, and love ("For by itself knowledge can be harsh; it needs the sensitivity which love can give it." (83)). He concludes with a warning:

Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind which God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficiality and cut ourselves off from many of the riches of God's grace. At the same time, knowledge is given us to be used, to lead us to higher worship, greater faith, deeper holiness, better service. What we need is not less knowledge but more knowledge, so long as we act upon it. (84, emphasis mine)

Learn and grow in knowledge, and in wisdom act upon it.

--
So ends my journey with John Stott - for now at least. I've been coming back to these themes again and again, being challenged and convicted in my own life as I seek to live out my knowledge and my faith with intentionality and integrity, and I trust this is only the beginning of the journey. Further up and further in!

~Becky

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Engaging Culture: Faith and Film

I just finished reading an article written by my friends and fellow bloggers Steve and Julie Golding-Page. They are an Anglican priest-couple currently living in Saskatchewan and former Regent College alumni. They are self-professed film fanatics who see movie-viewing as an effective way to engage culture and their Christian faith. I especially enjoyed their discussion of Acts 17, where Paul demonstrates an active and thoughtful engaging with the pagan culture of first-century Athens. It's worth taking a look at this interesting article, which also gives ideas for how to start your own film group:

http://www.anglicanplanet.net/canadian-news/2010/11/3/film-faith-meeting-god-at-the-movies.html

When I was at Regent College, professor Loren Wilkinson hosted weekly film and discussion evenings. I loved taking a deeper look into films that I knew some Christians might boycott altogether, and finding my own faith enriched in the process, as well as an increased ability to engage the world around me in a more thoughtful way.

What are your thoughts about faith and film? What movies have challenged or changed you?

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Thoughtful Christianity, Part 3: Transformed Minds and Common Sense

Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life, by John Stott
progress: completed

(Note: Sorry for the stupid breaks, etc. Blogger is being very annoying and changing all my formatting, and I am not the HTML-genius type. Grrr.)

The Place of the Mind in the Pursuit of Holiness

How is our mind related to our actions? How does it contribute or distract from our pursuit of the holiness to which we were called? Stott answers that it is a neglected but essential component. For, how can we know the will of God without using our minds to discern it from His word? Further, the battle for discipline begins in our minds:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but 

be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—

his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2

It is the many Scripture verses such as this one that lead Stott to conclude that "self-control is primarily mind-control." (58) The battle for our character is usually won in the mind, as it is renewed by the grace of God. (57) Conversely, the opposite is also true:

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile 
to retain the knowledge of God, 

so God gave them over to a depraved mind, 

so that they do what ought not to be done. - Romans 1:28

Those who live according to the flesh 

have their minds set on what the flesh desires; 

but those who live in accordance with the Spirit 

have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. - Romans 8:5

A renewed mind set on what the Spirit desires will live according to the Spirit. A depraved mind set on what the flesh desires will live according to the flesh. As believers who still struggle with the flesh, this is the battle we fight, the tension we live within. And we are doomed unless we allow our minds to be engaged and transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Stott reminds us that "we are to consider not only what we should be but what by God's grace we already are. We are constantly to recall what God has done for us." (59) We are to preach these things to ourselves "until their truth grips our minds and molds our character." (60)

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, 

set your hope on the grace to be brought to you 

when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. - 1 Peter 1:13

Guidance: General Will versus Particular Will 

I really liked what Stott had to say here. I've struggled sometimes with the way others speak so assuredly that "the Lord told" them that they needed to do such and such. It sounds much more spiritual than my usual, "I thought about it, prayed about it and finally decided to do such and such, and in retrospect, it seemed like God was definitely leading me on that path." Even when I do have an inkling that God is speaking an idea into my mind, I am hesitant to declare it, because I am unsure of what is me and what is Him, and I am aware that I may be subconsciously using spiritual language to defend a human idea.

During a Bible study on 1 Samuel, I came across two different types of situations that David encountered in his adventures with King Saul. At times, God gave him a specific command: go here, do this. Other times, David was seemingly left to his own to make a decision on act it. In both situations, God blessed him. In one situation, God was direct. In the other, God allowed him to make his own decisions about what to do. The following two quotes from Bill T. Arnold, author of the NIV Application Commentary on 1 & 2 Samuel, have given me comfort as I struggle to discern God's will for my life without direct, specific words from God:

“David is doing what seems logical, walking through the doors open to him. God honors what he does.” (363) 

“Rarely do the saints of the Old Testament have direct confirmation of their actions, though they hold resolutely to the belief that God is involved. Such examples remind us to submit our entire decision-making process to God and trust him to enlighten our God-given reason and logic and to guide us in our important decisions in life.” (364) 

John Stott affirms this idea. He does so by differentiating between God's general will for all of our lives (be holy, be righteous, love one another) and his specific will for our individual lives (Whom should I marry? What career should I choose?). The Bible is our source to know and discern God's general will - "for all people...at all times" (61), but not so for God's particular will, which

is not to be sought in Scripture, for Scripture does not contradict itself, and it is of the essence of God's particular will that it may be different for different members of his family. Certainly we shall find in Scripture some general principles to guide us in our particular choices. And I do not deny that some of God's people down the ages have claimed to received very detailed guidance from Scripture. Yet I must repeat that this is not God's usual way. (62-63)

He uses the example of choosing a life partner. While we can draw out principles from the Bible of what sort of person we ought to marry, we will not find a name or an address of The One! Instead, he argues, we are to  use common sense, "trusting that God will guide you through your own mental processes." (64) I can verify that this is the manner in which I firmly believe God led me to pursue theological studies, to study abroad in Glasgow, to attend seminary even thought I had to go into debt to do it, and to marry the man I did (to name just a few).

In the course of my decision-making, I trusted him to close the doors that weren't in his will, as he knew that I sought to do his will. I considered the advice of those wiser and more experienced than I. In this way, I took ownership of the inherent difficulties of any choice, even while I enjoyed the blessings that he poured out on me in the following of them. Perhaps we are being a bit lazy if we just expect him to spell out every step of our lives, without having to engage our God-given brains:

Although God promises to guide us, we must not expect him to do so in the way in which we guide horses and mules. He will not use a bit and bridle with us. For we are not horses or mules; we are human beings. We have understanding, which horses and mules have not. It is, then, through the use of our own understanding, enlightened by Scripture and prayer and the counsel of friends, that God will lead us into a knowledge of his particular will for us. (64-65)

It is just one more way that God lends us what CS Lewis called "the dignity of causality."

--
Did I mention this tiny little book was filled to the brim with profound insight? I guess I'll have to cut this short once again, so I can keep this post (relatively) short and get it posted today! More to come...
~Becky

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A Mindful Hymn

As I was writing about mindful worship this weekend, I was thinking of the hymn "And Can It Be That I Should Gain," by Charles Wesley, as a specific example of such intelligent praise. To my pleasant surprise, we sang it in church on Sunday. It bears repeating here, as it's worthy of more meditation than I can muster during one sing-through:

And Can It Be That I Should Gain
by Charles Wesley, 1738

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Wow! As much as I enjoy some of the contemporary songs out there, the old Christian hymns are a rich heritage I hope we never forsake.

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Thoughtful Christianity, Part 2: Intelligent Worship and Rational Faith

Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life, by John Stott
progress: completed

In the second half of his book, Stott gives examples of how the mind is to be engaged in Christian worship, faith, holiness, guidance, evangelism and ministry. I'll discuss each of these areas in turn.

Mindful Worship versus Mindless Worship

(c) Becky Bonham

What is the place of the mind in worship? A better preliminary question might be, What is the goal of worship? For some, it is to have an "experience," an emotional high of sorts, to transcend the moment in heartfelt praise to God. For others, emotion or experience has little to do with it; it is primarily a confession of God's greatness. For me, it is to focus on God without getting distracted by the words or the music, the sound of my voice or the wiggling of my children, or any number of random thoughts that seem to have chosen this moment to assault my consciousness. I often find myself discouraged by my attempts at meaningful worship.

Perhaps another related question would be, Who or what is the focus of our worship? Ourselves, or God? Orthodox theology? Aesthetically pleasing music? Hearts reawakened to God through praise? Or an awesome band that is able to get everyone worked up into a quasi-spiritual frenzy?

Okay, that last one was a bit sarcastic, but I was reminded of a satirical article I read on some of the shortcomings of contemporary Christian worship. Here's a snippet which is applicable to the conversation at hand:

The twin goals here are a) repetition and b) chanting quality. We don’t focus on what we’re singing, but how we’re singing it. The main thing is to get that kind of tingly, "olive oily" feeling. Don't worry if you don't get this right away. It will come as you learn to disengage your intellect. Just free yourself. Immerse yourself. Relax.

Of course there's a balance. It's not just about God, it's not just about us, but it's about us in relationship to God. Stott goes to great lengths to emphasize the importance of engaging our minds in worship.

The only worship acceptable to God is intelligent worship, worship "in truth," the worship offered by those who know whom they are worshiping and who love him "with all their mind." (44)

His emphasis is on truly knowing this God whom we worship. The Psalms are filled with concrete language and images of who He is: Creator, Redeemer, Rescuer, Friend. He hears the cries of the oppressed, he is patient with the obstinate, he is defined by steadfast love and holiness. I am sometimes struck by how many contemporary worship songs could easily be mistaken for love songs between humans, and when that is the case, I think something essential has been lost. We bring ourselves to worship, with all our needs, shortcomings, and distractions, but worship at its best will re-center us in God, which in turn will put us in our proper place, under his mercy and grace, and providential care. As ecstatic as worship can sometimes feel, those feelings can't last unless they are grounded in the character of God. This is why Stott writes,

All Christian worship, public and private, should be an intelligent response to God's self-revelation in his words and works recorded in Scripture. (47-48)

Blind Faith versus Rational Faith

(c) Becky Bonham

"It is a great mistake to suppose that faith and reason are incompatible." (49) Stott points out that in Scripture, faith is not the opposite of reason, but in fact the opposite of sight: "For we live by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor 5:7)

On the contrary, true faith is essentially reasonable because it trusts in the character and the promises of God. A believing Christian is one whose mind reflects and rests on these certitudes. (49)

Unlike Oprah and her friends, who espouse a view of faith in faith (I have faith that _______, therefore it is true), Christian faith is grounded in rational, logical truth, as presented in Scripture, and confirmed in our lives by the Holy Spirit. Stott calls it "a reasoning trust...which reckons thoughtfully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God." (52) And of course rational, logical truth requires the engaging of our minds. I liked the sentiments of Dr. Lloyd-Jones, whom Stott quotes at length:

Faith, if you like, can be defined like this: It is a man insisting upon thinking when everything seems determined to bludgeon and knock him down in an intellectual sense. (quoted on page 54)

I like that. When I am tempted to doubt, the only thing which draws me back from the edge is a reengaging of my brain, in which I remind myself of God, who he is and what he's done. 

--

Well, I think I'll have to keep breaking this post down into parts. I've got a quiet house to myself for a limited time and should probably do something...mundane. Let's see if I can find a way to engage my mind in housework!

~Becky

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What Has Happened to Our Conviction? or, I'm Just Like Inviting You to Join Me on the Bandwagon of My Own Uncertainty

This is a word animation video which a friend posted on Facebook quite some time ago. It's a fun little piece which highlights yet another misuse of the intellect, or rather the lack of it, in popular culture. Along with having a cool message by poet Taylor Mali, it's also just fun to watch (animation by Ronnie Bruce):


Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.


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On Being Thoughtful Christians: Using, Losing and Abusing Our Minds - Part 1

Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Intellect in the Christian Life, by John Stott
progress: completed

One of the highest and noblest functions 
of man's mind is to listen to God's Word, 

and so to read his mind and think his thoughts after him, 
both in nature and in Scripture. (31)

When I started my first year of Bible College, someone spoke in Chapel about not losing the "heart and hands" aspect of our faith while we strengthened the "head" aspect through theological study. It seemed obvious enough to me at the time, but I had no idea how tricky this would prove to be in real life, nor how many different ways that we as Christians can get off balance in this area.

On the one hand, there is a brand of theological prowess, which in the midst of substandard (or nearly nonexistent) theology, is easily mutated into cynicism. Poor teaching or a lack of teaching can contribute to this condition in the hearts of those who are hungrier than their fellows for a more thorough treatment of ideas and beliefs. Intellectual condescension causes the informed to forget that they, too, were once uninformed. Intellectual pride can convince those who are knowledgeable to think they have all of the knowledge and cannot learn from someone with less knowledge than themselves. (The application of fancy labels are handy tools, used to dismiss those who are "simple," "ignorant" or "sentimental." - I could use more specific terms, but I'm trying very hard to speak in generalities.) And all of these things - intellectual cynicism, condescension, and pride - can lead to an imbalanced perspective that views theology and doctrine as the Most Important Thing.

Others have had run-ins with such types of people and become utterly turned off to the ego and the attitude and the dogma - and along with it the thinking, the theology, and the doctrine. They can be reactionary to the point of placing personal experience above theology, sometimes going so far as to pit doctrine and Christian living against each other, as if it must be one or the other. Others adopt a black-and-white approach to biblical ideas, because it is so much easier than thinking through individual situations to discern the subtle shades of gray which may in fact be the most spiritually wise.

There are congregations where a lack of education is suspect, and there are congregations where too much education is suspect. There are churches that are too focused on theology, and there are churches that ignore it completely (interestingly, either situation is a good breeding ground for a cult to be birthed). There are "educated" believers who are profoundly ignorant, and "uneducated" believers who are profoundly wise.

I might add that I can see distorted reflections of myself in each and every one of these caricatures.

So, which is it, then? The mind or the heart? Intellect or experience? Doctrine or practice? Knowledge or zeal?

Of course the answer is yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. In the opening chapter of his tiny book, John Stott writes,

Many have zeal without knowledge, enthusiasm without enlightenment. In more modern jargon, they are keen but clueless.

Now I thank God for zeal. Heaven forbid that knowledge without zeal should replace zeal without knowledge! God's purpose is both, zeal directed by knowledge, knowledge fired with zeal. (13)

He goes on to quote a former seminary president:

Commitment without reflection is fanaticism in action. But reflection without commitment is the paralysis of all action. (Dr. John Mackay, quoted on page 14)

Always being careful to reassure his readers that his goal is not an "arid hyper-intellectualism" or a "dry, humourless, academic Christianity, but...a warm devotion set on fire by truth," (18) Stott laments the spirit of anti-intellectualism that has taken hold of both secular and Christian culture today. He points out three emphases within the church which have a tendency in this direction: the disproportionate focus on ritual, social action or experience can become "escape routes by which to avoid our God-given responsibilities to use our minds Christianly." (17) Again, he is not arguing against these things, but for them to be kept in their proper place - that is, in subjection to a thoughtful understanding of Scripture.

He takes some time to argue in defense of our minds - first of all, that we were created to think. We alone of all God's creatures were given the ability for rational thought. And for those who would argue that our minds are now fallen and therefore untrustworthy, he argues that they are no more fallen than our emotions, to which many retreat. Moreover, our minds have been redeemed, along with the rest of ourselves, and are daily being renewed. Lastly, we will be judged by our knowledge, and what we do with it.

How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?

How long will mockers delight in mockery and

fools hate knowledge? 

--Proverbs 1:22

Our minds, and our thoughts, matter.

--
I've left this post unfinished for nearly a week now, so perhaps I'll make this part one and finish up in a separate post when I have time. Next time I'll look at his examples of how the mind is to be engaged in worship, faith, holiness, guidance, evangelism and ministry. Stay tuned! ~ Becky

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A Fortuitous Find at the Book Fair

Well, there I was at the Scholastic Book Fair at my son's elementary school today, browsing through the piles of teenage vampire lit, Pokemon manuals and frilly pink puppy diaries, when a book of a different sort caught my eye:

Get Real: What Kind of World Are You Buying? 
by Mara Rockliff

The book is geared toward ages 9-12 and discusses the wider implications of what we're investing in when we spend our money on items such as shoes, cell phones, fast food and bottled water, to name a few. I've been browsing it for the last hour or so and it looks pretty good - and not just for the 9-12 bracket, either.

Although Rockliff is descriptive and snarky in her descriptions of how things are made, she's not over the top and her chapters are filled with practical suggestions on how to make better, more informed choices. The final chapters offer many suggestions for change, as well as inspiring stories of other teens and adults who've made a difference in their world. She also includes a graphic of a "wallet buddy," put out by The Center for a New American Dream. It's a tiny paper pouch into which you can slide your credit card, with the following message on one side:

"Every dollar I spend is a statement about the kind of world I want and the quality of life I value."

...and a list of questions to consider before using that credit card on the other side:

• Is this something I need?
• Do I already own something that could serve the same purpose?
• Can I borrow one, find one used, or make one instead of buying new?
• Was it made locally?
• Was it made with environmentally preferable materials?
• Was it made with fair labor practices?
• Will it serve more than one purpose?
• Will it be easy and cost-effective to maintain?
• Will using it require excessive energy?
• Does it come in excessive packaging?
• Can I recycle or compost it when I'm done with it?
• If I'm not still sure, can I wait a month before deciding to buy it?

I thought it was pretty cool. You can download your own copy (slightly altered*) to print out here.

(*The list of questions on the current link is shorter than the above list, which I liked better.)

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Next Course: Books 6, 7 and 8

I've pretty much finished up with my current bookmeal books, and am now focusing on three new ones:

Book 6 - Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity Without Hierarchy, edited by Ronald W. Pierce, Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, and Gordon Fee
          I'm well into this book already, but have yet to write much about my thoughts. I'll be working to change that in the next few weeks.


Book 7 - Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life, by John Stott
          This book addresses an issue which I have been forced to grapple with in recent years as I've encountered widely divergent views and approaches to the place of the intellect within the church and worship. I read the first chapter back in the spring (or was it last fall?) and loved it, so I've been anxious to get back to it and dig in. John Stott is yet another example of my favourite type of spiritual hero: scholarly, godly and able to speak profound truths in language that is accessible to the average joe. It's a short read (85 pp), so I'll probably tackle this first.

Book 8 - The Way is Made by Walking: A Pilgrimage Along the Camino de Santiago, by Arthur Paul Boers
          Again, I started this last year, and really enjoyed what I read so far. When I decided to do bookmeal, I knew it should be one of my books, so I set aside until then...that is, now.


(Click here for my earlier descriptions of Books 6 and 8)


It looks quite unlikely that I will finish my goal of twenty books this year, but that's okay. Life has sort of gotten in the way at times. Parenting, pregnancy, fatigue, laziness, and intermittent bouts of depression have all played a role, but the one constant has been this: when I can sit down and blog, I feel better. So, I'll press on and keep doing what I can, and enjoy the process without the stress of a hard deadline. Thanks for persevering with me!

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Humble Dialogue and the Willingness to Be Wrong

Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, by Kathleen Norris
progress: complete

A friend of mine once described a comment made by his Bible college philosophy professor, one of the few educators at that school which he held in high esteem: In describing his encounters with skeptics or people of different beliefs, he would tell them that, even as a Christian, he would follow the truth wherever it took him, no matter what. No belief was too precious if the truth led him elsewhere.

At the time, I remember struggling with that statement. What exactly would he be willing to discard? Did it mean he would be willing to renounce his faith in Jesus? My friend saw it as a profound example of his integrity and commitment to the truth. I tended to see it more as a threat to the faith. What did he mean he would follow the truth wherever it took him - did he actually think the Christian faith could be wrong? Maybe his own faith was suspect.

Somewhere along the way, I had picked up the idea that a Christian must be completely confident in every aspect of her faith if she is to convince others to believe. There is no room for doubt, because that might scare people away! (Either that or other Christians might become suspicious of you.) What I hadn't thought of was whether or not it was my job to convince other people, or whether exaggerated overconfidence would be more of a turnoff than honest doubt.

Kathleen Norris challenges this modern-day temptation within the church (and Christian institutions) to know everything (or to act like we do) with examples from the early monastic tradition, in which    "I know not" was considered a wise response to individual portions of Scripture. Having an all-inclusive approach to Scripture, they were willing to acknowledge that there was a larger context to that passage (i.e., the whole of Scripture), of which they might be as yet uninformed. Humility and a reticence to produce half-baked opinions allowed them time to take in the big picture, to resist the temptation to "use scripture for his or her own ends," (337) until they were sure that their convictions fit into the whole of Scripture. Norris quotes a Benedictine sister and biblical scholar on the benefits of this approach:

'We're forced into contention with the Bible in uncomfortable, often memorable ways,' she says, 'which save us from citing just the scriptures that agree with our own preconceived ideas.' (Shawn Carruth, quoted on page 337)

Even though I've broadened my views considerably since those Bible college days, it's still hard for me to talk about the freedom to say "I know not" without offering up a few disclaimers. I'm not trying to challenge the authority of Scripture. I believe that Christians can have confidence in the Bible. It is 100% authoritative in my life. What I am challenging is whether my interpretations and hermeneutical applications of the many individual passages of Scripture are 100% authorative. I cannot be 100% confident in my own interpretation, because I am a fallible human tainted by sin. This should make room for a refreshing willingness to admit that I might be wrong, and therefore to hear with humility the differing perspectives of others. It allows me to resist prideful judgment of others with differing viewpoints. Norris writes,

To church congregations and denominations that are weary of strife, of continually arguing things out in a tense, judgmental atmosphere, it may come as welcome news to learn that they, too, are allowed to say 'I know not' with regard to the Bible, free to not use it to justify taking sides in every issue that coms along. (338)

She goes on to describe the yearning voiced to her by an acquaintance who

hoped that religious communities could provide a vision of a church, and a community, 'in which not everything has to be decided, where you don't have to take a stand on every issue before you can live together peaceably and creatively.' (338)

Sounds refreshing, doesn't it? Imagine if, instead of persecuting Galileo for his heliocentric views, the Catholic church was willing to say, we can't be 100% sure if that jives with Scripture, but the bigger picture of your life tells us that you're a man who loves God and his word, so let's agree to disagree and move forward in community until the truth is made more plainly clear. Hm. There are far too many examples of this pigheadedness-in-the-name-of-conviction in our churches today. I have modelled it far too much in my own life. 

Truth will win out in the end. It can withstand scrunity without our feeble attempts to "protect" it. And if we will make room for genuine inquiry, we might learn something and even grow in our own faith. But, as Norris points out, 

Genuine inquiry takes time. It also requires patience, trust, and the ability to listen well, qualities that are unfortunately in short supply in theological schools as well as church congregations, and to be truthful, in the human heart. I do not wish to be mistaken for an anti-intellectual when I criticize the criticizers, that is, when I suggest that the modern methods of biblical interpretation have given us more than we could have hoped for but also less than we need to sustain our faith, and the Christian church. As good and necessary as these methods have proven to be, they have furthered harsh and seemingly intractable division among Christians. (339)

It amazes me how vehemently we as Christians can argue issues that really have comparatively little to do with living the Christian life, alienating so many others in the process, and distracting ourselves from focusing on those little things, like "bearing with one another in love," "making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace," and "do not think more highly of yourselves than you ought." Oh yeah, and "Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" - an especially challenging one for me, since I am prone to chatter. 

I don't pretend to know just how it's done, but I suspect a good place to start is with silence and a sincere and thorough searching of the Scriptures, not so much for an answer to vindicate a particular view as for direction to guide us ever deeper into the heart of God. For this is the purpose of God's word: not to win arguments but to transform its readers into Christlikeness. If we forget that, we are lost. 

In the end, I think it's fair to say that the professor's attitude wasn't so much a threat to "the faith" as it was a threat to mine, which was immature and untested. I am inclined to think it was the strength of a deep-seated, mature faith that enabled him to speak with such confidence about Truth - for sincere faith that makes room for honest doubt is in the end, likely to be the strongest.

I'll close with an extended quote from Shane Hipps, author of the great book Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Our Faith (I just read it last year, but might have to read it again for bookmeal): 

Many [Christians] are coming to believe that robust faith lives somewhere between absolute trust and deep doubt. The colours of faith change through seasons of grief and hope, passion and despair. No one has it all figured out all the time - both Christians and non-Christians are in need of ongoing conversion. Humanity as a whole is called to participate in an unfolding process of redemption and reconciliation.

and further,

The person who is a true follwer of Jesus, a student and learner, but perhaps not yet - and maybe not ever - an orthodox believer. This category of doubting disciple didn't seem to bother Jesus; after all, his parting words to us in the book of Matthew were, 'Therefore go and make disciples...' Jesus didn't tell us to make believers. He called us to make disciples, and disciples are followers and students of the way of God. Followers learn to change their beliefs as they walk.

Let's not be afraid of doubt, disagreement, or dialogue on these things. The truth can defend itself best when we listen in love, not judgment; when we seek to save souls, not arguments; and when we humbly remind ourselves that our own understanding of things can only ever be partial - at least on this side of heaven.

He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame. - Proverbs 18:13

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Earthkeeping: Final Thoughts, on Starting Points

For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care, by Steven Bouma-Prediger
progress: completed

"No one made a greater mistake than the person who did nothing because he or she could not do everything."

Edmund Burke (paraphrased in BP 169)

Just in case you got overwhelmed by the hugeness of the principles listed in my last post - as I did, and I was afraid my high school students would - I tried to sum them up in the following five simple rules. Hopefully these will offer practical ways to start doing a little now while we work our way toward doing "everything."

A Few Practical Steps to Earthkeeping

1. Reduce – Learn to tell the difference between needs and wants, and make responsible choices.
2. Reuse – Donate to and shop at thrift stores, reuse packaging, repurpose what you can.
3. Recycle – Picture your trash in God’s good earth and do your best to keep it from going there!
4. Try to see the big picture – Consider how your choices/actions/inactions and lifestyle/consumption/waste affect others: people, creatures, land, ecosystems.
5. Learn to love creation – Spend time in it, see yourself as part of it, experience God through the enjoyment of it, and show him by your actions how thankful you are for the gift of it.

For further thought...

• Read Psalm 104 and meditate on the majesty of the Creator, and the goodness and the interrelatedness of his creation.
• Read Psalm 148 and observe the whole of creation in worship of its Creator.
• Check out A Rocha to discover some of the ways that Christians around the world are trying to live out their calling as earthkeepers.
• Read (Regent Professor :-) Maxine Hancock's Living on Less and Liking it More for some practical ways to simplify your life and free up your resources.
• Visit websites like Freecycle.net and TwoShirts.org and consider these creative ways to give away the stuff you don't need and get the stuff you do - for free!

I would love to hear a few more practical ideas from my readers (my stats tell me there are at least a few of you!), so send them along and I'll add them to the list.

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Earthkeeping: The Path Ahead

For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision of Creation Care, by Steven Bouma-Prediger

progress: 164/187

With the help of Bouma-Prediger and his insightful book, we have hopefully established the following truths:

1. We are called to be good keepers of the whole of creation.
2. Creation groans, because of us.
3. Jesus is the ultimate reconciler of creation.
4. We have a role to play in the redemption of creation.

So...what is our role?

Bouma-Prediger offers his answer in terms of the larger question of "What Kind of People Ought We to Be?" Values and virtues point the way to what sort of actions we should take (or not take). His discussion was so thorough that I found it difficult to process without putting it into my own little outline (yes, I'm that sort of person :-). The words in parentheses are the unhealthy extremes of the aforementioned virtues.

--

Integrity: Creation is diverse, good, and harmonious.

Value: Creation has intrinsic value because God made it, not just because of its usefulness.

Goal 1: Act so as to preserve diverse kinds of life.

• Respect all creatures (conceit – reverence)
• Recognize our interdependence with other creatures (self-sufficiency – addiction)

--
Finitude: Creation is finite.

Sufficiency: We have access to everything we need (as opposed to want).

Goal 2: Act so as to live within your means.

• Practice self-restraint in order to reserve and conserve (profligacy – austerity)
• Practice frugality so that others may live and flourish (greed – stinginess)

--
Finitude: Humans are finite, limited in power and knowledge, space and time

Fallenness: Humans are fallen, alienated from God, humans, ourselves and the earth

Goal 3: Act cautiously. - Survey as many consequences as possible

• Be humble – recognize that we can’t know everything, because we are finite and fallen (pride – false modesty)
•  Be honest – (deception – false honesty)

--
Fruitfulness: Creatures provide sustenance for themselves and others, and reproduce themselves

Sustainability: Creation, if cared for properly, can sustain itself

Goal 4: Act in such a way that the ability of living creatures to maintain themselves and to reproduce is preserved. - plants, animals, and humans

• Be wise in the fear of God – make sound judgments on behalf of creation (foolishness)
• Live in the hope of God’s good future for all of creation (despair – presumption)

--
Sabbath: God works and rests, and so should we and the creatures under our care

Rejuvination: Allow ourselves and our world to rejuvenate by resisting the world’s drive for constant production

Goal 5: Act in such a way that the creatures under your care are given their needful rest.

• Patiently commit ourselves of God’s way of doing things and his timing (impetuousness – timidity)
• Find peace amidst the chaos in the knowledge that God is at work, reconciling our world (restlessness – passivity)

--
Earthkeeping: God owns the earth, and we are called to be its keepers

Benevolence: God does good for the sake of others, and this is how we are called to be earthkeepers

Goal 6: Act so as to care for the earth’s creatures, especially those creatures in need.

• Commit yourself to do good on behalf of others, whether humans, animals, or ecosystems (malice)
• Learn to love the earth and its creatures, of whom we are keepers (apathy)

--
Righteousness: God is righteous and just, and calls us to be righteous and just, with special attention given to those most likely to be treated unjustly, whether humans or other creatures, trees or ecosystems

Equity: God exercises fairness in according to need (different from equality)

Goal 7: Act so as to treat others, human and nonhuman, fairly.

• Exercise justice in acting impartially and fairly (injustice)
• Be courageous in the face of difficulty (cowardice – rashness) 

While I affirm the importance of each goal, numbers 2, 3 and 7 are the most convicting to me at this point in my life, perhaps because they feel like the ones which are more immediately applicable in my daily life. Living within our means (goal 2) does not mean that as long as we can afford it (which I usually can't anyway), it's okay to consume to our heart's content (which it never is anyway). It is hemmed in by the virtues of self-restraint and frugality - what is wanted must be challenged by what is needed, for ourselves and for others. How does my consumption affect others' abilities to have their needs met? (And I'm not just talking about people here; animals, bugs and trees have needs too.)

This decision-making process regarding needs and wants is closely related to the goal of justice (goal 7), as it necessarily involves an impartial and fair assessment of the needs and wants of others. If that Thing I Want is produced by child labour, or contributes to unjust social structures, if it pollutes rivers with byproducts or involves animals living or dying in non-humane ways, or if it generally keeps me blinded to the needs of others, and feeling like an entitled individual instead of a compassionate member of God's whole creation-community, is it really worth having?

Of course we can't always know these things, and that's where goal 3 comes in: Act Cautiously. This is a tricky one, because we can choose to avoid knowing certain details, which in turn allows us to consume with a clear(ish) conscience. For example, I have avoided watching the food industry exposé Food, Inc. because I'm not sure I can commit to the conviction just yet - but it's on my to-do list! (Just trying to keep it real here, folks.) Nonetheless, as a Christian I believe it is my responsibility to pursue truth, wherever it takes me. Acknowledging that we can't know everything about the world and the consequences of our actions, we must act humbly, cautiously, gently, aware that our actions have consequences beyond our awareness. Insofar as we are able, we must ask ourselves, "What are the potential consequences of this choice?" and endeavour to make wise judgments.

The scary part for me is that it often takes me to a place of conviction that requires me to change: perhaps to spend more money buying the organic or fair trade option, or simply to go without. I'm confronted with my own greed, my tendency to place convenience above conscience, and my general sense of apathy toward many aspects of God's world.  

Well, those are a few of my raw thoughts on my own role in being a good steward of this good creation which God has entrusted to me and you. What about you? How do you live out your care and concern for God's creation in your attempt to be a faithful earthkeeper? Of if you're like me so much of the time, how do you fail? What is the path ahead?

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The Ultimate Earthkeeper

For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care, by Steven Bouma-Prediger
progress: 160/187


In my series of lectures on Earthkeeping, I covered many of the same texts that Bouma-Prediger discussed in detail in the fourth chapter of his book, entitled, "Is there a connection between scripture and ecology?" as well as a few extras. In Genesis, we looked at several themes, some of which I had previously overlooked, or which I hadn't thought through fully enough to discover all of the implications for creation care.


1. Relationality. In the creation story, we read that God created the heavens and the earth. Throughout the creation, God declares his creation to be "good." Only once, however, does he consider his creation to be "very good." Which part of creation was blessed with this superlative? In my ignorance, I would have assumed it was the creation of humans - we are pretty special, after all, being singled out in all of creation to be the bearers of God's own image. And so it was with surprise that I discovered that it wasn't any one part of creation, but in fact the whole of creation: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (1:31) As glorious the celestial array, as majestic the oceans and mountains, as diverse the multitudes of plants and creatures, God wasn't fully pleased with these things until they were all created, together. Just as God himself is a community of three Persons, just as he declared it "not good" for Adam to be alone (2:18), God is not ultimately satisfied until his creation reflects the community of his own nature. We were made to live in relationship with the sun, which grows our crops; with the plants, which feed us and provide shade for us; and with the animals and other humans, who provide companionship and friendship. The harmony of God's creation (BP refers to it as "shalom") was characterised by an interconnectedness with God, and through him, with everything else he created.


2. Theocentrism. On a similar theme to the first point, I was intrigued to find that, although God blessed many of his individual creations, there was only one day that he blessed in its entirety. "And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (2:3) Again, it was not the sixth day, in which he created humans in his image, but the seventh day, in which he rested from his work. As BP points out, the climax of creation is the Sabbath. I've still got a lot of thinking to do to discover all of the implications of that fact. The point I want to draw out at this moment is that God is at the centre of creation, not humans. It's ultimately about him. Many mistakes have been made, I believe, because we view ourselves as the end of creation, rather than him and his glory. 


3. Responsibility. In the fall story, we see the splintering of that harmony in which God created the world. 

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. (3:17b-19)

As soon as Eve and Adam chose their own way over God's way, they discovered the awful consequences of that choice. Not only was their relationship with God broken, but their relationship with each other. And beyond that, the shalom of all of creation was broken: harmony and cooperation would be replaced by toil and adversity. And why? "Because of you."

4. Covenant. In the flood story, we see the further consequences of that disharmony. Humans are evil, and so God uses his own creation (ie, rain) to destroy all but a few representatives of the rest of creation. Mountains, trees, and creatures of every kind are washed away by his grief. When Noah and Company finally set foot on solid ground again, God makes a promise: 

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

Again, humans are not at the centre of this story, God is. Creation is saved because of his mercy, goodness and faithfulness. He declares this faithfulness by way of a covenant. Never again will he destroy creation in this way. And with whom does he make this covenant? Just to be clear, he says it six times: "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." God's dealings with our world encompass the whole of creation. To be sure, his dealings with humans are unique and most amazing, but the reach of his care and concern are cosmic.


These four points raise the following questions to consider with regard to the topic of earthkeeping:

1. Given the interrelatedness of humans with the rest of creation (as well as God and other humans), how should this inform our role as God's appointed keepers of creation?
2. How does our tendency to put ourselves at the middle of the story muddle our thinking about the point and priorities of creation?
3. If humans are responsible for bringing disharmony into creation, what then is our role for righting that wrong?
4. If God deals with all of creation, what is his plan for the cosmos in its entirety?

The answers are not quick or easy, but a good starting place can be found in Romans 8:18-22:

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 

Verse 18 tells us that, although we suffer, there is a future glorification which will render our current sufferings puny in comparison. Verse 19 tells us that creation plays a role in our glorification: it waits, eagerly. Verses 20-22 give us the reason for this anxious expectation: it is currently oppressed, frustrated, decaying. It groans. But these three verses also speak of something beyond the present reality: there is hope, liberation, and a promise of a new birth. This raises the question of the means of this liberation - how does it come about? Colossians 1:15-20 reveals that the better question is, by Whom?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

By Whom does the liberation of creation come about? By Jesus! He is the firstborn over all creation. All things were made by him, for him, through him. He is the centre of the cosmos, and by him all things hold together. He is before all things, after all things, above all things, and by him all things will be reconciled. Jesus is the Ultimate Earthkeeper. As Randy Alcorn points out in his book entitled Heaven, whenever Jesus speaks of his work, he uses words like "reconcile, redeem, restore, recover, return, renew, regenerate, resurrect" (88) - all of which suggest a return to what was before, a return to that perfect shalom in which the world was created (if you are of the persuasion that the world will be destroyed by fire according to 2 Peter 3:10 see BP explanation of why this is most likely a misinterpretation of the Greek text, pages 77-78). 


The creation in its entirety anxiously awaits redemption. This redemption is a reversal of the curse, put into effect by Jesus' death on the cross. If you previously thought Jesus only died on the cross to save souls, you need to enlarge your imagination and expand your understanding to see just how HUGE, how utterly complete God's salvation is. I especially like the way Steven Lawson puts it, 

Whatever sin has touched and polluted, God will redeem and cleanse. If redemption does not go as far as the curse of sin, then God has failed. Whatever the extent of the consequences of sin, so must the extent of redemption be.” (quoted in Heaven, by Randy Alcorn, page 91) 

Revelation 21-22 as well as Isaiah 60 help us to see the extent of what God had planned from the beginning to redeem, restore and reconcile. Jesus died to repair all that is wrong with the world, souls, bodies, lands, creatures, ecosystems, cultures, and nations. 


And the clincher is this: as God's appointed keepers of the earth who are called to be imitators of God (Eph 5:1), we have a role to play in that redeeming.

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