Creation -- Biblical Interpretation and Application

Brian McLaren's own website describes him as "an author, speaker, pastor, and networker among innovative Christian leaders, thinkers, and activists."  I know of him from his books such as The Church on the Other Side, his work with postmodern and emerging churches, and by the company he keeps, such as Leonard Sweet and Tony Campolo.  In short, he does a lot of work on the "evangelical" side of things, but there are those in the evangelical camp who would consider his viewpoints too liberal...or worse.   I like his stuff.  It resonates with a lot of what I think and see and feel and, I believe, discern.

Brian is currently in Kenya with a group of emerging leaders, discussing the relationship between the Christian faith and the environment.  I confess that this is one area of ministry that I feel woefully inadequate to address.  It's not just because of my lack of understanding but what I perceive as a lack of time and the multitude of other priorities.  But, as oil continues to spill in the Gulf of Mexico...as the garbage of our Alaskan winter peeks out from the receding snow...as I stare at the collection of soda cans around my desk...the need for this discussion is clear.

As the attendees were discussing the issues of being stewards of creation, someone broached the issue of creationism versus evolution.  And Brian noted that in Africa, as is often the case in the US as well, many persons see only two sides:  Young-Earth Creationism ("God made it all fewer than 10,000 years ago") and Evolutionary Atheism ("God had nothing to do with it.  We descended from apes over millions of years").

I have always found those two options exceptionally limiting for how I've understood Scripture and interpretation.  I believe the Bible but I confess to being a Biology minor in college and I find the arguments for evolution persuasive and the arguments against a young-earth creationism equally persuasive.  However, I believe, wholeheartedly in the God of the Old and New Testaments and claim that God as my Creator and his Son as my Savior.  Evolutionary atheism does not fit in my theological understanding.

So, the following is what Brian McLaren says on his blog for the interpretation of Genesis 1-2 in his present context:

I presented 5 ways of interpreting Genesis 1-2:

1. Literal theory - this is classic "young-earth creationism"
2. Gap theory - this is a modification of #1, saying that there's a gap that occurred "when the world was without form and void"
3. Day-age theory - that the "days" of Genesis 1 could have been a million or billion years
4. Contextual theory - that in their historical context, the creation narratives were never intended to provide a scientific account, so should be interpreted for meaning - literarily, not literally. In this view, there's no conflict between sound evolutionary theory and wise biblical interpretation.
5. Superstition theory - the Biblical accounts are just superstition of no value beyond showing the ignorance of ancient people.

I urged those present to recognize that Christians have 4 good options (1-4), and I urged them to do what I do: have your own position (mine being #4), but respect those who hold other positions.
Today we're being exposed to the environmental situation in Africa:

• 45% of Africa is experiencing deforestation
• Nearly everyone sees examples of climate change
• In Kenya, forest cover is 1.5%, down from 12%
• In Ethiopia, forest cover is 3%, down from 40%
• In Kenya, Lake Nawasha has become a lake of raw sewage
• 90% of the big fish in oceans are gone ...
• Kenya lost 11 species of birds in the past 50 years

On the drive to our conference center from the airport, i looked over a bridge and saw a "stream" full of an unidentifiable liquid that was blue-black-oily-greenish-gray ... unearthly, disgusting. It ran through a neighborhood ... And meanwhile, I'm thinking about the oil spill back in the Gulf ...

I wish we could stop arguing about the origin of the earth in the past and start focusing on the survival of the earth's sacred ecosystems in the future!

Because of our theological understandings of "creation" and "stewardship" and "justice," we in the church have a wonderful foundation to talk about environmental issues.  We actually have Biblical texts that we consider the Word of God.  We know our God as the great creator.  I do not want to diminish the Word of God.  I believe it is vital to faith and life.  A good summary of the United Methodist understanding can be found HERE.  I believe it.  But United Methodists seem to have a penchant for "practical divinity."  And I don't think that arguing across the divide between Creationism and Evolutionary Atheism is practical for the work of God in the world.

So, then I need to ask myself what it is that little Girdwood Chapel could be doing?  Our community garden is a start.   Our support of Girdwood Sustainable Resources is a start.  The little recycling container is a start.  But what other steps would honor God, our Creator?

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