Self-Emptying Love in a Global Context

The Spiritual Exercises and the Environment

Robert T. Sears SJ, Joseph A. Bracken SJ

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2006
• Print ISBN:
  9781597525596
  9781498210386
• eBook ISBN:
  9781630874230
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Church

Care for the environment is an ever more pressing concern in today's world in which narrow self-interest has blinded us to the growing pollution of atmosphere and seas and the destruction of animal species caused by our indifference and neglect. Christianity has been blamed in part for this because of a misunderstanding of the Biblical call to "have dominion" over creation. Our spiritual tradition has indeed so focused on human salvation that the Earth has been seen simply as a transient environment that will be left behind in the end. In response, this little book highlights another spiritual tradition within Western Christianity that affirms that creation itself will also be transformed with humanity through the self-emptying love of God. God's dominion, after all, is service rather than despotic control, the raising up of the lowly of this Earth and of the Earth itself as part of a cosmic community. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius are examined in this light as a call not only to join Christ in redeeming humanity, but also in extending Christ's care and love to "all creation" that longs "for the freedom of the children of God."

Chapter One

The Environment in Theological History

In a book investigating Christianity’s attitude toward nature, H. Paul Santmire analyzed two main theological themes: the one seeing spirituality as an ascent to God transcending nature and this life, the other seeing the very fruitfulness of nature as a sign of God’s presence and offering the goal of human endeavor as the “promised Land.”1 He argues persuasively that it is the first view that was predominant in Christian theology up to modern times, and it leaves very little room for care of the Earth.

The Origin of the Two Themes in Scripture

Ascent Spirituality

The ascent spirituality has roots in a certain interpretation of the Old Testament that sees it basically as centered on God’s covenant with humans with the rest of creation as a kind of backdrop.2 The Israelites’ notion of creation follows on their experience of redemption. Israel first experienced God forming them as a people and governing their history, but it gradually became clear to them that the very God who governs them is creator of the whole universe. Creation is servant of redemption. God’s revelation to Israel came primarily not through the natural order, as with the surrounding countries, but through the divine election and deliverance from Egypt and through the Sinai covenant. In fact, Israel viewed nature cults as an enemy. Only by acknowledging God as Lord of history could Israel then view the natural order as pointing to its maker and therefore “good.” Lampe admits that the eschaton “involves all of God’s world, but it does so because a transformed world is included in the realization of God’s creative and redemptive purpose for his people.”3

The New Testament continues this anthropocentric focus, only now Christ is the center. There is also a similar progression: first the experience of the Lordship of Christ, then his Lordship over all kingdoms, and finally over the whole creation from beginning to end. In fact, Lampe holds (with Karl Barth) that ktisis (creation) in the New Testament refers primarily to humankind, and only secondarily is it extended to animals and inanimate nature created for humanity’s sake. Even Paul’s reference to “creation groaning” is incidental to his praises of God’s work in human redemption. The renewal of sinful humankind is primary, even in Colossians 1:15-20 (“firstborn of all creation”); the author looks back to original creation only to see Christ as its historical fulfillment.4

This ascent view of creation is shared by many other Protestant exegetes besides Lampe (G. Ernest Wright, Rudolf Bultmann, Gerhard von Rad, etc.) and is evidenced in Aquinas, Bonaventure, and even Teilhard de Chardin. It has become a dominant spiritual perspective throughout the history of Christian theology. God has descended in Christ in order to divinize us that we might ascend to God. How creation relates to this fulfillment is not attended to—certainly not creation as we now experience it.

Ecological Spirituality

Yet an ascent view of creation is not the only possible perspective in scripture. Santmire sees two other experiences (metaphors)—that of the fecundity of nature and the journey to the promised land—that coalesce in an “ecological motif” where a renewed Earth is equally central in the eschaton. This view need not be opposed to the anthropocentric perspective in Scripture, but broadens it to include nature.

Walter Brueggemann countered the human-centered imbalance with his study The Land: Place as Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith.5 He points out how especially in Deuteronomy, the land is regarded as a gift from God. It does not belong to Israel. It is not merely a means for human use. “The land is mine and you are but aliens who have become my tenants” (Leviticus 25:23). This is an abundant, fruitful land “flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 26:9, etc.). If the Israelites serve Yahweh faithfully, abundant blessings will be poured out on the land and animals (Deuteronomy 28). The Lord will open up the heavens to provide rain, and thus blessed, the Israelites will lend to the nations and not borrow. But, if they do not obey the divine precepts, the Lord will send curses, confusion, and frustration (Deuteronomy 28:20-21) and the land will be taken away. The two themes of land and fruitfulness are thus joined with the theme of election in Deuteronomy. We see a celebration of God’s rule not just over humans, but over the land. “The earth is Yahweh’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). This focus on the land is highlighted in the Yahwist and Priestly creation accounts. It is Yahweh who has Adam name the creatures (Genesis 2–3) and who gives dominion over the creatures to the man and woman (Genesis 1). Thus, we find Israel’s awareness of Yahweh’s rule over the land in monarchical and postmonarchical periods.

The question exegetes are faced with is whether these elements of creation are imported from surrounding cultures, or whether they spring from Israel’s founding experience of Yahweh’s call. What seems clear is that even if Israel had no creation account apart from God’s election in this early period, it also had no redemption without creation. What we find is Yahweh as “Lord of heaven and earth.” The very name Yahweh seems to be derived from a cultic epithet referring to El as “the one who brings into existence all that exists.”6 Yahweh’s actions bringing Israel out of Egypt by parting the sea show Yahweh’s power over creation. Thus Psalm 29, which celebrates Yahweh’s power in thunderstorm and mountains, is not borrowed from Canaan, but is linked to the Sinai tradition. One cannot separate Israel’s foundational election faith from faith in the Creator. It is primarily faith in Yahweh as gracious Lord of power that freed Israel. This is in continuity with the later flowering of creation faith in Isaiah and the Priestly tradition.

Focus on Yahweh as universal Creator appears especially during the Exile. In their time of deepest despair, the prophets announced God’s judgment on Israel but also God’s promise of renewed land and indeed a universally renewed earth. Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40–55) proclaims that Yahweh is doing “a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19): making rivers in the desert, creating jackals and ostriches who honor Yahweh, that my chosen people “might declare my praise.” Third Isaiah (Isaiah 56–66) expands this hope to the whole earth, totally beyond this world (Isaiah 65:17-25, etc.). Thus, Yahweh’s power over the beginning of the earth reaches out to a future restoration of all creation.

The New Testament witness can also be read in this ecological light, even though the renewal of creation is never separated from the conversion and renewal of humankind. Despite the difficulties of getting at the actual “historical Jesus,” each Gospel writer makes it clear that Jesus was seen as the promised Messiah, who would bring to fulfillment the apocalyptic expectations of Israel. The Kingdom of God was made present in his ministry (see Mark 1:14: “Repent and believe, the kingdom of God is at hand,” etc.). His giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and other healings revealed this eschatological Kingdom, as did his reconciling the poor (Isaiah 29:18-19). His power over nature, his forming a new community of twelve, his feeding the multitudes and establishing the Eucharist revealed the promised Kingdom (Isaiah 25:6-8). The God Jesus called “Abba” with such intimacy, was not just the God of individuals or even of the whole people of Israel. He was the maker of heaven and earth (e.g., Our Father “on earth as in heaven,” “the sun shining on good and bad,” “no sparrow falls without Abba’s leave,” etc.). Jesus’ Go...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: The Environment in Theological History
• Chapter 2: The Environment in the Spiritual Exercises
• Conclusion
• Bibliography