This is a relatively new view for me. I mean I've always leaned toward the green perspective due to my parents leaning that way, but I've always kind of seen the whole organic thing as a healthy diet type of thing, not really as a way of viewing the world. And so discredited it.
Perhaps a better way to say it isn't so much Christians should be organic, but be agrarian. Scripture, Culture and Agriculture has opened my eyes more to this perspective. I've been telling everyone that I have been wanting to read a book like this; one that looks at Scripture with an environmental hermeneutic, not simply pulling out verses here and there and then pulling them together for some sort of exhortation. Finally in this book I have it! Also, in some of my classes is an individual who majored in organic farming and shed light on the fact that its not about a healthy diet but how to treat the land, unfortunately most people don't look at it this way.
Like I said, I've always leaned green; I've viewed the creation story in Genesis 1 as saying, among other things, that we should take better care of this planet. God has given us the task to "subdue the earth" and "rule over" all of the animals, but just before that it tells how God created humans in his own image. It says quite obviously that we are to subdue and rule in the way that God would. So the question I ask is, "How does God rule?" And the place that am brought to most easily is how God exercises dominion over humans... by serving them, doing everything he can for them to give them all of his glory and riches by going to the cross and suffering in their place.
The amazing thing about this book is that it goes way beyond that, it gets into Leviticus, among others books, and all the dietary laws and other laws that seem haphazardly put together and looks at them through this agrarian perspective. Most of what I have read so far I have really enjoyed reading. I'll admit in some places I feel like she's stretching the analogies and perhaps reading into something that's not there, but the overall view really works well. I would and I am recommending this book to people to gain a new perspective or develop one they already have.
The view that we should be living on this earth, by ensuring its well being and not ours. After all the world is God's and he has entrusted us to take care of it, unfortunately we mostly look at it as full of resources to be had, which s reflected in the way we farm, raise cattle, mine, etc. Christians should be intent on caring for this world better. Let's just thank God that he exercise dominion over us far better than we do over creation.
hairamiah! hey friend. good thoughts. i have previously viewed organic eating as something only those with money could afford. Recently I am seeing it in a different light. Along some of the same things that you mentioned. My husband and I have been researching and looking more into it. We've watched Food Inc., ect. There is a co-op here we are looking into joining where all aspects of food are important (ethics, farming techniques, chemicals not used, the earth, waste created, etc) Lots to think about.
ReplyDeleteI totally feel what you is sayin!
ReplyDeleteI think you love this book! And I myself am looking in to ways to buy things that are agrarian based, like instead of going to the grocery store to buy meat, buying locally, ethically grown meat.
Meeting an organic farming major and marrying a vegetarian have sure helped me change my perspective on things! I hope you are doing well!