COALITION for CHRISTIAN COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES

GLOBAL STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE

The King's University College

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Theology of Creation

Douglas Harink, Ph.D.

E-mail: dharink@kingsu.ab.ca

THE PROJECT

My task in this project was to develop an upper-level undergraduate course in Theology of Creation in which environmental stewardship is a central feature of such a course. The course was to be prop osed as a regular offering in the core curriculum of The King's University College (TKUC) and as a particular contribution to TKUC's degree program in Environmental Studies.

The main components of this task were: to become familiar with the issues and literature in the theology of creation and in environmental/ecological theology; to attend a conference where such issues were addressed; to search out resources and literature accessible to students in the course; to prepare a syllabus, lecture themes, readings, bibliography, and pedagogy for the course.

RESULTS

1. The Course.

The course, Theology of Creation, was developed and proposed to the academic councils of TKUC. It was approved, incorporated into the College curriculum, and inaugurated as a new course on September 6, 1996. (See course syllabus, attached: "Theology 364: Theology of Creation")

2. Issues

Through attendance at carefully selected meetings of the American Academy Religion (Nov 1995) and through reading, particularly in ecological theology, I became aware of some of the most important is sues in the development of a theology of creation, issues which will also receive attention in the course. Some of the central issues as I understand them are:

a. Traditional, orthodox theologies of creation have usually paid little attention to matters of ecological concern, or even to creation understood as the material realities of water, land, sky, veg etation, animals and the relations between humankind and these other creatures of God, except at the most abstract levels. (As examples, one may consult almost any presentation of Christian doctrine or theology right up into the 1990s.) This is perhaps understandable given the more formal aspects of a theology of creation that must be treated in handbooks of doctrine and theology. On the other hand, it stands in contrast to the Hebrew Scriptures where the formal aspects are not often in view for separate reflection, but where a theology of creation is worked out concretely in terms of the material conditions of creation and their impact on human life. One aim of my course is to bring out the intrinsic relatedness of the formal and material orientations of a theology of creation. I d o this by paying close attention to Biblical texts, and by incorporating ecological reflections and creational practices into the treatment of particular themes in the doctrine of creation.
b. Recent statements of ecological theology, by contrast to the traditional approaches, pay considerable attention to the material conditions of creation and life on earth, and often find their basi c orientations for a theology of creation in these conditions. But more often than not they do so at the expense of serious reflection on the basic doctrines of the communities and traditions of ort hodox, biblical Christian faith. Indeed, the latter are often viewed as a stumbling block to a viable ecological theology of creation. As a result, orthodox Christian convictions are often replaced
by seemingly more environmentally friendly philosophies, ontologies and spiritualities. (Many interesting and informative examples of such approaches can be brought forward, particularly among those
influenced by process philosophy and feminism. A good sampling of some of these may be found in Dieter Hessel, ed., Theology for Earth Community [Orbis, 1995].) While more orthodox Christian theo logians are tempted to become reactive to proposals from this direction, it would be a mistake to do so. There is much serious and helpful reflection in this literature on the state of the environme nt from more or less Christian perspectives.
c. There are some notable exceptions to the alternatives presented above. There is a growing base of literature being developed by (generously defined) evangelical theologians and concerned people.
In this literature orthodox Christian convictions and practices are seen to be not only compatible with environmental concern, but in fact the very center from which such concern quite naturally ar ises when environmental questions are addressed to these convictions.
It is the conviction of these theologians, including myself, that an ecological orientation is intrinsic to any doctrine of crea tion and not an "add-on" or "application" of such a doctrine. One of the central aims of my course is show from a center in Scripture and doctrine how this is the case. The most significant contrib ution to this task is the work by Jurgen Moltmann, especially in his God in Creation: An Ecological Doctrine of Creation (1985 -- the sub-title is from the British SCM edition, which has been altered
in the Fortress American edition). So far no theological work has matched Moltmann in giving sustained attention to the ecological crisis in the context of a fully developed, trinitarian theology o f creation. While I had initially chosen this work as the main text for the course, a more careful look at its contents from the perspective of the undergraduate reader convinced me that its level i s considerably beyond most (though not all) of the students who would take the class.
d. The great possibilities for an ecological doctrine of creation are often compromised, as I noted above, by over-arching theological visions which are at odds with the Christian understanding of God as radically other than the creation. Panentheism and pantheism, and even sometimes polytheism and animism, are proposed as more adequate theological visions. Even the immensely helpful works by
Moltmann and more recently Dennis Edwards, Jesus the Wisdom of God: An Ecological Theology (Orbis, 1995), tend toward panentheistic interpretations of God's relation to the universe of creatures. Yet each of these authors, and others, point the way forward by a retrieval of trinitarian theology. I too believe that an appropriation of trinitarian theology will enable us to speak both of God's
radical otherness of being and of God's radical nearness to creation in a covenant relationship of love, without employing the language of "in-ness" or ontological union. Here the works of Colin Gu nton and John Zizioulas in trinitarian theology and a couple of essays by Loren Wilkinson have provided me with helpful clarifications and corrections. This will be a major theme in the course, I ho pe at a level which is not too abstract and difficult for students. Yet I believe the point is critical if ecological theology is to remain faithful to the scriptures and the central teachings of the catholic Church.
e. Chaos, suffering and travail mark the reality of creation at every turn, even as Christians confess that creation is the good work of a God of covenant-keeping faithfulness. The dynamics of thes e two sides of creation must be fully acknowledged in any creation theology. This issue will be addressed in the course in the full awareness that "solutions" to the "problem of evil" are often deep ly problematic themselves. Christology and eschatology will be introduced to gain an appropriate perspective on these issues, without suggesting that these perspectives "solve" the problems. The He brew scriptures also have much to say about the question of "natural evil" and the fact that humankind is often affected by it. One aim of the course is to develop a sense of the mystery and "terror " of creation which leads to an acknowledgment that not all of God's purposes are focused exclusively on humankind.
f. The being and role of the Church and of central ecclesial practices such as the Eucharist are often not considered in treatments of the doctrine of creation or of ecological theology. Instead, i t is assumed that ecologically sensitized Christian individuals are set loose in the "public square" to become activists who directly or indirectly "effect change" in public policy. While not belitt ling such an assumption, I argue in this course, with some dependence on both Eastern Orthodox and anabaptist ecclesiology, that in fact the Church and the Eucharist, as themselves fully public "icon s of the new creation", are or ought to be at the very center of God's work of ecological renewal. Hence we will explore and attempt to unfold the ecological potential in the ecclesial and eucharist ic life of Christians.
g. Throughout the course a wide range of biblical texts relevant to the themes under consideration will be exegeted and brought to bear on the issues of creation theology and ecological practice.

3. Textbook resources and supplementary readings

Given the lack of a single textbook which would cover both the doctrinal issues in a theology of creation and the ecological issues as intrinsic to this theology, I have created an anthology of readi ngs which brings these two "angles" of the course together under a number of thematic headings. (See the attached "Table of Contents" for Theology of Creation: An Anthology of Readings, ed. Douglas Harink [The King's University College, 1996]) Students are guided through this reading material by means of questions to address vis a vis each set of readings. (See the attached "Lecture Themes and Reading Schedule")

While Jurgen Moltmann's book God in Creation is too difficult as a course textbook, it has been retained on the course syllabus as "highly recommended" reading. Doing a critical review of this book is one of the term paper/project options.

A brief annotated bibliography was prepared for the course by my summer research assistant, Sheena Moodie. These are resources for students working on their term papers/projects.

4. Pedagogy

Each class period begins with a brief scripture reading on a creation theme. Then we learn to attend to creation by "praying with the animals" -- that is, I read a prayer from Carmen Bernos De Gaszt old, Prayers from the Ark and The Creature's Choir, a wonderful book which my colleague Dr. John Wood alerted me to.

Class time is structured as a combination of lectures and discussion.

The lectures focus primarily on biblical texts relevant to developing an ecological doctrine of creation. Discussion focuses on the weekly readings assigned from the anthology. Students are required to write and submit reading journals on these at the beginning of each week, thus preparing themselves for entry into class di scussion.

I have encouraged a wide range of possible term papers or projects, from the traditional term paper to hymn writing or keeping a nature journal. (See the attached "Term Papers or Projects")

THE KING'S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

THEOLOGY 324

THEOLOGY OF CREATION

Fall Term 1996

Professor: Dr. Doug Harink

____________________________________________________

1. COURSE DESCRIPTION

A study of the Christian theology of creation which addresses the issues of: the integrity of the universe as God's creation; humankind's place and task in creation; the honour and care of creation as intrinsic to human knowledge of God as Creator and the world as God's creation. Special attention will be paid to how such central Christian doctrines as the Trinity, Incarnation, Holy Spirit, im ago dei, the church and the sacraments shape the theology of creation, and how such a theology influences and is influenced by the aims and practices of environmental stewardship.

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the requirements of the course, students should have gained:

3. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students are expected to attend all classes and participate in class discussions and projects. In addition, students will participate in the course in the following ways:
Weekly reading journals: Each student will keep a journal on the assigned readings for the course. On the basis of these journals students will be able to make significant contributions to class di scussion. Students will submit journal entries on a weekly basis for reading and response by the professor. A smaller set of the journal entries will be selected by the professor for evaluation. D etails regarding journal writing and evaluation are included on a separate sheet.
Term paper/project: Each student will select, research and complete a term paper or project on a theme directly pertinent to the course. A variety of types of projects are possible. Details may be found on a separate sheet.
Final Exam: A final exam will be written during exam week.

4. COURSE GRADE COMPONENTS

Reading journals 30%
Term paper/project 35%
Final exam 25%
Participation 10%
  100%

5. REQUIRED TEXTS (available in TKUC Bookstore)

The Bible. The New Revised Standard Version is preferred translation and will be used by the professor in class. Other recent scholarly translations are also acceptable.
Theology of Creation: An Anthology of Readings, edited by Douglas Harink (The King's University College, 1996)
Highly recommended:
Jurgen Moltmann, God in Creation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1985). While this is a fairly difficult book, it is very thorough and engaging, and is one of the first and only works to develop an ecological doctrine of creation oriented by scripture and basic Christian doctrines.

THEOLOGY 324

THEOLOGY OF CREATION

Fall Term 1996

Lecture Themes and Reading Schedule

______________________________________________________

The following is a schedule of lecture/discussion themes together with the assigned readings for that week. Except for weeks 1 and 6 (when reading journals will not be collected) journals on the readings assigned for a given week are due to be turned in at the first class of that week (normally Monday, except for Nov 11, which is a holiday). Readings from the Bible will be assigned throughout the term.

With each set of weekly readings below there is a guiding question (in italics) which will enable students to get to the main issue at stake for this course in each of the reading assignments.

Week 1 (Sept 9-13) In the beginning: creations -- ancient and (post)modern

Readings: 8. Gottlieb, essays by Henderson and Oakes, Harrison, Lao Tzu, and Seed, et.al.
Question: How is the relationship between the god or gods, the universe, and humankind depicted in each of these creation stories?

Week 2 (Sept 16-20) Mapping the land: biblical and doctrinal orientations

Readings: 1. Anderson.
3. Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Question: How clearly are the biblical perspectives on creation (according to Anderson) reflected in the Church's teaching on creation (according to the Catechism)?

Week 3 (Sept 23-27) God the Creator: "from whom, for whom . . ."

Readings: 16. Wilkinson
Question: Why does Wilkinson think it is necessary to correct the "new story of creation" with a Christian trinitarian understanding of creation? Does Wilkinson simply reject the "new story"? Who i s God in the "new story" version of creation?

Week 4 (Sept 30 - Oct 4) Christ the Creator: "through whom . . ."

Readings: 15. Wilkinson
Question: According to Wilkinson, what difference does it make to affirm that Christ is Creator (or co-Creator) from simply asserting that God is the Creator?

Week 5 (Oct 7-11) Creator Spirit: "by whom . . ."

Readings: 14. Pannenberg
9. Gunton
Question: Both Pannenberg and Gunton argue that the Holy Spirit has an identifiable role in the creative work of the triune God. How do they agree and/or differ in describing that role?

Week 6 (Oct 16-18) Creation and Chaos

Guest lectures on Genesis and Job

Week 7 (Oct 21-25) Creation as gift and blessing

Readings: 13. McClendon, pp. 146-160
5. DeWitt
8. Gottlieb, essay by Lopez
Question: How do these authors together contribute to understanding creation as "gift and blessing"?

Week 8 (Oct 28 - Nov 1) Creation as travail

Readings: 13. McClendon, pp. 160-176
4. DeWitt
8. Gottlieb, essay by Muir
Question: How do these authors together contribute to understanding the presence of chaos, evil and travail in creation?

Week 9 (Nov 4-8) Creation as promise

Readings: 13. McClendon, pp. 176-189
2. Beker
Question: What do these authors contribute to understanding the goal of creation in God's purpose?

Week 10 (Nov 13-15) Creation and the people of God

Readings: 10. Habel
Question: What attitudes toward creation's use and care are reflected in the biblical "land ideologies" which Habel summarizes?

Week 11 (Nov 18-22) New Creation and the people of God

Readings: 17. Zerbe
11. Jenson
Question: In what sense is the coming new creation already present and participated in by the Church according to Zerbe and Jenson?

Week 12 (Nov 25-29) The end of all things

Readings: 7. Fretheim
6. DeWitt
12. Ingram
Question: How do these authors together understand praise as the"end" of all created things?

Week 13 (Dec 2-6) Synthesis and Conclusions

THEOLOGY OF CREATION: AN ANTHOLOGY OF READINGS

Douglas Harink, ed.

The King's University College, 1996

TABLE OF CONTENTS (and sources)

The readings in this collection are arranged alphabetically by author (or sometimes editor) -- thus the readings appear in the following order.

1. Bernhard W. Anderson. From Creation to New Creation: Old Testament Perspectives. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994. (Selection: Ch. 5, "Mythopoeic and Theological Dimensions of Biblical Creatio n Faith", pp. 75-96)

2. J. Christiaan Beker. Paul's Apocalyptic Gospel: The Coming Triumph of God. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982. (Selection: Ch. 7, "The Challenge of Paul's Apocalyptic", pp. 105-121)

3. Catechism of the Catholic Church. New York: Doubleday Image Books, 1995. (Selection: Part One, Section Two, Article 1, Paragraphs 4,5,6, pp. 82-108)

4. Calvin B. DeWitt. "Seven Degradations of Creation". In Calvin B. DeWitt, editor, The Environment and the Christian. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991. Pp. 13-23.

5. Calvin B. DeWitt. Earth-Wise: A Biblical Response to Environmental Issues. Grand Rapids, MI: CRC Publications, 1994. (Selection: Ch. 1, "Seven Provisions for Creation", pp. 11-25)

6. Calvin B. DeWitt. "What's in a Lawn? A Description of How Your Lawn Could Behave." In Frederick W. Krueger, The Lord's House: A Guide to Creation Careful Management of Church Facilities. Wynn ewood, PA: The Christian Society of the Green Cross, 1995. Pp. 50-52.

7. Terence E. Fretheim. "Nature's Praise of God in the Psalms." In Ex Auditu 3 (1987): 16-30.

8. Roger S. Gottlieb, editor. This Sacred Earth: Religion, Nature, Environment. New York: Routledge, 1996. (Selections, in order, by: Barry Lopez, John Muir, Joseph Henderson and Maud Oakes, Rob ert Harrison, Lao Tzu, John Seed et. al.)

9. Colin E. Gunton. The One, the Three and the Many: God, Creation and the Culture of Modernity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp 204-209.

10. Norman C. Habel. The Land is Mine: Six Biblical Land Ideologies. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995. (Selection: Ch. 8, "Comparisons, Conclusions, and Implications", pp. 134-148)

11. Robert W. Jenson. Essays in Theology of Culture. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995. (Selection: "Autobiographical Reflections on the Relation of Theology, Science, and Philosophy; or, You Wo nder Where the Body Went", pp. 216-224)

12. Beryl Ingram. "Eco-Justice Liturgics". In Dieter Hessel, editor, Theology for Earth Community: A Field Guide. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1996. Pp. 250-259.

13. James Wm. McClendon, Jr. Systematic Theology, Vol 2: Doctrine. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. (Selection: Ch. 4, "Creation and Sufffering", pp. 146-189)

14. Wolfhart Pannenberg. An Introduction to Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1991. (Selection, Ch. 3, "The Doctrine of Creation in an Age of Scientific Cosmology", pp. 37-52)

15. Loren Wilkinson. "Christ as Creator and Redeemer." In Calvin DeWitt, ed. (see 4. above), pp. 25-44.

16. Loren Wilkinson. "The New Story of Creation: A Trinitarian Perspective." In Crux 30 (December, 1994): 26-36.

17. Gordon Zerbe. "The Kingdom of God and the Stewardship of Creation." In Calvin DeWitt, ed. (see 4. above), pp. 73-92.

THEOLOGY 324

THEOLOGY OF CREATION

Fall Term 1996

Term Papers or Projects

____________________________________________________

The following is a list of possible term papers or projects. You may choose one of these, or you may, with the professor's help, design a project of your own that fits with the theme of the course a nd demands the best of your efforts and talents.

1. Write a term paper on one of the central themes or biblical texts addressed in this course (for example: Christ as Creator; The role of the Holy Spirit in creation and new creation; chaos as a th eme in the Bible; Psalm 104 as a creation hymn; etc.) This paper must be about 12 pages long, typed, double spaced, and conform to the TKUC style guide.

2. Write an extended critical book report on Jurgen Moltmann's book, God in Creation. This paper must both provide an accurate and fair account of the contents of Moltmann's book, but must also dra w upon and integrate perspectives from the readings in the course textbook and from the lectures. This paper must be about 12 pages long, etc.

3. Conduct an analysis of the hymnbook currently used in your church with a view to discerning how, and how much, creation themes are included in hymns and parts of hymns. The task is not only to i dentify creation themes in the hymns, but also to do a theological analysis of them from the perspectives gained through the lectures and assigned readings in the course. 12 pages.

4. Keep a "nature journal" throughout the term, in which you reflect on an aspect or aspects of the creation which have an impact (however direct or indirect) on your life. Perhaps it is a prairie slough, a woodlot, a plot of wetland, a backyard, etc. Your writing would include such themes as what this "plot" of creation reveals to you about itself, about yourself in relation to it, about the

Creator, etc. Length? Consult the professor.

5. Write a set of hymns (with or without music) or poetry which treat creation in its material or theological aspects. Consult the professor.

6. Come up with your own project. Consult the professor.

Due Dates:

Sept 27: Submit a one paragraph description of your planned project.

Oct 25: Submit an outline and/or progress report on your project, including a bibliography if you have chosen option # 1. For journals and hymn/poetry writing, early drafts should be submitted.

Nov 22: Submit your completed paper/project.



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