Theology isn’t meant to remain in books, in our heads, or in armchair conversations. It’s meant to impact our day-to-day lives. The discussion of ecotheology should also change how we live in the world.
A few weeks ago, I talked about the framework of “Call, Fail, Hope” around which I often organize my work. Today let’s talk about our call. The title of this post comes from Micah 6:8 in the NIV. This is a passage that describes the guilt of Israel, how they have offered sacrifices but neglected obedience, to the detriment of the people and the land. The full verse reads:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
What does it look like to act justly? To love mercy? To walk humbly with your God? Books upon books are filled with answers to these questions, but I just want to look at how we answer this with the environment in mind and how we seek justice for those who depend on the land (in other words, all of us). When it comes to the application of ecotheology, there are many answers, ranging from small actions by individuals to sweeping changes to systems. Today, let’s start with those small actions.
There are many ways we as individuals have an impact on this world. To name a detrimental few: water overuse, trash, food waste, harmful agricultural practices, overconsumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution of the land, sea, and sky. I do want to point out, these are not the only ways we impact the land; many of our actions can and do work for the good of the land. But the detrimental actions have had a painfully clear impact in recent decades.
Start with one thing; what issue do you care about? Do some research. There are many tools online to help you understand what your individual impact is. Take water overuse, for example. The Water Calculator looks at indoor, outdoor, and virtual (the rest of your lifestyle) use and offers suggestions for reducing your water footprint. Similar calculators exist for food waste, trash, greenhouse gas emissions, and probably whatever other issue you’re interested in learning about. From there, make a small adjustment, one you can sustain over time. Can you buy produce from a local farmer? Buy items secondhand, or borrow them? Improve the insulation in your house?
Each small action toward caring well for the world is a step toward living mercifully and seeking justice for the land and those who walk on it, practicing humility and obedience in the ways God has instructed us to care for Creation. In what ways does your individual impact matter? In what ways can you adjust to better care for the land entrusted to you?
Take a step each day towards improving our environment, God's creation. Pick up a piece of trash. Use less plastic. Use items that aren't going to sit in a landfill, polluting the ground and water.