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Priest of Creation
Humanity’s Role in Ecology from Genesis
A note on terms: I use nature and creation interchangeably throughout and ecology as the integrated relationship of nature and humanity.
Since the First Council of Nicea the Catholic Church has recognized the Trinitarian nature of God as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The reality and mystery of this Trinity is a central cornerstone of understanding, describing, and exploring Christian faith. Yet, there is another trinity of being which exists between humanity, creation, and God. Just as the Trinity of God includes the relationship of all parts with all other parts, so too does the trinity of being. Yet, there is an imbalance in the exploration of this trifecta of existence, and it is in the most neglected element of this relationship, that of creation and God, which I believe reveals humanity’s promise and our unrealized sacramental calling.
One of the most remarkable realities in the modern world is how bad we are at interacting in mutual benefit with the rest of creation. We too often treat our relationship with nature as one of competition, in which one of us must lose in order for the other to gain. Unwilling to look down the road, we demonstrate our willingness to sacrifice the future for the immediate gain of the present. Even amongst those who proclaim environmental sympathies we seem unable to get…
