Our lectionary texts, Isaiah 65:17-25 and Psalm 98, offer vision and hope for people of faith, a vision of ultimate peace among the whole of creation.  The Hebrew word which implies such a state of being is shalom. The word shalom has a deep and rich meaning, implying not only a lack of hostility towards the creation and all God’s creatures, but also a state of general health and well being, a condition where there is “ecojustice” for all parts of creation.  Thus, any acts on the part of humans which are counter to God’s creative handiwork are also counter to God’s will for creation.  To degrade the earth and its living and nonliving components is to destroy shalom and to work against the purposes of God for a living earth.
 
Selected readings from Corinthians 12: 12-26 reinforce the idea of shalom as a peaceful network of interrelationships that benefit all of God’s creation: “Indeed the body does not consist of one member, but of many…. But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as God chose…. if one member suffers, all suffer together with it.”
 
The interrelationships depicted above also apply to all of earth’s members and the totality of the creation.  If the waters or the air are unhealthy, all members suffer.  Furthermore, we as humans have two sets of dependencies: 1) we can only obtain our food and energy from the lower segments of the food web, i.e., other plants and animals, and 2) we depend upon clean water and air to meet the needs of the circulatory and respiratory members of our body. What, then, do we need to learn about the other members of creation?  Perhaps the answer lies in Job 12: 7-10: “But ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the air and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.”
 
What is the status of the creatures on the earth today, and what are they telling us?  Leading ecologists point out that we are losing a species or more each day.  This present day rate of extinction exceeds any in the history of the earth, including that affiliated with the loss of the dinosaurs. Within the next 50-100 years, it is estimated that more than 50% of all species will be lost or endangered.  Recent studies indicate that with loss and change of critical habitat, the extinction rate for birds and amphibians is expected to be 100 to 1000 times beyond the rate of the past 10,000 years.  The fisheries of the oceans will be completely depleted within the next 50-100 years under current conditions of exploitation and water pollution.  Most of all, the human species will face unprecedented obstacles as a rising population, developing countries, terrorist groups, and the most affluent nations fight for any remaining resources such as food, energy, water, and land.  In addition, the spread of disease vectors will increase health problems on a scale paralleling or exceeding that of previous flu and plague epidemics.
 
But beyond these concerns, we see that the earth also has a fever!  The consensus of the scientific community is that the average temperature of the earth is increasing rapidly as humankind uses more fossil fuels and releases increasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the greenhouse layer of the atmosphere. When a child has a slight temperature rise between 99 degrees and 100, we as adults become concerned and provide the child with aspirin, rest, and fluids.  If the temperature continues to rise, we see the doctor, a diagnosis is made, and we take appropriate prescriptive measures. If the temperature gets into the 102-104 degree range, we take drastic intervention measures, including cooling down techniques and hospitalization.
 
The earth is now experiencing a fever unprecedented in past geologic history, a history which includes both ice ages and warming trends.  A scientific consensus exists among experts, including leading zoologists, botanists, geologists, ecologists, climatologists, glacial physicists, and oceanographers, telling us that the earth’s temperature is rising and will continue to go up. Ecosystems and the native species they support are becoming endangered.  Using the above human analogy, small measures are no longer enough, and drastic intervention is needed.
 
It should be obvious that the birds, the fish, and indeed, all living creatures and the earth itself are talking to us.  They are telling us that the earth and its members are hurting.  Its bloodstream, the waters of our streams, lakes, and oceans are becoming increasingly polluted.  The air is becoming increasingly unhealthy, as sulfuric and nitric acids, mercury compounds, and many other constituents reach toxic levels.
 
Why are the changes occurring?  The answer lies with the greenhouse layer of our atmosphere.  Over billions of years, this layer has achieved a point of equilibrium whereby carbon dioxide has reached a density of 90%.  This density is perfect for trapping much of the sun’s radiant energy and retaining it as absorbed heat energy.  Since the Industrial Revolution, however, and especially over the past 40 years, carbon dioxide levels have increased dramatically. Where does excessive carbon dioxide come from?  The major culprit is the burning of fossil fuels to meet our energy demands.  Most electrical generating power plants use coal; our automobiles and transport vehicles use petroleum products.
 
Now, let’s take a brief look at how the Bible describes the relationship we should hold with creation and its creatures. The first biblical “endangered species act” comes from Genesis 6:19-22 and the command given to Noah.  “You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal, and of every kind of animal that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.  You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.  Noah did everything as God commanded him.” 
 
A second reading from Genesis 9: 8-14 describes the covenant God established between God, humankind, the creatures, and the earth.  It recognizes in a holistic way that all the members of the earth - not just humans - are interrelated and interdependent, like the members of our body. It can be considered to be part of the First Law of Ecology: “Environmental Unity.” “Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that was with you – the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you - every living creature on earth.”

This covenant represents a compelling message for us as Christians who seek understanding about appropriate action on behalf of God’s creation. The ELCA Social Statement on Caring for Creation, subtitled Vision, Hope, and Justice, offers a way to reflect theologically on our responsibility. This statement points out that Christian concern for the environment is shaped by the Word of God spoken in Creation, the love of God hanging on a cross, and the Breath of God renewing the face of the earth. Thus, care for the earth is a profoundly spiritual matter. Humans, in service to God, have special roles on behalf of the whole of creation. Our role within the creation is to keep God’s garden, the earth.  “To serve” is often translated “to till” and means for us to be the servant species of the earth, as God keeps and cares for us. We are called to live according to God’s wisdom in creation. In our time, science and technology help us discover how to live according to God’s creative wisdom.  The term typically used today is “sustainability,” which means to implement a lifestyle today that will assure natural resources and elements are available for future generations to use in a way that will not diminish the quality of life for all humans and creatures of the earth.
 
Some ecotheologians believe that the crisis we face is that of the human mind.  We do not listen; we think that the earth’s members are too large and vast to be polluted, that global warming, air and water pollution are myths. We deny the science that is being presented to us and feel the environment is apart from us. Indeed: "The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth. . . And the Lord was sorry to have
made humankind on the earth" (Genesis 6:5-6).
 
The Bible offers clear guidance as to what should be the nature of our vocation as stewards of the earth.  “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you claim to have faith but do no good deeds?  Can such faith save you?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, ‘Go; I wish you well, keep warm and well fed’, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. As the body without the spirit is
dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (James 2:14ff).
 
In light of what we know about the condition of the earth, acts are immediately needed at all levels, starting with ourselves. We can reduce our energy consumption habits in many different ways without degrading our quality of life.  For example, if every household in North Carolina would install four compact florescent light bulbs, we would not need to build the nuclear or coal-fired power plant Duke Power is proposing.  If all the households of this state would install CPL bulbs throughout every home, we could take a power plant off the grid. That is the single most cost effective thing we can do and significantly reduce energy consumption.  One such bulb uses 1/4th the energy of a standard incandescent bulb and lasts up to seven years.  We can carpool; we can combine chores or tasks so as to minimize our driving trips.  We can buy a more energy efficient auto; we can caulk and seal air leaks in our home. We can improve insulation levels, and we can utilize energy star appliances. If the U.S. population were to make these lifestyle changes, we would reduce energy consumption and power plant emissions back to pre-1970 levels.
 
We can accomplish this if we have the will, the spirit, and the deeds to follow through on our responsibility as Christians, to enliven our faith with deeds and not just words. “Praise to the Lord God, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise to God’s name forever; may the whole earth be filled with God’s glory” (Psalm 72: 18 - 19).

By Dr. Ed Hauser, Professor Emeritus of Biology; Chair, Caring for Creation Task Force, NC Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America