ecotheology and liturgy
DESCRIPTION
Presentation in the Annual Conference of Leitourgia, the Nordic liturgical network (www.leitourgia.org) in Uppsala 6th November 2014TRANSCRIPT
Ecotheology and Leitourgia
Panu Pihkala 6.11.2014, Uppsala
Let All Creation Praise (.org)
Closing Commission people to "Go in peace. Serve the
Lord, Remember the poor. Care for creation." Or “Tend the Earth.”
Confession Include at least one statement of confession
that addresses our degradation and misuse of creation.
Prayer Always include at least one petition on behalf
of the natural world. [Avoid making only anthropocentric arguments.]
The Finnish version (P. Pihkala, Luontokirkkovuosi): 3. Thanksgiving and PraiseAlways include at least one prayer of thanksgiving (and/or praise) for nature’s gifts
John Constable: Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Grounds, 1823
This presentation
Two undercurrents 1) Environmental themes in liturgy 2) Environmental education by the
whole worship experience Environmental crisis is taken for
granted: it is presumed that we all think that something must be done, and we must do our part
Main Contents
Introduction to materials about liturgy and ecology Season of Creation, Let All Creation Praise
H. Paul Santmire: Ritualizing Nature (2008)
Discussion about practical possibilities in liturgy
Worship from an ecosystem point of view (Stewart, A Watered Garden)
Christianity and the environment (A Rocha, Finnish materials)
Season of Creation
Special time of the church year Cf. Creation Time, WCC
Popular in Australia, parts of the Anglo-American world
Operates through a web site (www.seasonofcreation.com)
Many connections with another web site: www.letallcreationpraise.org
SoC: A Preaching Commentary (Habel, Rhoads and Santmire (eds.) 2011)
Focus both on special occasions (e.g. Creation Sunday) and all worship
-> Season of Creation materials can be applied to the church year in general
Why?
1. God is first and foremost the creator of all of life.
2. We were created with rest of nature.3. God has given us a creation to
celebrate with.4. Through worship, we have an
opportunity to come to terms with the current ecological crises in a spiritual way so as to empathize with a groaning creation.
5. A fresh focus on the wonders and wounds of creation will help us in positive ways to love creation and so care for creation as our personal vocation and our congregational ministry.
6. This season enables us to celebrate the many ways in which Christ is connection with creation.
7. And finally, this season enables us to deepen our understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit in relationship to creation.(Season of Creation: A Preaching Commentary)
Christocentric
”In the Season of Creation we celebrate Christ together with creation, we face the ecological crisis with Christ, and we serve Christ in the healing of creation.”
Key persons behind both web sites are Lutherans
In addition: top scholars in worship and ecotheology are Lutherans (Gordon Lathrop, H. Paul Santmire; see also Frank Senn)
Caspar David Friedrich: Cross in the Mountains, 1807
Norman Habel, David Rhoads Biblical scholars Habel: Australia (originally from the
US) Influential through the Earth Bible Series Society of Biblical Literature, Ecological
Hermeneutics Rhoads: Lutheran School of Theology
at Chicago (LSTC) Performance Criticism Earth and Word: ecotheological sermons Web of Creation internet site
H. Paul Santmire (1935-)
A key ecotheologian, active since the 1960s
www.hpaulsantmire.com Harvard dissertation on Barth’s
theology of creation, studies with Tillich
Adaptation of Martin Buber’s thought: relationship to nature as I-Ens (between I-Thou and I-it)
Cf. Theories of recognition (C. Taylor, A. Honneth etc.), study project in Helsinki by Risto Saarinen Pihkala: Recognizing Nature Conferences in Finland in 2016:▪ Societas Oecumenica (Theme: Recognition-
related), end of August▪ European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN),
probably June 2016
▪ Both in Sofia center, Vuosaari, Helsinki
Other works
Brother Earth (1970) Tom Sverre Tomren: Miljöetikk og
ökoteologi I Den norske Kyrkja 2014 (School of Mission and Theology Diss. 20)
Travail of Nature: The Ambiguous Ecological Promise of Christian Theology (1985) Two ”motifs” in Christian theology
Nature Reborn (2000) Before Nature (2014)
Ritualizing Nature
Ritualizing Nature (2008) Perhaps the most nuanced work yet on
the subject Mostly systematic and practical
theology, but also ritual studies (identity formation)
Theology of ascent vs. theology of descent
Ubiquity of Christ, Eucharistic theology ”Partnering with nature, ritually”
Recommends that different kinds of nature should be represented in church art and liturgical content: Wild nature Cultivated nature (e.g. fields, wineyards) Fabricated nature (e.g. medical tools) Cosmic nature
The tapestries in Linköping Cathedral include most of these themes:
Background: Joseph Sittler
Lutheran, ecumenical theologian (1904-1987)
Known as a key pioneer in ecotheology (since early 1950s) Collection of writings: Evocations of
Grace (2000, ed. by Bakken & Bouma-Prediger)
Focus of P. Pihkala’s dissertation (December 2014): Joseph Sittler and Early Ecotheology
Leader of the American section of the Ways of Worship ecumenical study project (1950s)
Sittler’s theology of worship Shape of the Church’s Response in
Worship (1956) “So it has happened that experts in
worship have arisen among us. All assume that the purpose of public worship is to create a mood; and he is the next admirable as the leader of worship who has mastered finesse in the mood-setting devices made available by the application of psychological categories. …
…Thence has flowed that considerable and melancholy river of counsel whereby one may learn how to organize an assault upon the cognitive and critical faculties of the mind, how to anesthetize into easy seduction the nonverbalized but dependable anxieties that roam about in the solitary and collective unconscious, and how to conduct a brain-washing under the presumed banner of the Holy Ghost. ...
… That this is what worship means in thousands of congregations is certainly true; it is equally true that the scriptures know nothing about such ideas. When we are enjoined to be still and know that God is God, the presupposition is not that stillness is good and speech is bad -- but rather that God is prior to man and all God-man relationships are out of joint if that is not acknowledged.”(http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=795&C=976)
Report of the American Section (Ways of Worship) to the Montreal World Conference of Faith and Order, 1963 European Section: Regin Prenter etc.
Dogma and Doxa (1973) Essays on Nature and Grace (1972) Influenced Frank Senn www.josephsittler.org
Let All Creation Praise: Guidelines
Step One: four key moments that help to structure every worship service (see the beginning of this lecture + invocation)
Each week incorporate creation-care into other elements in worship
Bring the presence of nature in your sanctuary
Green the practices related to worshiphttp://www.letallcreationpraise.org/four-steps-to-creation-care-in-all-worsh
Possibilities in liturgy
Introduction: If there is an introduction to the focus
of the season and the Sunday at the beginning of the service, give a brief description of the significance of the season that connects it to creation.
Hymns: Keep in mind hymns with references
to the natural world.
Scripture readings: In the introduction to the lessons, take
the opportunity to note references to God the creator and to the presence of the nature in the biblical world and its role in the meaning of the passage.
Psalm: Often the psalm is a source of
celebration of God the creator and the natural world. As you introduce the psalm, note its relevance to nature.
Preaching: Proclaim the good news to all God's
creation. Give examples and challenges that include our relationship with nature.
Sacraments: Make connections for people to the natural
elements of grapes, grain, and water bearing the presence of Christ. Place baskets of fresh grapes and grain and water for people to touch and relate to.
Plants. Living plants and trees in the worship space to
serve as partners in worship. If selected carefully, these may also serve to purify the air.
Art displays. Consider photographs around the sanctuary or
nature scenes by local artists. Point out scenes of nature present on stained glass windows.
Worship outside: Identify the plants and animals with whom you
are worshipping on your property.
Thorncrown Chapel
Stewart: A Watered Garden
”Christian Worship and Earth’s Ecology” (Fortress, 2011)
The worship event seen from an ecosystem point of view
Examples: how much water is in the congregation what the building and event consumes,
what it gives (or emits) to the environment
Seasons as integrally related to Christian message
The use of the baptismal font (and the areea near it) in connection to natural elements and seasons
Green Burial -> a new way of thinking!
Luontokirkkovuosi (2013) Adaptation into Nordic environment Suvielise Nurmi, theologian
specialized in environmental ethics A working group: a professional
environmental educator, youth worker, cantor
Theory, guidelines, emphasis on practical material: ready-to-use devotions and activities
Luonto ja Raamattu (PP, 2010)
Further Themes
Pilgrimage Variation in nature-related themes:
Thanksgiving, petition, but also Lament Fear of nature/ environmental
conditions the spiritual significance of nature Empowerment
The significance of personal attitude Animals
Christians in Conservation:
Questions for You
1. Are these kind of nature-oriented liturgical elements used in my congregation? Could I use them in my personal work?
2. Could I find time to read more about liturgy and ecology, perhaps from one of these books which were mentioned?
3. Could there be a chance for a local group about Christianity and the environment, perhaps through A Rocha?
