Healing All Creation

June 14, 2019

Cosmological theology (also known as ecotheology) investigates the effect of theology on environmental and social systems. By tying the biblical creation stories in Genesis and the Gospel of Mark, Connell (media ethics, Western Washington Univ.) and Bartholomew (New Testament, Gonzaga Univ.) reveal that a major theme of Jesus's ministry is the repair of the world. The authors first point out that the story of the Fall is not simply about individuals but a disruption of cosmic proportions. They then connect this idea to Mark's version of Jesus in the wilderness. Two of the elements (the temptation and the wild animals) are present in Genesis, and a third (ministering angels) is mentioned in the Talmud. Other stories in Mark are brought in to show Jesus's relationship to nature (e.g., the stilling of the storm) and social systems (e.g., the place of women). These are illustrated by exemplars such as French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and American journalist Dorothy Day. VERDICT Connell and Bartholomew spend comparatively little time with either Mark or Genesis, relying instead on the silences of the linked narratives. While useful for storytelling, this technique risks importing, rather than exploring, meanings. This presentation of ecotheology might interest casuals reader, but serious students might find it distracting.--James Wetherbee, Wingate Univ. Libs., NC

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 24, 2019
Taking a “cosmological” and inclusive view of Christian scripture, Connell, journalism and media ethics professor at Western Washington University, and Bartholomew, New Testament professor at Gonzaga University, offer an insightful reinterpretation of Genesis and the gospel of Mark, one that elevates the duty to preserve nature and promote nonviolence. The authors contend that Mark’s gospel makes repeated allusions (which his original audience would have recognized) to the Genesis account of Adam and Eve’s banishment from Eden to focus readers on the importance of free will. They then argue that Jesus in Mark should be viewed as a model for how to use God’s gift of free will to resist the temptation toward violent behavior and instead engage in compassionate, nonviolent acts. Incorporating insights from scientists including Edward Lorenz and Stephen Jay Gould—whose theories of “the butterfly effect” and “the great asymmetry” reinforce the authors’ points about the interconnected nature of all things—and theologians such as Dorothy Day, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and Abraham Heschel, Bartholomew and Connell argue that each “personal decision to promote healing and reconciliation” can have significant positive impact for the universe. This powerful argument that scriptural stories and modern science can work together to redress the crises facing the planet will provide readers of any faith a radical vision of hope for the future.