This article originally appeared on Washington Post's "On Faith"
The most destructive oil leak in U.S. history has been devastating: 11 people are dead, approximately 20 million gallons of oil now drift along the western coast of Florida, destroying or threatening untold numbers of birds and marine wildlife, and wreaking unknown economic damage on our southernmost state. Why aren't Christians diluting the oil-stained waters with tears?
Christians believe that God created everything we now see, including the oceans, fish, and birds. Natural forces under God's watch have shaped the coastlines and allowed life to flourish. In the book of Genesis, we find a God who repeatedly calls the creation "good" and charges human beings with the task of protecting and caring for it. Have we failed?
Furthermore, the scriptures tell the story of a God who has buried divine revelation in the world. The psalmist says that the creation "declares the glory of God" and the apostle Paul says that nature communicates God's attributes to human beings. When we look at the immeasurable damage caused by this crisis, we must ask, "Does this glorify the one who made all of this?"
We are tempted to see this as merely an economic crisis, focusing on the nearly one billion dollars of oil lost and the way this might affect domestic gas prices. But the Christian tradition tells of a God who is more concerned about whether or not life flourishes as he intended. The scriptures say that God loves all he has made. It tells us that God watches over the doe during pregnancy and he notices if a single sparrow falls from the sky. Should we not also infer that he has taken note of the destruction of life in the Gulf?
A recent article on Houston Belief titled, "Few Christian leaders respond to the oil spill in The Gulf," pointed out the deafening silence from faith leaders on this issue. It seems many leaders in the Christian establishment have been too busy posturing themselves in support of Arizona's new immigration law to think theology about the oil spill.
This is not a time of posturing. It is a time for mourning, prayer, and action. We must rise to meet the needs of those families who are affected and pray that this disaster does not further ravish people who have already been overwhelmed by so much. And we must also get to work restoring the devastated creation that God has asked us to care for. With tears and resolve, we can be a big part of a solution to a problem we helped create.
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Melynda, Wieters said:
Thank you! I have an awesome relationship with God. He placed the love of the earth on my heart years ago. I am a stay at home mom, work with teens and help Sea Turtles. In working w/the turtles I have met the most amazing people who believe 100% the earth needs help, we all need to care...none are Christian. I speak at schools about the turtles and Christian clubs on why we should care. My Christian friends all think I am crazy. I just don't get it, I never have, how can a believer not care? Thank you for your article,it gave me hope that I may not be the only one. God bless you!
Posted: May 28, 2010
LaTawnia Kintz said:
Just found your blog through a tweet from a friend. Great article! Christians should be mourning the destruction that is taking place from this oil spill. I know I am. My prayers are not only for the waters, and wildlife and etc, but also for those who will now be homeless and jobless because of the damage. Not to mention illness and disease that will arise out of this mess that we have created. May God have mercy on us all.
Posted: May 28, 2010
Marc Andreas said:
Why aren't Christians mourning the oil spill? Because we are selfish. Because we care about our pocketbooks and our money more than God's creation? Hmmm, pretty obvious answers based on the actions of most Christians in the US, that's for sure.
20 million gallons? That number should shock everyone of us! Please pray that God will help us find an answer to stop this awful catastrophe and clean it up.
Posted: May 29, 2010
Mike said:
Well, if an authority like Kate Shellnut said it, it must be true. More recently, Christianity Today's senior managing editor had a piece on it.
I think your average Christian is quite concerned about fixing it and cleaning it up (although perhaps leaving the sackcloth and ashes to the experts and the enviro-religious fervor to the zealots).
With respect to the shot against Arizonans, I suppose a Christian who actually read the legislation ncan support common-sense state law enforcement against illegals which is mirrored after federal law, all at the same time they bemoan an oil spill. After all, didn't a wise man once say that a person can walk and chew gum at the same time? Amazing what people can do nowadays.
The oil spill, caused by a tragic accident (possibly negligence), an obvious lack of contingency planning by BP, and possibly aggravated by the inaction of an administration more interested in political posturing than working with BP to fix the problem, is going to cause economic devestation for people in the Gulf - tourism, fishing, jobs - who knows how long the clean up will take. Being concerned about that is not selfish or unChristian - it simply an adult, mature recognition of the obvious fact that yes -people- are going to be harmed, along with the fishys.
Posted: June 2, 2010