The New Testament and the Creation: Apocalyptic Ecology

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The New Testament and the CreationApocalyptic
Ecology

• The problem Western notions of salvation have
  focused on the redemption of the individual
  human, often understood as being transported from
  this earth to heaven, or from the physical realm
  to a spiritual realm, or from history to the
  eternal.
• In contrast, the authors of the New Testament
  look for Gods redemption of Gods people in
  Christ (the Body of Christ) along with the rest
  of creation. The image of God coming to dwell
  among humans (as Christ came to dwell among us)
  is common (and probably presumed by Paul in 1
  Thessalonians 416-17, which often is taken to
  refer, mistakenly, to a rapture off of earth).
• Key Questions
• Does God intend to redeem the whole creation, or
  just humans?
• What role do humans play in the created order?

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Basic Convictions for an Apocalyptic Ecology

• God loves the whole world (not just humans) and
  redeems the whole creation
• Creation has been subjected to futility and
  groans as it awaits redemption and the revelation
  of Gods people (Romans 818-23)
• The created order suffers the collateral damage
  of human imperial orders
• Jesus Christ reigns as Lord of the whole
  creation, both in heaven and on earth, in all
  realms, in all times
• The Church is the fruit of Gods redemptive,
  reconciling activity in Christ. It embodies unity
  with diversity (an ecological principle),
  demonstrates humility and self-giving for others
  (a principle of creation itself), and bears
  witness to the Lordship and saving power of
  Christ for the whole creation (not merely
  individual humans).

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The Christ Hymn Philippians 26-11 25 Let the
same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
26 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something
to be exploited, 27 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, being born in
human likeness. And being found in human form,
28 he humbled himself and became obedient to
the point of death even death on a cross.
29 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
210 so that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bend, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, 211 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father.
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Christ the Creator and Reconciler Colossians
115-20 115 He is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of all creation 116 for
in him all things in heaven and on earth were
created, things visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or powers all
things have been created through him and for him.
117 He himself is before all things, and in
him all things hold together. 118 He is the
head of the body, the church he is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so
that he might come to have first place in
everything. 119 For in him all the fullness of
God was pleased to dwell, 120 and through him
God was pleased to reconcile to himself all
things, whether on earth or in heaven, by
making peace through the blood of his cross.
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Earth, Cosmos, and the Human World in
Revelation gh, kosmoj, oikoumene gh ga
gaia the earth (in contrast to heaven,
e.g., 106) dry land (in contrast to the sea,
cf. 105) inhabited land (as in the Land of
Israel) soil or ground. kosmoj cosmos the
world, used widely in early Judaism and
Christianity to refer to the whole created order,
not merely the earth oikoumene oikoumene
the inhabited, civilized world, the world of
humans, or the Roman Empire as an administrative
unit.
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• gh ga gaia
• Used over 100 times in Revelation,
• often modifying human referents (e.g., kings,
  tribes, merchants . . .of the earth)
• designating the realm where the forces of Satan,
  the dragon, the beasts, etc., wage war against
  God, Gods elect, the saints. The earth is the
  primary battleground
• the object of travail plagues, famine,
  pestilence (68, 72 85-7, 116). Woe comes to
  earth and sea because the Devil has come with
  great wrath (1212) judgment comes upon the
  great whore who corrupted the earth . . . (192)
• the earth is sometimes protected from judgment
  directed against rebellious, imperial humanity
  (94) the earth intervenes to swallow a great
  river that the dragon pours out in an attempt to
  destroy the woman who has borne a son (1216)
• heavenly worshippers celebrate Gods judgment
  against those who destroy the earth (1118)
• John sees a new heaven and a new earth, and the
  first have passed away (211) (see Isaiah 6517,
  6622, images of restoration)

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• kosmoj cosmos the created order
• Refers to the world, as in the foundation of
  the world or the creation of the world
• Widely used in early Judaism and Christianity to
  refers to the whole created order, not just the
  earth.
• In 138 and 178, the phrase foundation of the
  world occurs in association with the book of
  life, who existence precedes creation itself

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• oikoumene oikoumene the human world
• Refers to the realm inhabited and constructed
  by humans, the world we make, the civilized
  world.
• It is also often used in 1st Century Greek texts
  to designate the Roman Empire as an
  administrative unit, the political
  personification of the imperial world
• Used 3 times in Revelation
• 310an hour of trial is coming upon the whole
  worldi.e., upon the empire and the inhabitants
  of the earth (those who oppose God)
• 129the dragon/serpent/Satan is the deceiver
  of the whole world, i.e., of those who live in
  the empire
• 1614demonic spirits go abroad to the kings of
  the whole world, i.e., to the imperial rulers

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• In Revelation, the earth (gh) is not destroyed!
  It is the imperial order (oikoumene) that comes
  to a violent end, with the judgment against
  Satan/the Beast/Babylon (Rev 17-18).
• The first heaven and earth (the earth dominated
  by human imaginings and constructions of time and
  space) pass away. Both are replaced by a new
  heaven and new earth in Gods presence. God comes
  to dwell in the midst of the city/garden/humans
  (211-27), where there is no time (no night or
  day) and no religion (no temple).