As Christians, while we may look to reduce our own carbon footprint, we are called to be stewards and witnesses of a much more radical resource. The clue is in the word ‘ecology’.
‘Eco’ comes from the Greek word oikos, meaning house, or dwelling place. Ecology is partly about our responsibility to recognise the precious gift of the Earth, as our dwelling place: to be thankful, and play our part. God made humankind to care for the earthly world: Jesus amplifies the call, as He uses ‘nature’ as the sign of how we can live in order to flourish and to fulfil God’s will.
‘Logy’ comes from a Greek word logos interpreted as reason, the ordering of knowledge, logic. In John’s Gospel, logos is a word to describe Jesus – through whom all things are made and from whom all true knowledge comes. Logos is the word, the source of all goodness and grace, for every human life, and for all of creation.
It is the ‘logos’, the word, who inhabits our lives, our creation – inviting us to recognise His light, and allow it to overcome the darkness of our own limited concerns and agendas. We meet the logos in scripture, in worship, in prayer, and deeper reflection. In Jesus, as logos, we can find the wisdom, the resources and the commitment to play our part in caring for creation. We are able to invite others to recognise the deeper truths about Eco, our common dwelling place, and to see more clearly how we join with others to work out what to do, how to live, and honour the gift of life that we receive through Him. The Logos is the possibility of good news for humankind and the Earth.
What a responsibility each Christian disciple is called to bear! And what grace can be ours to enable us to fulfil our calling, and help all of God’s children become caught up in the praise and prayer that gives true life to our dwelling place, and to exercise our stewardship appropriately. Read John 1v1-14. Become an ECO-warrior – committed our common dwelling place – through celebrating the power and presence of the LOGOS. ECOLOGY: we know it makes sense.