1. What word would you use to describe your historic relationship with creation? Why?
I suppose if I were to try to pick A WORD that described my relationship with creation, it would be naive. The tradition I grew up in had zero interest in my/our relationship with creation if I’m being honest. In fact the opposite was true! There was a skepticism of those who cared about creation and a fear that we might be tempted to fall into some sort of ”pantheism” and worship of creation instead of the Creator. That, coupled with a “mis”reading of the apostle Paul in his letter to Peter, and there was a strong sense that this world would burn up and all the faithful folks would be evacuated to some disembodied reality also known as heaven. I say ”naive” because I really didn’t have a lens, category, or any teaching on what I’ve now come to learn is a deep and meaningful spiritual pathway in my life. I was completely oblivious to the fact that my love of creation and being outdoors was part of how experience(d) God. I was naive to the fact that this was even a thing. I’ve driven three hours each way seven different times since last fall with ZERO fish to show for it, in pursuit of Steelhead on the north shore of Lake Superior. On each of these trips I’ve found myself in the woods and in the river, deeply connected to myself and the God I believe created the world.
2. How do you envision an embodied, sacred relationship with creation?
Thankfully, I’ve grown up a bit. Through adulthood, seminary, reading and personal growth, I’ve now come to realize that one of the most significant ways that I experience the presence of God is through creation. To be honest, I can’t imagine a future for myself that doesn’t include an embodied relationship with creation. My personal life is connected to activities where I often find myself in creation via woodworking and fishing. This cohort experience has been a good prompt/prodding for my family to think more deeply about how we want to integrate an embodied relationship with creation more deeply. Questions about our ”property”/home in the city and if there are ways that we can be more connected to sustainable practices have been areas we are working out some of the implications.
3. Who in your context can help you move toward what you envision?
Both my wife and I have wondered who are the people that we are in proximity to that might be able to help us, walk with us, teach us? I don’t know that we’ve come to any definitive answers if I’m being honest. We’re holding the wisdom and encouragement of ”paying a guide” for this kind of work and have our eyes open in our relationships/network.
1 comment
Thanks for this post, Micah. I am distracted by your fly fishing pic :-). As a fellow fly fisherman who often gets skunked – you have my heart! As a fellow-urbanite, I feel similarly compelled toward creation and the natural environment. And, with the pressure and doldrums of life, work, the city, etc. While I love it, nature and wilderness is just something I want to “use” for my purposes by escaping to it or fantasizing about some simple idylic life of peace within it. Much like the rich young ruler, I am not ready to make peace with it. Reconciling with creation feels like a deep longing that I avoid.