We see from scripture the Godhead cares for creation sustains, affirms and is always participating with all of creation, this is shown through the image of Richard Rohr’s Divine Dance and Baxter Kruger The Great Dance as opposed to one that is not interested and passive leaving humanity to do what it wants with earth
We know that God has a good plan for us and has set before the beginning of time good works for us to accomplish. This mandate is clearly one of relationship, continuing the same theme from the relationship within the Godhead, the trinity, a mandate to uphold creation as the trinity does yesterday, today and forever.
It is clearly stated in scripture that the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are in constant relationship with creation and the cosmos., such as Genesis 1 (further in John 1:1, John 14, John 17:21-25, John 10:30, Colossians 2:9, Acts5:3-4, Isaiah64:8, job33:4, 1 Kings8:27)
In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was [c]formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, [d]“Let there be light”; and there was light. [1]
The scripture highlights the working together, caring, loving and being that the trinity upholds. God the Father creating the formless into the earth, the Spirit brooding and moving over the waters and the spoken word that by the Son. It is in this relational pattern we see them working throughout the scriptures in constant movement with each fulfilling their part. The trinity pouring out into each other in creating, loving, working, and flowing together. ‘Elohim’ in scripture it is refering to the trinity, working together in an active position, not a static far-off God, but one that is in active participation within creation. Richard Rohr has named this relationship in the trinity as the Divine Dance and Mike Morrell in his book review gives and overview of what this means below in his review of the book,
Rohr proposes that it’s not so much a matter of being “in” or “out” of the group, as it is a matter of participating. We can choose to join in the dance that is the relationship of God where we’re guided by the flow of the music and move in relation and response to one another. This is at the core of what it means to be in the Spirit. [2]
We find that where there is one member, the others are also present showing that together the three make up the Godhead, we see before anything they are together in relationship one unto the other. Then this relationship we see an outpouring of love into creation (Gen 1) This Biblical truth that God is one of inherent relationship which extends beyond the Godhead to creation, goes further to our mandate to care for creation as the Godhead does. This mandate is made clear in Genesis 1 in verse 4,12,17-18,20, and 25 states that the Cosms is called Good, but not only this it also sates that God affirmed and sustained it.[3] Richard Bauckham would say.
‘The creation was designed to be an interconnecting and interdependent whole, and so the refrain is varied at the end of the work of the sixth day: ‘God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good’ (1:31). The value of the whole is more than the value of the sum of its parts.’[4]
Highlighting the continued relationship that was poured out from the Godhead into creation, that together it is whole in its part and all those parts have value, God sustains and affirms every part.
When looking further into the whole and the role of humanity within creation and how we are to respond, I am drawn to the Chumash that states that when we see the scripture saying it was very good that and the Hebrew references to everything was ‘fit for purpose and able to act accordingly’[5] and it going further to explore that things can be good in isolation but only become very good in the whole. It is the combination of all the cosmos together that makes it very good.[6]
To continue onto the response of humanity within this framework it is important to consider the wording of these scriptures and what this means to us now. I would like to highlight two words that the amplified bible uses when God shows his nature towards creation in these verses, Affirm and sustain.
To affirm is defined in the oxford dictionary as to ‘Support, to validate, to uphold, to offer support.’ [7] God therefore not only said it was good but that it was worth upholding and supporting. Creation is worthy of Gods attention, all aspects not one more than the other, but in its fullness. God goes on to say that God will sustain it which the oxford dictionary defines to ‘provide enough for what someone or something needs to live, to maintain, to support. [8] Gods plan for creation is to provide enough for what it needs to live, giving us an insight therefore into Gods rule over the earth as one of care and nature.
Gods nature is one that cares, sustains, upholds, gives value to, and humanities role is to be in relationship with the trinity flowing together and participating in creation. Which is clear from Genesis 1: 26-31 Man made in the image of God. Being Made in Gods image, it then falls to humanity to continue to affirm and sustain creation as we continue to participate in the outworking of the Godhead.
Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; ……..” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] ………..31 God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.[9]
Therefore, we are to sustain, to uphold, to nature, to love and to give everything it needs to live. We can see from these scriptures that God is active with creation in active care in a constantly working and holding and sustaining the cosmos.
Some have read these scriptures and understood the mandate to have dominion and subdue gives license to exploit creation for our selfish end. Dominion Theology is one that some christian fundamentalist follow in which Dominionist—Reconstructionist George Grant states.
But it is dominion that we are after. Not just a voice. It is dominion we are after. Not just influence. It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time. It is dominion we are after. World conquest. That's what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish. [10]
however, dominion theology negates the nature of God that is depicted in the scripture, one we have come to see in Genesis 1 of love and care, one that sustains life and upholds all things, therefore to be the true reflection of God unto all others, one should pour out from oneself to the whole.
Where then do we see God inviting Man into the relationship between the trinity? The Chumash reads that in chapter 12 of Genesis 1
The Talmudic sage Rav Assi noted the apparent contradiction between this verse and the Torah’s statement that nothing had grown prior to the creation of Adam (2:5). He explains that the herbs began to grow on the third day, as they had been commanded, but stopped before they broke through the soil. It remained for Adam to pray for them, whereupon rain fell and the growth was completed. This teaches that God longs for the prayers of the righteous(Chullin60b) [11]
We see here again this invitation from God to be involved and to reflect the care that God has for all of creation, being in participation with God for the earth. We see in the psalms the constant care that God has for creation again and again, when we consider us being made in Gods image we can conclude that we are also to care for creation.
I would like to go one step further in our understanding of connectivity to creation in looking into the body and how the body is an important part of us feeling a connection to creation and therefore helps us to understand our active role as was discussed above. Sallie McFague states.
Body is the closet bit of matter to us (it is us); it is important to us beyond all telling; it gives us the greatest pleasure as well as the greatest pain we experience; it knits us together with all life forms in networks shared suffering and joy. In other words, it may be both the most intimate and the most universal way to understand reality. [12]
We can draw parallels here with psalms as we are knitted together in our mother’s womb Psalm 139 it is a physical action, in this very body we feel and experience life together on this earth, knitted together in the interlinking cosmos, drawn together by protons and electrons in space and time dancing in and out of each other in a beautiful dance. Just as John of Damascus stated that ‘ The Whole earth is a living icon of the face of God. (675-749)’[13] Therefore, if the earth is the face of God we are walking in and amongst that which is anointed the Christ, it is not separated from the trinity but is always revealing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we are participants within that body.
We must then consider Eph 1:10 and Col 1:16-18 That all things are summed up into Christ, bringing all things together in Christ, as all things have its being in the source of life that is Christ. As we see here that Christ is the sum of all of creation, and as we are asked to preserve the image of God and all that reveals God so to again sustain it seen in our original created mandate in Genesis 1, in which we give everything that one needs for life. We are called to act justly, walk humbly and Love mercy as is written in Micha 6:8[14] we are asked to participate in prayer and in body with the earth into the restoration of all that is summed up in Christ.
When we look upon the fallen broken world, that is not in line with the Divine Dance we are shown in scripture that the trinity has a plan for all things.
Rev 21: 5 He who was seated on the throne said “ I am making everything new ( Kainos)”[15].
Kainos translated from the Greek is new in quality not in time or place. Within eschatology Rapture theology the meaning of new heaven has been taken that living and dead humans believers only would be taken away from this world to ascend to heaven and meet Jesus. This belief emerged from the thought that Jesus will return to redeem the church in which creation does not have a place only the people, therefore in this thinking there is no care for the earth and the original plan for God to sustain is not considered. If we were to find that God would be giving something new in time i.e. doing away with what is now and doing some new in time the scripture would have said (neos)[16] not Kainos therefore we can conclude that God is making restoring rather than making new. God intention is to continue to work with and not to scrap the earth and start again.
Finally, we can conclude that it is clear from Scripture that the imagery of the Divine Dance shows that God is participating with creation, this is backed up throughout the scriptures. It is littered throughout scripture, showing the trinity is affirming and sustaining all things. Any attempt to show otherwise has been shown untrue and only strengthens the mandate to care for creation through our understanding of the Godhead. This is back up further through the Chumash in that God wants the participation of humanity to restore and participate within the Dance.
Written by Abigail Lynch
Bibliography
1. Bauckham, R . (2010) Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation. Darton, longman and Todd ltd
2. McFague, S. 1993 The body of God- An Ecological Theology. Fortess Press Minneaplois
3. Scherman, R N & Zlotowitz , R M Second edition The chumash:The stone edition , Mesorah Publixation Ltd
4. Rorh, R The Divine Dance
5. Baxter. K The Great Dance
6. Scherman, R N & Zlotowitz , R M Second edition The chumash:The stone edition , Mesorah Publixation Ltd
7. Moltmann. J 1985 God In Creation Christian Kaiser Verlag, Munich SCM Press Ltd
8. Rorh, R. Everything Belongs
9. Fromke, D. 1998 Father help me to understand your…. Ultimate Intention Indianapolis, IN : Sure Foundation
10. What is Domin theology? By Thomas Ice. 30th Jan 2024 11:55 What is Dominion Theology? (liberty.edu)
11. Orthodox Church Quotes, St John of Damascus 9th Jan 2024 13:39, St. John of Damascus: The whole earth is a living icon . . . - Orthodox Church Quotes
12. Englewood review of books, community, mission, imagination, reconciliation: Richard Rohr – The Divine Dance The Trinity and Your Transformation 5th Jan 2024 14:41 Richard Rohr - The Divine Dance [Feature Review] - The Englewood Review of Books
[1] Gensis 1:1-3 Amplified Bible 5th Jan 2024 13:48 Genesis 1 AMP - The Creation - In the beginning God - Bible Gateway
[2] Englewood review of books, community, mission, imagination, reconciliation: Richard Rohr – The Divine Dance The Trinity and Your Transformation 5th Jan 2024 14:41 Richard Rohr - The Divine Dance [Feature Review] - The Englewood Review of Books
[3] Gensis 1:1-31 Amplified Bible 5th Jan 2024 13:48 Genesis 1 AMP - The Creation - In the beginning God - Bible Gateway
[4] Bauckham, R . (2010) Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation. Darton, longman and Todd ltd Pp15
[5] Scherman, R N & Zlotowitz , R M Second edition The chumash:The stone edition , Mesorah Publixation Ltd Pp9
[6] Scherman, R N & Zlotowitz , R M Second edition The chumash:The stone edition , Mesorah Publixation Ltd Pp9
[7] Affirm verb – definition,pictures,pronunciation and usage notes / oxford advance learner’s dictionary at oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com 5th Jan 2021 11:51: affirm verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
[8] Sustain verb – definition,pictures,pronunciation and usage notes / oxford advance learner’s dictionary at oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com 5th Jan 2021 12:00: sustain verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
[9] Gensis 1:26-31 Amplified Bible 5th Jan 2024 13:48 Genesis 1 AMP - The Creation - In the beginning God - Bible Gateway
[10] What is Domin theology? By Thomas Ice. 30th Jan 2024 11:55 What is Dominion Theology? (liberty.edu)
[11] Scherman, R N & Zlotowitz , R M Second edition The chumash:The stone edition , Mesorah Publixation Ltd Pp5
[12] McFague, S. The body of God- An Ecological Theology. 1993. Fortess Press Minneaplois. Pp18
[13]Orthodox Church Quotes, St John of Damascus 9th Jan 2024 13:39, St. John of Damascus: The whole earth is a living icon . . . - Orthodox Church Quotes
[14] Micha 6:8 Amplified bible 9th Jan 2024, 13:30 Micha 6 AMP - God’s Indictment of His People - Hear - Bible Gateway
[15] Revelation 21:5 Amplified Bible 9th Jan 2024 14:00 Rev 21:5 AMP - And He who sits on the throne said, - Bible Gateway
[16] Kains is new, Culbertson, G, Dec 27 :2016, 9th Jan 2024 14:06 Kainos is new – LanguageLearningMom
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