The Christian Declaration on Nature 

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God declared everything to be good, indeed, very good. He created nothing unnecessarily and has omitted nothing that is necessary…creatures have received their mode of existence by the will of the Creator, whose purpose is that through their interdependence they should bring to perfection the beauty of the universe. It is the very nature of things considered in itself, without regard to man’s convenience or inconvenience, that gives glory to the Creator.  

Man’s dominion cannot be understood as license to abuse, spoil, squander or destroy what God has made to manifest his glory. That dominion cannot be anything other than a stewardship in symbiosis with all creatures… At the risk of destroying himself, man may not reduce to chaos or disorder, or worse still, destroy God’s bountiful treasures.  

Every human act of irresponsibility towards creatures is an abomination. According to its gravity, it is an offence against that divine wisdom which sustains and gives purpose to the interdependent harmony of the universe.  

In his personalized relationship with all creatures, St. Francis recognized his duty to reciprocate divine love, with love and praise, not only in the name of creatures, but in, with and through them. For St. Francis, work was a God-given grace to be exercised in that spirit of faith and devotion to which every temporal consideration must be subordinate. All human effort in the world must therefore lead to a mutual enrichment of man and creatures.  

~ The Christian Declaration on Nature: Father Langfranco Serrini, Minister General, OFM Conv., Assisi 1986 

 

Meet the Reader: Active in ecumenical and interfaith work, Kathy Sharp is an ordained minister with Community of Christ and retired mission president for the Greater Pacific Northwest – USA.