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Volume 13, Issue 2, June 2000
Editorial
Brendan Byrne , iii
As foreshadowed in the previous issue (February 2000), this issue of Pacifica is largely devoted to the publication of four major papers to be delivered at the annual conference of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools (ANZATS) to be held in Christchurch in early July and dedicated to the theme “Ecotheology”. The organisers of the conference hope that pre-publication of the papers in this way will allow the theological agenda to be up and running, so to speak, as the conference gets under way. A major event to occur at the conference will be the launching of the first volume of the Earth Bible project. It is appropriate, then, that the opening paper published in this issue should be the Charles Strong lecture to be delivered by Dr Norman Habel, the inspirer and editor-in-chief of the project. In a way that will be most useful for conference par-ticipants, the paper sets out the six principles of an ecojustice critique that lie behind the Earth Bible project as a whole and assesses the chal-lenges such a critique presents to contemporary theology. Denis Edwards’ paper, “Ecology and the Holy Spirit”, provides a notable illustration of a traditional theological topic creatively re-thought in terms of ecotheology. Neil Darragh in “Adjusting to the Newcomer” comprehensively surveys the variety of ways in which ecotheology calls for a re-examination of traditional areas of theological enquiry. Finally, in a paper that may stir some useful controversy, “Towards a Christian Social Ecology”, Richard Davis, brings the critique of social ecologist Murray Bookchin to bear against ecotheology itself, in an attempt to establish a more authentic Christian social ecology. The article of Richard Wade, “Towards a Christian Ethics of Animals”, though not in fact intended for the July 2000 conference on ecology, in fact, as the title suggests, forms an appropriate complement from a related area of ethical concern.
Articles
The Challenge of Ecojustice Readings for Christian Theology
Norman C. Habel, pp.125-141
This article expounds the principles of interpretation and praxis that have inspired the Earth Bible project. It first sets out a general hermeneutic of ecojustice, showing how it embodies and applies to the Earth the principles of suspicion and retrieval currently operative in biblical interpretation from a social justice and feminist standpoint. The paper then expounds the six principles of an ecojustice hermeneutic: the principles of intrinsic worth, interconnected-ness, voice, resistance, purpose, and mutual custodianship. In each case the paper shows how inter-pretation from an ecojustice standpoint requires radical reassessment in the interpretation of familiar texts and poses challenges to theology.
Ecology and the Holy Spirit: The “Already” and the “Not Yet” of the Spirit in Creation
Denis Edwards, pp.142-159
Is the Spirit present or absent in creation? An ecological theology of the Spirit will need to embrace both the “sacramental” and the “prophetic-eschatological” approaches to the work of the Spirit in creation. The Spirit can rightly be understood as the ever-present life-giving Creator. But this presence of the Spirit has the elements of “not-yet” as the Spirit suffers with groaning creation, and of “already” in the Spirit’s communion in love with each creature.
Adjusting to the Newcomer: Theology and Ecotheology
Neil Darragh, pp.160-180
This paper is concerned with the impact of ecotheology on traditional concepts and perspectives. It notes the questions now being asked about the status of the bible and about sacramental perspectives on the world as a result of ecological issues. It looks at the implications of three significant Ecotheological concepts, namely, intrinsic value, con-nectedness, and sustainability. From this starting point it asks theologians to re-examine traditional areas of theological enquiry such as our under-standing of the human person, christology, pneumatology, salvation, missiology, ecclesiology, and liturgics at the particular points where ecotheology impacts upon them.
Towards a Christian Social Ecology
Richard Davis, pp.181-201
Solutions to the environmental crisis depend on an under-standing of its cause. This paper examines the social ecology of Murray Bookchin, who argues that our ecological crisis, seen in the domination of nature by human beings, has its roots in the domination of human by human. Social ecology, which emphasises these social causes, is at odds with much ecotheology, which finds the causes in overpopulation, technology, consumerism and Christianity itself. The differences between these approaches are illustrated with the examples drawn from New Zealand and Australian authors. The author advocates Christianising Bookchin’s social ecology, using various theological motifs, but without slipping into an individualistic eco-spiritualism, which avoids the difficult social questions social ecology raises.
Towards a Christian Ethics of Animals
Richard Wade, pp.202-212
Ecotheologians and systematic theologians within the various Christian traditions have explored environmental problems. However, there has been little work by Christian ethicists from within the Roman Catholic tradition to develop an ethic of animals. This article remedies this defect. Taking up and developing a line of ethical reflection upon animals which Aquinas derived from the Roman jurist Ulpian, it proposes an alternative to Peter Singer’s animal ethic, which it finds unsatisfactory on several accounts.
Book Reviews
Zechariah
Edgar W. Conrad
John Hill pp.213-215
In the House of the Lord: Inhabiting the Psalms of Lament
Michael Jinkins
Howard N. Wallace pp.215-217
The Paul Quest: The Renewed Search for the Jew of Tarsus
Ben Witherington III
Colin G. Kruse pp.217-218
Sacra Pagina: First Corinthians
Raymond F. Collins
Nigel M. Watson pp.219-220
Theological Exegesis: Essays in Honor of Brevard Childs
Christopher Seitz and Kathryn Greene-McCreight (eds.)
Hank Spykerboer pp.220-222
Jesus and the Fundamentalism of his Day
William Loader
Gordon Dicker pp.222-224
The Women in the Life of the Bridegroom
Adeline Fehribach
Elaine Wainwright pp.224-226
The Cultural Dictionary of the Bible
John J. Pilch
B. Rod Doyle pp.226-227
Things New and Old: Essays on the Theology of Elizabeth A. Johnson
Phyllis Zagano and Terence W. Tilley (eds.)
John Wilcken pp.228-229
Christian Ethics: An Introduction
Bernard Hoose (ed.)
Brian Lewis pp.229-231
Understanding Catholic Morality
Elizabeth Willems
Christopher Prowse pp.232-233
Does God Need the Church?
Gerhard Lohfink
Vic Pfitzner pp.233-235
Christian Unity: An Ecumenical Second Spring?
Michael Hurley
Margaret Jenkins pp.235-237
The Vatican and the Red Flag: The Struggle for the Soul of Eastern Europe
Jonathan Luxmoore and Jolanta Babiuch
Bruce Duncan pp.238-240
Authority in the Church
David J. Stagaman
W. J. Uren pp.241-242
Religious Inventions: Four Essays
Max Charlesworth
Mark Wynn pp.243-246
Philosophy of Religion
Brian Davies (ed.)
John Begley pp.246-247
Beyond the Shattered Image
John Chryssavgis
Niel Ormerod pp.247-248
Contributors
Norman Habel, the chief editor of the Earth Bible project, is professorial Fellow at Flinders University of South Australia and Adelaide College of Divinity. His major works include a commentary on Job in the Old Testament Library, The Land is Mine: Six Biblical Land Ideologies and Reconciliation: Searching for Australia’s Soul. His current research extends to ecoliturgy and ecojustice writings for the wider community. Denis Edwards is a priest of the Catholic archdiocese of Adelaide, a senior lecturer in theology and member of the Flinders University and Adelaide College of Divinity Centre for Theology, Science and Culture. Recent works include The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology (New York: Paulist, 1999) and “The Ecological Significance of God-Language”, Theological Studies 60 (1999) 706-722. Neil Darragh teaches theology in the Auckland Consortium for Theological Education and the University of Auckland. His theological in-terests and publications are in the areas of creation theology, liturgy, missiology and contextual theology. A Catholic priest, he is Principal of the Catholic Institute of Theology, and combines theology with pastoral work in Auckland. Richard Davis works as Executive Officer for The Public Questions Committee, a standing committee of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Associated Churches of Christ and the Religious Society of Friends in Aotearoa New Zealand. This Committee has responsibility for social, political and ecological issues. He has a Masters degree in political philosophy from Victoria University of Wellington and is currently engaged in theological education through the University of Otago. Richard Wade teaches Christian ethics at Australian Catholic University, Aquinas Campus, Ballarat. His research interests include animal ethics, bioethics, Christian metaethics and contemporary moral problems. He is the current secretary of the Catholic Moral Theology Association of Australia and New Zealand.
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