Cry of The Earth, Cry of The Poor
Liberation Theology
Week 9: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor
Bleeding Wounds
“Liberation theology and ecological discourse have something in common: they start from two bleeding wounds” - Leonardo Boff
In his book Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, Leonardo Boff argues the same attitude that drives the accumulation of wealth at the expense of workers, leads to the pillaging and conquering of nations, and the plundering of the earth. Last week, we discussed how Northern European peasants drastically changed our relationship to the world around us, causing Christianity to reject its call to steward the earth, and thus making Christianity the most anthropocentric religion the world has ever seen. This attitude and disregard for the wellbeing of the earth comes from the same place as a disregard for fellow human life. Boff, and Gustavo Gutierrez would both agree that this stems from a greedy pursuit of wealth. In a capitalistic society, wealth is gained at the expense of others (living and non-living). When creation is hurting, God is grieving. Our country was founded on colonialism. On conquering, pillaging and forcing people off of their land. There are deep reparations and unlearning that need to happen. This issue can not simply be fixed with advancing technology, it is a moral, religious shift that needs to take place. The poor experience the effects of climate change far greater than the wealthy. So not only are we benefiting off of the oppression of other humans and destroying the earth in the process, but we dont have to deal with the consequences of climate change. We can buy water filters, we can move if our homes are flooded from the melting ice caps, we can build bunkers and stock up on supplies, we can buy food when the crops fail.
“After centuries of confronting nature and being isolated from the planetary community, human beings are finding their way back to their shared home, the great, good, bountiful earth.” - Leonardo Boff
The Universe: A Self-Transcending Reality
The creation stories are broken into two different accounts: Genesis 2, or the Yahwist Account, was written in 950 B.C.E., and Genesis 1, or the Priestly Account, was written later in 550-450 B.C.E. The commonality and intention in both are to state the goodness of the universe. God speaks of all things as good. In Genesis chapters 2-3, the Yahwist author is not talking about the past and how events happened, it is a “reflection on the drama of human existence.” The author is critiquing current life and asserting how the creator envisioned it being. The author asks the question why are we as we are now? The author shows that humans are the cause of evil, not God, God desires the good of the human being. Boff states, “The earthly paradise is what God intends, and it serves as an image to contrast with present reality, an image of the time when all evil will be vanquished.”
“Man and Woman (Adam and Eve) Have always been sinners, both now and long ago, but the purpose of that story is to overcome that situation and to join with God in building a paradise” - Leonardo Boff
We need to create a new covenant with the world and discover what role we will play in God’s work within the universe. Evolution and our growing knowledge of science show us that the universe is a self-transcending reality, that is ever-evolving in depth, unity, and complexity. In his Everything is Spiritual Tour, Rob Bell discussed the progression of the universe. It keeps growing and expanding beyond itself, adding more layers and complexity as things progress. Think about atoms. They bond with other atoms to make molecules, which have characteristics that aren’t present in atoms. Something new, and more complex is created as unity increases. Boff argues that the stronger the relationship, or unity, the greater impact. Or, the deeper, more genuine the relationship, the more the universe transcends and evolves. Something deeper emerges when we are a part of the whole. When birds fly together, there is a communal mind, called holism emergence or epiphenomenon (elements come together and in their bonding together something new is created that cannot be identified at the earlier level. Bell claimed that this is why racism is so devastating. It is counterintuitive and antithetical to the direction and unity we are urged toward in our very existence. Look at human history, we look back and are appalled and laugh at how humans used to do things, slavery, beheadings, chastity belts, segregation. Humanity is continuously elevating. We are called to change and progress. Fundamentalist chrsitianity is trying to move us backward, when we need to progress towards a better future.
The Choice to Reject or Unify
Through Genesis, it is clear that humans are called to value and protect creation. Living and Non-living have a divine right to be here and to exist in harmony. Boff’s outline of our choice to reject or unify. In the article, The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis, author Lynn White talks about how man will devote his life to morals, and often religion influences those morals. Boff speaks of humans as having a choice to take part in liberating and co-creating with God.
“Each human can transform [their] entire experience and knowledge in their way in an act of love, in other words, in an act of acceptance and affirmation of the universe, in a selfless surrender to the other and then an unlimited openness to the mystery that religions are accustomed to call God. Each person can also refuse all of this, make his or her life project one of rebellion against the meaning of the universe, and assume exclusionary stances. Such as human grandeur in tragedy.” Leonardo Boff
As Christians, we are called to participate. We have the choice to unify or rebel. Boff outlines the steps to liberation in four points: see, learn, act, and celebrate. We must first see and feel the harsh suffering and injustice in the world. Then we grow in our knowledge of the issue. We learn the facts, analyze the problem, and study the implications of our faith. Then we must act. “Christian faith must make its contribution in the transformation of relationships of injustice into relationships that foster greater life and happiness due to living in participation and a decent quality of life for all.” Finally, we celebrate the advancements in liberation and recognize that this is a part of bringing about redemption on earth.
Crew Discussion Questions:
Have you ever thought about how the poor are affected by the climate crisis?
Both Lynn White and Leonardo Boff believe that this issue is a moral/religious issue that can’t be fixed with more technology. Do you agree or disagree?
What do you think of Boff’s understanding of the creation stories as a goal for us to get back to?
What do you think about Boff’s four steps towards liberation?
See: see and feel the harsh suffering and injustice in the world.
Learn: learn the facts, analyze the problem, and study the implications of our faith.
Act: act towards ending injustice, and become an ally for the oppressed.
Celebrate: acknowledge and celebrate the advancements in liberation and recognize that this is a part of bringing about redemption on earth.
Resources + Citations: