Blog 7 March 19, 2014 Stewardship –
Current and Future
The Christian faith in the western
world has become captive through the assumptions of modern culture which sever
God from the creation, and subject the creation to humanity’s arrogant and
unrestrained power. The materialism which has developed has constricted
the arena for truth to be known and for certainty to be established. Now,
reality can only be proved rather than accepted by faith. In other words,
the true nature of the world can only be known through the scientific
method. This severs God’s relationship to the creation and the
understanding of the modern mind. In short, nature is commonly understood
today as an object on to itself, apart from its relationship to God.
Hence, modern agriculture subdues nature, not works with nature.
In the first chapter of Genesis, the
account is related to God’s creation of man in his own image. God blessed
man and gave him dominion over the earth. The biblical term ‘dominion’
does not mean domination of nature by man, the biblical concept of ‘dominion’
is connected with two other ideas of covenant and stewardship.
The word ‘dominion’ comes from the
Latin word dominari and thus we have in English a phrase “Lord
of the Manor has dominion over his estates”. By this he has to look after
all life, and people, in the estate as his duty.
The concept of ‘covenant ‘ deals with
God’s covenant with man. This covenant began in the Garden of Eden and
was renewed with Noah, Abraham and Moses. The covenant specifically
states that God will remain faithful to us and will provide everything we need
to live. For our part of the covenant, we are expected to be faithful to
God an to live in a loving relationship with him and our fellow
creatures. In this God expects us to take care of the land. But do
we ?
The biblical idea of ‘stewardship’
has become identified with the concept of wide management. I know
understand it to mean much more than just wise management. To me it is a
process of learning from nature and learning to work in harmony with all the
natural ecosystems, including, of course, the ecosystem found in the
soil. I have to understand my specific response for stewardship in terms
of renewable farming, thus economics cannot be the only criteria.
When I evaluate a specific practice
in my farming operation, that practice, hopefully, must be profitable, and it
must be practical if it is to be implemented. I also know that the
practice must contribute to the integrity, beauty and harmony of the bionic community.
If it does not, it is wrong of me to implement it. Wendall Berry (see
link to his wonderful books below)has written “A family farm is failing because
it belongs to an order of values and a kind of life that is fading.”
According to Berry the failure of the rural way of life is at the root of our
failure to grasp the complexity of life on earth and the simple truth that our
existence depends on how well we take care of the soil. Christian
Stewardship is care keeping of the earth that works to preserve and restore the
integrity of the created order. Doing the will of the Creator and seeking
the Creator’s kingdom of integrity and peace… the kingdom devoid of human
arrogance, ignorance and greed. Christian stewardship is till living on
earth but heaven will be a shock to us.
As I consider the future of
agriculture, it is my prayer that I will be given renewed ears and renewed eyes
for the presence of God in all life and that my farming practices will all be
more and more in harmony with the Creator.
I give my belated thanks to fellow
farmer Dave Larsen who encouraged me to think these ways.
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