Ecotheology
Abraham Kuyper
“Ecotheology” is a systematic, biblical doctrine of nature and its care; a study of humanity’s stewardship of God’s natural resources.
Abraham Kuyper, a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman, and theologian who served as the prime minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905 once said,
“No single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole world domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: “Mine!”
We tend to live as if everything on earth exists for our pleasure, our comfort, and our use. We forget that we do not own this planet. We are tenant farmers and the rightful owner expects us to tend it for Him.[1]
The mandate given to us by Hashem to “rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth”[2] has been severely abused by the ignorant. Greedy and self-serving humans have used that mandate as an excuse to profligately abuse Earth’s resources, squandering God’s gifts[3] and ruining those things for which we did not have an immediate need.
[1] Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1; Luke 20:9
[2] Genesis 1:28
[3] Luke 15:12-15
Abraham Kuyper, a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman, and theologian who served as the prime minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905 once said,
“No single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole world domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: “Mine!”
We tend to live as if everything on earth exists for our pleasure, our comfort, and our use. We forget that we do not own this planet. We are tenant farmers and the rightful owner expects us to tend it for Him.[1]
The mandate given to us by Hashem to “rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth”[2] has been severely abused by the ignorant. Greedy and self-serving humans have used that mandate as an excuse to profligately abuse Earth’s resources, squandering God’s gifts[3] and ruining those things for which we did not have an immediate need.
[1] Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1; Luke 20:9
[2] Genesis 1:28
[3] Luke 15:12-15
Why the necessity of an ecotheology?
According to the Smithsonian Institute, half of Earth’s life forms live in rain forests, yet we are losing a net total of one acre of tropical forest every second. In the time it took to say that sentence, 12-15 acres of rain forest disappeared. One hundred years ago there were approximately 4 billion acres of tropical rain forest. There are now less than 2.5 billion acres of tropical forest left.
Many studies indicate that every day 100 plant and animal species are lost simply to deforestation. The National Wildlife Association conservatively estimates that over 27,000 species a year are being lost. Australia is estimating that 95% of the Great Barrier Reef will be dead by 2050.
It’s just as Micah predicted.
Micah was predicting the destruction of Zion that would take place in 586 BC. After stating that Zion would rise again and its people would flow back into Canaan “from sea to sea and mountain to mountain” (as occurred in 1948), he predicted that the earth would become a wasteland because of humanity’s poor stewardship.
With that in mind, consider:
What immediately comes to my mind is Jesus’ warning that on the Day of Judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.[1] If we will be taken to task for careless words, will we not be disciplined for careless, profligate living?
I believe it is critical that we understand that this world does not belong to us. We have a Master who is returning soon and who will ask for an accounting of how we served Him.[3]
So when I see a clear, categorical statement that when the King returns, He will destroy those who destroy the Earth, I have to ask – as an elder and teacher, what should I do about this ongoing global catastrophe? What should I teach about the matter?
[1] See also Matthew 12:36
[2] See also Matthew 24:44-51
[3] Matthew 25:13-46; Luke 12:42-48; 19:12-27; Romans 2:6; Psalm 62:12
Many studies indicate that every day 100 plant and animal species are lost simply to deforestation. The National Wildlife Association conservatively estimates that over 27,000 species a year are being lost. Australia is estimating that 95% of the Great Barrier Reef will be dead by 2050.
It’s just as Micah predicted.
- Micah 7:13 HCSB Then the earth will become a wasteland because of its inhabitants, and as a result of their actions.
Micah was predicting the destruction of Zion that would take place in 586 BC. After stating that Zion would rise again and its people would flow back into Canaan “from sea to sea and mountain to mountain” (as occurred in 1948), he predicted that the earth would become a wasteland because of humanity’s poor stewardship.
With that in mind, consider:
- Revelation 11:18 HCSB The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.
What immediately comes to my mind is Jesus’ warning that on the Day of Judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.[1] If we will be taken to task for careless words, will we not be disciplined for careless, profligate living?
- Luke 12:45-48 HCSB[2] But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk, (46) that slave's master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. (47) And that slave who knew his master's will and didn't prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten. (48) But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.
I believe it is critical that we understand that this world does not belong to us. We have a Master who is returning soon and who will ask for an accounting of how we served Him.[3]
- Psalms 96:12-13 HCSB Let the fields and everything in them exult. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy (13) before the LORD, for He is coming--for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His faithfulness.
So when I see a clear, categorical statement that when the King returns, He will destroy those who destroy the Earth, I have to ask – as an elder and teacher, what should I do about this ongoing global catastrophe? What should I teach about the matter?
[1] See also Matthew 12:36
[2] See also Matthew 24:44-51
[3] Matthew 25:13-46; Luke 12:42-48; 19:12-27; Romans 2:6; Psalm 62:12
What are the practical implications of Adonaic ecotheology?
We are to imitate God’s care and concern for the environment.
Photo by Dave Welling
[1] In Genesis, we read that the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. He created us in His image and according to His likeness. Tell me something, is God characterized by rampant greed and lack of care for creation?
Yahweh watches with interest as the lioness hunts her prey. He provides the raven’s food when its young cry out to Him and wander about for food. He knows when the mountain goats give birth and watches over the deer in labor. He set the wild donkey free and is served by the wild ox.[2] Though they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, our Father feeds the birds of the sky.[3] The wildflowers of the field don’t labor or spin thread but God gives them more beauty than Solomon in all his splendor.[4] Even a common sparrow cannot fall out of its nest without God’s knowledge.[5]
We are to be like our Father. We must imitate everything about Him including His great passion for creation.
[1] Genesis 2:15; 1:26-27; Job 38:39-39:9; Matthew 5:26-29; 10:30
[2] Job 38:39-39:9
[3] Matthew 5:26
[4] Matthew 5:28-29
[5] Matthew 10:30
Yahweh watches with interest as the lioness hunts her prey. He provides the raven’s food when its young cry out to Him and wander about for food. He knows when the mountain goats give birth and watches over the deer in labor. He set the wild donkey free and is served by the wild ox.[2] Though they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, our Father feeds the birds of the sky.[3] The wildflowers of the field don’t labor or spin thread but God gives them more beauty than Solomon in all his splendor.[4] Even a common sparrow cannot fall out of its nest without God’s knowledge.[5]
We are to be like our Father. We must imitate everything about Him including His great passion for creation.
[1] Genesis 2:15; 1:26-27; Job 38:39-39:9; Matthew 5:26-29; 10:30
[2] Job 38:39-39:9
[3] Matthew 5:26
[4] Matthew 5:28-29
[5] Matthew 10:30
We are to obey God’s command to steward His creation.
[1] His first order of business was to tell us to enjoy creation, to be fruitful and multiply our families. However, responsibility went along with this great privilege. We were put in charge of the planet. It has been entrusted to our care. We are not its masters. We are its stewards.
[1] Genesis 1:28-30
[1] Genesis 1:28-30
We must remember we were meant to live in a garden environment.
[1] I believe that it is important to note that when Yahweh created us, He planted a garden and that is where He placed us. A garden is our natural environment. We have forgotten our origins. We have forgotten our purpose.
[1] Genesis 2:7-8
[1] Genesis 2:7-8
Sin cursed the ground but did not change the command to care for the planet.
Adam and Eve expelled by Pavel Popov
[1]The ground was cursed for our sakes, and our job became much more difficult. However, God did not abrogate our call to care for the soil and the plants therein. It is to be by the sweat of our brow, but it still needs to be done.
[1] Genesis 3:17-19
[1] Genesis 3:17-19
We are to work with and learn about God from nature.
[1]Job tells us that we are to ask the animals for instructions. He says that the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the earth itself will speak to us of the great web of life and that that knowledge will lead us to know that God has done this. It will cause us to bow our knees to His mastery and acknowledge that every living thing is in His hand.
When we abuse creation, use it, and discard it simply for our pleasure, and with no concern for the long-term consequences, we are in effect rebelling against God’s sovereign ownership. We are plugging our ears to the cry of the earth that it belongs to Him.
As Job put it:
[1] Job 12:7-10; Psalm 19:2-4; Romans 1:18-20
When we abuse creation, use it, and discard it simply for our pleasure, and with no concern for the long-term consequences, we are in effect rebelling against God’s sovereign ownership. We are plugging our ears to the cry of the earth that it belongs to Him.
As Job put it:
- Job 31:38-40 HCSB If my land cries out against me and its furrows join in weeping, (39) if I have consumed its produce without payment or shown contempt for its tenants, (40) then let thorns grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley. The words of Job are concluded.
[1] Job 12:7-10; Psalm 19:2-4; Romans 1:18-20
Not only are we to not actively damage the soil, we are to allow it to periodically rest and recover.
[1]Soil production is not equal in all areas. Geologist Arjun Heimsath of Arizona State University determined that in the coastal regions of California soil production rates range from 0.00118 to 0.00315 inch per year. At those rates it would take from 300 to 850 years to form an inch of soil. A compilation of global data published by the National Academy of Sciences USA revealed a global average rate of soil production of 0.00067 to 0.00142 inch a year – equivalent to 700 to 1,500 years to form an inch of soil. It takes such a phenomenally long time to produce new arable soil that as far as humans are concerned, naturally produced soil is to all intents and purposes a non-renewable resource.
The soil on undisturbed hillsides in temperate and tropical latitudes is generally one to three feet thick. With natural soil production rates of centuries to millennia per inch and soil erosion rates of inches per century under plow-based agriculture, it would take just several hundred to a couple of thousand years to plow through the soil in these regions. This simple estimate predicts remarkably well the life span of major agricultural civilizations around the world. With the exception of the fertile river valleys along which agriculture began, civilizations generally lasted 800 to 2,000 years, and geoarchaeological studies have now shown a connection between soil erosion and the decline of many ancient cultures.[2]
God our creator knew this and He instituted laws that would protect soil. Unfortunately, we have flaunted His commands and as a result, Iowa alone has lost about half of its 14 inches of top soil to erosion.
[1] Leviticus 25:2-7
[2] Data from David R. Montgomery at Clean Seed
The soil on undisturbed hillsides in temperate and tropical latitudes is generally one to three feet thick. With natural soil production rates of centuries to millennia per inch and soil erosion rates of inches per century under plow-based agriculture, it would take just several hundred to a couple of thousand years to plow through the soil in these regions. This simple estimate predicts remarkably well the life span of major agricultural civilizations around the world. With the exception of the fertile river valleys along which agriculture began, civilizations generally lasted 800 to 2,000 years, and geoarchaeological studies have now shown a connection between soil erosion and the decline of many ancient cultures.[2]
God our creator knew this and He instituted laws that would protect soil. Unfortunately, we have flaunted His commands and as a result, Iowa alone has lost about half of its 14 inches of top soil to erosion.
[1] Leviticus 25:2-7
[2] Data from David R. Montgomery at Clean Seed
We are not only to use nature, but assure its continued use for future generations.
[1] God instituted specific laws dictating our behavior in harvesting the land. We were allowed to do what is needed to be done to provide for our families, but not at the cost of continued harvests. We are allowed to enter our neighbor’s vineyard and eat to our fill, but not strip it bare. We are allowed to enter our neighbor’s field and pluck the grain to eat, but we are not allowed to use tools that would keep our neighbor from having a harvest. Even in war, though we are allowed to inflict collateral damage on the environment, we must do our best to ensure that the fruit bearing trees remain untouched.
If this much care and concern is to be demonstrated for our neighbors and our enemies, surely our children and grandchildren deserve at least as much care?
[1] Deuteronomy 23:24-25; 20:19-20
If this much care and concern is to be demonstrated for our neighbors and our enemies, surely our children and grandchildren deserve at least as much care?
[1] Deuteronomy 23:24-25; 20:19-20
Those who abuse their stewardship are not likely to make it to heaven.
[1] We are Jesus’ slaves and He has put us in charge of the care of His possessions. One of the perks is that we get to eat the Master’s food. However, the Lord made it clear that those who abuse these privileges will not fare well when He returns. The Bible seems to imply that those who abuse the environment and their fellow humans reveal that they are not truly saved and will end up in hell.
[1] Matthew 24:45-51
- Ezekiel 34:17-20 HCSB "The Lord GOD says to you, My flock: I am going to judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and male goats. (18) Isn't it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Or isn't it enough that you drink the clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? (19) Yet My flock has to feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied. (20) "Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says to them: See, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
[1] Matthew 24:45-51
We are not allowed to say “It’s too big a problem.” God does not hold us accountable for what we cannot control but for what we actually can do.
[1] In the parable of the talents, each servant was given resources “– to each according to his own ability.” When the Master returned, He did not require five talents from the one to whom He had given only one.
“To whom much is given much is required,” the Bible says. The opposite is thus equally true. We are not all presidents. We cannot take personal responsibility for signing the Kyoto treaty or for forcing China to quit killing all its rivers but we can recycle more. We can quit letting the water run while we brush our teeth. We can bicycle rather than drive a car down the block.
[1] Matthew 25:14-25; Luke 12:48
“To whom much is given much is required,” the Bible says. The opposite is thus equally true. We are not all presidents. We cannot take personal responsibility for signing the Kyoto treaty or for forcing China to quit killing all its rivers but we can recycle more. We can quit letting the water run while we brush our teeth. We can bicycle rather than drive a car down the block.
[1] Matthew 25:14-25; Luke 12:48
It is not enough to simply not grossly damage God’s creation – we must do positive good to it.
[1] God is a tough task master and He will require an accounting of us. The Master in the parable of the talents never denied the wicked slave’s assessment of His toughness. The judgment did not come because the wicked slave called God difficult, but because he did not adequately believe and act on that fact.
Note that once again, it is a mark of a true disciple to care for God’s resources. Only those who did well were accepted into God’s heaven. The one who buried his resource and did not improve it was cast into the outer darkness.
Again, we must keep our future in mind. We must keep in mind a future in which our children and grandchildren will have to live with the consequences of our lifestyles.
However, those who care more for their own comforts than they do their offspring’s should heed Jesus’ warning.
If they don’t care what happens to their descendants, hopefully they will care about their own skin.
[1] Matthew 25:26-20
Note that once again, it is a mark of a true disciple to care for God’s resources. Only those who did well were accepted into God’s heaven. The one who buried his resource and did not improve it was cast into the outer darkness.
Again, we must keep our future in mind. We must keep in mind a future in which our children and grandchildren will have to live with the consequences of our lifestyles.
- Exodus 34:6-7 HCSB Then the LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: Yahweh--Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, (7) maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.
However, those who care more for their own comforts than they do their offspring’s should heed Jesus’ warning.
- Revelation 11:18 HCSB The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.
If they don’t care what happens to their descendants, hopefully they will care about their own skin.
[1] Matthew 25:26-20
So, how do we live out an ecotheology?
Many people today are deeply troubled over the future they or their children may experience. Whether they are concerned about the peak oil issue, the collapse of the American dollar, global climate change, a three-front war, terrorism, the fragility of our power grid, or any of a number of other valid concerns, they want to know not only the problems but also some possible solutions.
We believe that Yahweh is fully in control and is able to deliver us from anything the universe may throw our way. However, we also believe that He gave us minds and expects us to use them.
[1] Matthew 25:14-30
We believe that Yahweh is fully in control and is able to deliver us from anything the universe may throw our way. However, we also believe that He gave us minds and expects us to use them.
- Proverbs 22:3 HCSB A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.
[1] Matthew 25:14-30
Core Values
Faith – (Proverbs 1:7; 2 Chronicles 7:14)
Adonai comes first in our lives. In fact, He comes BEFORE our lives. Examination of humanity’s sordid history reveals that every time we move away from the life principles He has given us, we move toward our own destruction. His wisdom therefore must lie at the very heart of all our endeavors.
Humility – (Proverbs 16:18; 29:23; Matthew 23:12; 1 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Peter 5:5-6)
It takes humility to admit when we have messed up. It is required to learn from our experiences or from the life-lessons of others. On top of this, humility is a God magnet. Adonai draws near to the humble and He resists the proud. We therefore consider humility to be the most fundamental of all virtues and to be the root of every righteous act.
Peace – (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18)
Since the dawn of human history, when the first man damaged his relationship with his spouse and his God, Adonai has sought to reestablish that connection. He began with a single man, our father Abraham and then extended His peacemaking to Abraham’s family. The family became a tribe and soon developed into a nation. Through this nation, Yahweh spoke to humanity. He gave us the Scriptures and then ultimately became flesh and dwelt among us. He extends His reconciliatory efforts towards all of mankind. When we join in these efforts, we become just a little more like Him.
We therefore do not want to merely survive dark days. We want to save as many as possible too. Like Rahab, we want to cram as many people in our little shelters so that when the walls of society inevitably come tumbling down (for all societies eventually end), we will not be alone. This will only be accomplished through peacemaking and cooperation.
Stewardship – (Matthew 25:19, 28-29; Revelation 11:18)
Adonai is the sole Master of this world. He is not only its Creator but its Redeemer. We are mere tenants and we are required to take care of the Master’s things. The Scriptures have a well-developed ecotheology for those who are looking for it. A term Adonaists could use to describe themselves is “ikkar” which is “husbandman” or “farmer.”[1] Like Uzziah, we are “ahavim adamah” lovers of the soil. That love will be reflected in our mussar – our ethic.
God granted humanity “dominion” over His creation but we see this “dominion” as a sacred responsibility, rather than as a license to do whatever we want with the biosphere. Adonaists believe our dominion over God’s creation should be patterned on El Ch’uwl’s loving, compassionate dominion over us. If we fail to show love for His creation or mercy for God’s creatures, should we expect God to protect us from the consequences of our own heartlessness and self-indulgence? He graciously allows us to live and profit off of His things, but we dare not abuse His property. We must not “lord it over God’s creation”.[2]
Self-sufficiency – (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Timothy 5:4, 8)
As our father Abraham rescued his nephew Lot from the wicked kings using only his own family and servants and then refused to take so much as a shoelace from the king of Sodom (Genesis 14), so we too do not rely on the world. We do not bring our conflicts to the worldly courts (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). We do not wait for the government to take care of us. Each of us takes responsibility for ourselves, our biological and our spiritual families. We work hard, save our money, pay off debts, and try to have some extra to take care of the poor. Self-sufficiency is such an intrinsic part of the Adonaic mindset that it becomes simply a part of the background – it’s just how we think.
[1] 2 Chronicles 26:10; Isaiah 61:5; Jeremiah 51:23; Joel 1:11; Amos 5:16
[2] 1 Peter 5:3
Adonai comes first in our lives. In fact, He comes BEFORE our lives. Examination of humanity’s sordid history reveals that every time we move away from the life principles He has given us, we move toward our own destruction. His wisdom therefore must lie at the very heart of all our endeavors.
Humility – (Proverbs 16:18; 29:23; Matthew 23:12; 1 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Peter 5:5-6)
It takes humility to admit when we have messed up. It is required to learn from our experiences or from the life-lessons of others. On top of this, humility is a God magnet. Adonai draws near to the humble and He resists the proud. We therefore consider humility to be the most fundamental of all virtues and to be the root of every righteous act.
Peace – (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18)
Since the dawn of human history, when the first man damaged his relationship with his spouse and his God, Adonai has sought to reestablish that connection. He began with a single man, our father Abraham and then extended His peacemaking to Abraham’s family. The family became a tribe and soon developed into a nation. Through this nation, Yahweh spoke to humanity. He gave us the Scriptures and then ultimately became flesh and dwelt among us. He extends His reconciliatory efforts towards all of mankind. When we join in these efforts, we become just a little more like Him.
We therefore do not want to merely survive dark days. We want to save as many as possible too. Like Rahab, we want to cram as many people in our little shelters so that when the walls of society inevitably come tumbling down (for all societies eventually end), we will not be alone. This will only be accomplished through peacemaking and cooperation.
Stewardship – (Matthew 25:19, 28-29; Revelation 11:18)
Adonai is the sole Master of this world. He is not only its Creator but its Redeemer. We are mere tenants and we are required to take care of the Master’s things. The Scriptures have a well-developed ecotheology for those who are looking for it. A term Adonaists could use to describe themselves is “ikkar” which is “husbandman” or “farmer.”[1] Like Uzziah, we are “ahavim adamah” lovers of the soil. That love will be reflected in our mussar – our ethic.
God granted humanity “dominion” over His creation but we see this “dominion” as a sacred responsibility, rather than as a license to do whatever we want with the biosphere. Adonaists believe our dominion over God’s creation should be patterned on El Ch’uwl’s loving, compassionate dominion over us. If we fail to show love for His creation or mercy for God’s creatures, should we expect God to protect us from the consequences of our own heartlessness and self-indulgence? He graciously allows us to live and profit off of His things, but we dare not abuse His property. We must not “lord it over God’s creation”.[2]
Self-sufficiency – (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Timothy 5:4, 8)
As our father Abraham rescued his nephew Lot from the wicked kings using only his own family and servants and then refused to take so much as a shoelace from the king of Sodom (Genesis 14), so we too do not rely on the world. We do not bring our conflicts to the worldly courts (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). We do not wait for the government to take care of us. Each of us takes responsibility for ourselves, our biological and our spiritual families. We work hard, save our money, pay off debts, and try to have some extra to take care of the poor. Self-sufficiency is such an intrinsic part of the Adonaic mindset that it becomes simply a part of the background – it’s just how we think.
[1] 2 Chronicles 26:10; Isaiah 61:5; Jeremiah 51:23; Joel 1:11; Amos 5:16
[2] 1 Peter 5:3
We use the acronym PAUSE to summarize and teach these five core values:
- Powerdown
- AUtonomy
- Simplicity
- Economy
Powerdown
Some view the possibility of an extended “grid-down” situation as a remote threat. We feel they have an insufficient grasp of US history. In 1965, a blackout occurred for over 30 million people. It extended from New York City, New York State, all of New England, and even parts of Pennsylvania. In that particular case, it did not happen because of insufficient supply but insufficient line capacity.
Then we had the rolling blackouts of 2000-2001 in California.
Again in 2003, 50 million (10 million in Ontario and 40 million in the US) went without power for almost the entire Northeast. Again, there was plenty of supply but a downed power generator near Cleveland, combined with poor tree trimming, through a domino effect of failures and human error, brought the catastrophe. Some areas lost water pressure because pumps didn't have power. This loss of pressure caused potential contamination of the water supply. The losses were estimated to be around $6 billion in US dollars.
These are just in the US. For further instances one could look to the Brazilian blackout of 1999 that affected up to 97 million people or the Italian blackout of 2003 that affected a total of 56 million people.
These are all also “naturally occurring” or “accidental” instances and none lasted longer than a week. Paul H. Gilbert of the National Research Council told a congressional panel that recovery from a deliberate attack could “take weeks or months rather than hours or days.”
In September 2003, representatives of the NRC told Congress committee on Homeland Security that any outage that lasted longer than a few days could reduce urban centers to chaos and collapse the economy. They stated that both food and water supplies would quickly fail. Transportation systems would be at a standstill; natural gas pressure would decline and some would lose access to gas altogether. They said that communications could become spotty, and that martial law might be required. These were not survivalist kooks speaking. Nearly 200 scientists, experts and officials worked for six months on the report.
Gilbert described the power grid as “fragile” and having “little reserve within which to handle power or load fluctuations.” He said that the system had become even less robust as “competitive price and low operating costs…are rewarded with profits and bonuses” leading to “diminishing investments in maintenance and spare parts.”
Former CIA Director James Woolsey, one of the panelists who produced the National Academies' report, told United Press International that a successful assault is "a lot easier than we wish it were." [1]
In view of these facts and the fact that we yearly struggle with power outages due to ice, the elders believe we need to apply the following passage as a practical strategy:
In accordance to the principle of simplicity, and in order to promote autonomy, we need to learn how to do more with less energy. We need to put ourselves on an energy diet. We need a blend of both the “lifeboat” building and “power down” strategies while developing an intentional community with the possibility of future challenges in mind.
However, it is not only a possible crisis that we keep in mind. We also need to promote power down strategies in order to soften the blow or at least slow down the process as much as possible.
Some suggested strategies include:
1. Set the thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer.
2. Install CFL (compact fluorescent light bulbs) as the older bulbs burn out.
3. We lose a lot of energy through “phantom” or “vampire” energy used as the appliances are in standby mode. Unplug appliances when they’re not actually being used or use a smart power strip that senses when the appliances are off and cuts all energy completely off.
4. Wash as many clothes in cold water as possible. Up to 85% of the energy used in a washing machine is used to heat the water.
5. Use a drying rack or clothesline as much as possible.
6. Start reducing fossil fuel use.
a. Walk or bike to work.
b. Move closer to where we work.
c. Consider telecommuting as an alternative.
d. Lobby for bike usage in our area. Promote bike lanes. Write letters to the editor praising those who take bikes to work. Increased biking will decrease both health care costs, traffic, pollution (both air and noise) as well as reduce fuel consumption.
e. Shop locally if it is affordable. Buy products from a farmer’s market that sells locally produced goods. Perhaps encourage our grocer to sell local gardeners’ produce/eggs/meat, etc.
f. Produce more of our own stuff.
[1] http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/9/5/95311.shtml
Then we had the rolling blackouts of 2000-2001 in California.
Again in 2003, 50 million (10 million in Ontario and 40 million in the US) went without power for almost the entire Northeast. Again, there was plenty of supply but a downed power generator near Cleveland, combined with poor tree trimming, through a domino effect of failures and human error, brought the catastrophe. Some areas lost water pressure because pumps didn't have power. This loss of pressure caused potential contamination of the water supply. The losses were estimated to be around $6 billion in US dollars.
These are just in the US. For further instances one could look to the Brazilian blackout of 1999 that affected up to 97 million people or the Italian blackout of 2003 that affected a total of 56 million people.
These are all also “naturally occurring” or “accidental” instances and none lasted longer than a week. Paul H. Gilbert of the National Research Council told a congressional panel that recovery from a deliberate attack could “take weeks or months rather than hours or days.”
In September 2003, representatives of the NRC told Congress committee on Homeland Security that any outage that lasted longer than a few days could reduce urban centers to chaos and collapse the economy. They stated that both food and water supplies would quickly fail. Transportation systems would be at a standstill; natural gas pressure would decline and some would lose access to gas altogether. They said that communications could become spotty, and that martial law might be required. These were not survivalist kooks speaking. Nearly 200 scientists, experts and officials worked for six months on the report.
Gilbert described the power grid as “fragile” and having “little reserve within which to handle power or load fluctuations.” He said that the system had become even less robust as “competitive price and low operating costs…are rewarded with profits and bonuses” leading to “diminishing investments in maintenance and spare parts.”
Former CIA Director James Woolsey, one of the panelists who produced the National Academies' report, told United Press International that a successful assault is "a lot easier than we wish it were." [1]
In view of these facts and the fact that we yearly struggle with power outages due to ice, the elders believe we need to apply the following passage as a practical strategy:
- Proverbs 22:3 HCSB A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.
In accordance to the principle of simplicity, and in order to promote autonomy, we need to learn how to do more with less energy. We need to put ourselves on an energy diet. We need a blend of both the “lifeboat” building and “power down” strategies while developing an intentional community with the possibility of future challenges in mind.
However, it is not only a possible crisis that we keep in mind. We also need to promote power down strategies in order to soften the blow or at least slow down the process as much as possible.
Some suggested strategies include:
1. Set the thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer.
2. Install CFL (compact fluorescent light bulbs) as the older bulbs burn out.
3. We lose a lot of energy through “phantom” or “vampire” energy used as the appliances are in standby mode. Unplug appliances when they’re not actually being used or use a smart power strip that senses when the appliances are off and cuts all energy completely off.
4. Wash as many clothes in cold water as possible. Up to 85% of the energy used in a washing machine is used to heat the water.
5. Use a drying rack or clothesline as much as possible.
6. Start reducing fossil fuel use.
a. Walk or bike to work.
b. Move closer to where we work.
c. Consider telecommuting as an alternative.
d. Lobby for bike usage in our area. Promote bike lanes. Write letters to the editor praising those who take bikes to work. Increased biking will decrease both health care costs, traffic, pollution (both air and noise) as well as reduce fuel consumption.
e. Shop locally if it is affordable. Buy products from a farmer’s market that sells locally produced goods. Perhaps encourage our grocer to sell local gardeners’ produce/eggs/meat, etc.
f. Produce more of our own stuff.
[1] http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/9/5/95311.shtml
Autonomy
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 HCSB so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9b HCSB When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.
- Galatians 6:5 HCSB For each person will have to carry his own load.
- 1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 16 HCSB But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to practice their religion toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God… (8) Now if anyone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever… (16) If any believing woman has widows, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows.
Based on these and other possible passages we believe we must learn to take care of ourselves and not depend on the government or the highly specialized skills required of modern society. If possible, we should take care of our own family and not even burden the Church unnecessarily. However, this should not be taken to mean that we cut ourselves off of other people, any more than a child cuts himself off of his parents just because he no longer depends on them. It’s just that…
1. The less we depend on society, the less burden we are on society.
2. The less we depend on society, the better we can help society.
3. The less we depend on society, the less we will be effected when society fails.
Simplicity
- Psalms 37:16-19 HCSB Better the little that the righteous man has than the abundance of many wicked people. (17) For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports the righteous. (18) The LORD watches over the blameless all their days, and their inheritance will last forever. (19) They will not be disgraced in times of adversity; they will be satisfied in days of hunger.
- Proverbs 15:16-17 HCSB Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil. (17) Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.
- Proverbs 16:8 HCSB Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.
- Proverbs 17:1 HCSB Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
- Proverbs 28:6 HCSB Better a poor man who lives with integrity than a rich man who distorts right and wrong.
- Proverbs 30:7-9 HCSB Two things I ask of You; don't deny them to me before I die: (8) Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. (9) Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, "Who is the LORD?" or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.
- Ecclesiastes 4:6 HCSB Better one handful with rest, than two handfuls with effort and pursuit of the wind.
- Philippians 4:11-12 HCSB I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. (12) I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
- 1 Timothy 6:6-8 HCSB But godliness with contentment is a great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. (8) But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
We must learn to enjoy modern technology without being dependent on it. We need to practice voluntary simplicity. The more that we voluntarily power down and simplify now while we still have access to stores, the internet, and power tools, the easier it will be when and if a crisis occurs. If we wait for the simplification to be forced upon us, it will be very difficult and maybe even too late.
As an illustration, a friend of mine was recently talking to an Amish friend of his. My friend started talking about the recent economic collapse and the wicked people who had brought on great loss and yet were bailed out by the government. Imagine his shock when he discovered that his Amish friend was completely and blissfully unaware of the entire situation. He did not depend on the electrical grid, did not have TV or internet access, and he hadn’t spoken on a phone for over a year. With all the turmoil going on, he was simply and happily fulfilling his duty toward his family and friends and was totally at peace.
The elders of our church think that those who manage to come up with better ways to do more with less need to be encouraged. Those who manage to content themselves with less should be praised.[1]
[1] Hebrews 10:24
Economy
- Proverbs 6:1-5 HCSB My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger, (2) you have been trapped by the words of your lips--ensnared by the words of your mouth. (3) Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor's power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor. (4) Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. (5) Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a fowler's trap.
- Proverbs 22:7 HCSB The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.
- Matthew 6:24 HCSB "No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.
We must each get our financial affairs in order. We need a working plan on how to steadily reduce our debts. Then we must begin simplifying, reducing the number of creditors, with those with the highest interest getting paid and gotten rid of first.
We must ensure we can access essential documents quickly and easily.
To help ourselves reduce our debts, we need to shop wisely.
1. Buy second hand.
2. Consider services like “Craigslist” or “Freesharing” to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.
3. Go to garage sales, yard sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops.
4. Buy in bulk.
5. Invest in high-quality, long lasting products rather than continuously spending on “disposable” items. This also reduces landfill and toxic waste.
It would be wise to reduce the number of clubs, associations, or gym memberships (if we’re not actually using them), etc. to which we belong. Simplify, simplify, simplify must be our refrain.
We should learn to borrow instead of buying. For instance, we should use the library for books and movies or share power tools with others rather than purchasing tools we’ll rarely use.
All of us need to learn to barter, trading labor or commodities for items instead of cash. Wealth in and of itself will confer no guarantee as monetary systems are devalued.
Proverbs 11:4 HCSB Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath, but righteousness rescues from death.
In times of crisis, immediately useful goods quickly become the basis of trade so we need to either stock up on or learn to make barterable products.
Goals
1. To start and sustain an intentional Adonaic community as a cultural preservation center
2. To consciously build community in an increasingly isolating and individualizing culture
3. To serve the people in our geographic area by sharing:
a. Valuable skills and knowledge
b. Basic commodities through barter and trade
c. The advantages our biblical culture offers
4. To save what is best of human culture by acting as a combination library, university, and research center:
a. Preserving life-sustaining knowledge and skills
b. Preserving culture (literature, science, arts, crafts)
c. Preserving human history
d. Advancing this knowledge and finding ways to put it to good use
e. Fomenting social change through education and activism
5. To develop long-term sustainability through
a. power-down strategies
b. recycling
c. conservation
d. intentionally developing local resources by creating and managing sustainable local enterprises
6. To protect our people and culture in times of crisis
7. To do these things in a manner that encourages joy and social interaction incorporating Hashem’s feasts with parties, plays, concerts, and exhibits of various arts
2. To consciously build community in an increasingly isolating and individualizing culture
3. To serve the people in our geographic area by sharing:
a. Valuable skills and knowledge
b. Basic commodities through barter and trade
c. The advantages our biblical culture offers
4. To save what is best of human culture by acting as a combination library, university, and research center:
a. Preserving life-sustaining knowledge and skills
b. Preserving culture (literature, science, arts, crafts)
c. Preserving human history
d. Advancing this knowledge and finding ways to put it to good use
e. Fomenting social change through education and activism
5. To develop long-term sustainability through
a. power-down strategies
b. recycling
c. conservation
d. intentionally developing local resources by creating and managing sustainable local enterprises
6. To protect our people and culture in times of crisis
7. To do these things in a manner that encourages joy and social interaction incorporating Hashem’s feasts with parties, plays, concerts, and exhibits of various arts
