ASK THE BEASTS: Darwin and the God of Love

This interesting exposition by Elizabeth A. Johnson (EAJ) Professor of Theology at Fordham University (New York) reminds us that the biosphere is a particularly exquisite creation that we might do well to appreciate more reverently. We are reminded that, metaphorically, there have been three big bangs "creating" or bringing into existence the physical universe, the biosphere and human consciousness. Although EAJ cites Teilhard de Chardin elsewhere, she does not mention that these phase shift events correspond to his physiosphere, biosphere and noosphere. No matter: this cosmological chronology is well-known even if the origin of the phase shifts remains mysterious – as mysterious as the creative impulse or, as EAJ would prefer, God's creative, loving power.

We are reminded by her title, from Job 12.7, ("ask the beasts and they will teach you"), that we are dealing explicitly with the biosphere and our human relationship to it, both today, and historically in Christian theology (and ultimately in theology in general). We are invited to give careful consideration to the natural world in its own right (her italics) which involves a new way of thinking compatible with "the nascent field of ecological theology." Again, explicitly, we are informed that Ask the Beasts "explores the subject by conducting a dialogue between …Darwin's account of the origin of species and the Christian story of the ineffable God of mercy and love recounted in the Nicene Creed." To this end the first 100 pages essentially review On the Origin of Species affirming its scientific merit in detail – more detail than is perhaps necessary for some (e.g., many SMN members) with a background in biology or evolutionary studies. So this section is ostensibly for those who might doubt, or be unfamiliar with Darwin's main thesis, or find it difficult to reconcile with theological /creation paradigms. To address this well-known science-religion dichotomy EAJ points out that there are four models of engagement: 1) conflict, (alas poor Dawkins), 2) independence (ignoring opposing paradigms), 3) dialogue and 4) integration.

As explicitly stated, the book aims at dialogue, much of which is doubtless of interest to, if not also quite familiar to, SMN members. EAJ's approach involves a distinctive mixture of lyrical, poetic worship of creation (some hers and some borrowed) and exposition involving sometimes dense scholarly theological and philosophical terminology. Borrowing metaphors from Augustine's Confessions she poetically describes the natural, given or gifted world as "Like a saturated sponge creation is dripping wet with divine presence…Like a soaking ocean, a flowing fountain, and inexhaustible wellspring of sweet water, the life of the Spirit pervades the world." Nice!, dare I say "sweet!?"

Unlike much western theology and culture, some ancient wisdom traditions have taken the "natural world seriously as a subject worthy of religious interest" without treating humankind as superior and separate from nature. Ecological theology affirms a symmetric promise of redemption for all species not just an asymmetric redemption for humans alone. When discussing the "emergence" of the biosphere from its prior physio-chemical state, I agree that this is a manifestation of the "fecundity of nature itself" and that "novelty comes about by self-organising dynamism inherent in creatures themselves. Evolution over deep time is so creative…" But, I would add that that this view of the intrinsic dynamism of organic systems is more Goethean (and spiritually resonant) than Darwinian. Thus, EAJ's view of evolution as the random interplay of "law and chance" (natural selection and mutation) appears rather dated as it tends to deny the same creative dynamism just attributed to nature, and her ability to "bring forth ever-new living forms." In short the Darwinian paradigm may not always best serve in demonstrating biosphere evolutionary dynamics.

The "Enter the Humans" chapter notes the rise of self-reflective consciousness as a phase shift or "singularity" [referred to in chapter 1 as the third big bang] and our extraordinary capacity to alter and exploit the natural environment, in ways that many consider "unnatural." Our sins in this arena are somberly enumerated at some length leading to the conclusion that we need to change our intellectual, emotional and ethical mindsets so as to foster a new respect for all life, not just for self interest (survival) but in order to resonate with the magnificence and generosity of the gift of creation. Given her interest in Darwin EAJ might have cited Darwin's Lost Theory of Love by David Loye, (reviewed Network 80, p. 43) which showed how, 12 years after the "Origin," in The Descent of Man (1871), Darwin made 95 references to "love" and 90 to "morality." Thus, Darwin recognised that humans, capable of formulating the golden rule, clearly manifest a strong moral sense or conscience, and so are a different "kind" of species – one not slavishly bound by the so called "laws" of natural selection promoted in the "Origin."

This penultimate chapter made me ruminate on changes in human consciousness evident in our cultural evolution. Many in Darwin's day abhorred the notion that we might be descended from beastly jungle apes. Today we race to save them from extinction. We lament that Stone Age Native Americans ran herds of buffalo off cliffs and that greedy settlers slaughtered almost every last one in the 19th Century. Like cormorants fishing in the cleaned up waters of the Rhine or Thames, the Bison are a symbol of our very recent 20th and 21st century abilities to cherish biodiversity, and as noted by EAJ, to create university departments of Environmental Science and Sustainability and even programmes and books dealing with Ecological Theology.

But there is still much urgent work to be done, and in her powerful final chapter EAJ realistically considers what it has means to have "dominion" over the beasts. She points out that for Noah, concerned to help God with their survival, dominion meant stewardship, whereas for the likes of buffalo hunters in meant to "dominate" and plunder the natural world rapaciously. Equally powerful is the reminder of Job's argument with God who appeared out of a whirlwind, to ask "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the Earth?" and created the myriad of majestic creatures (beasts) each with their roles. Recently evolutionary science and many theologies have essentially come to agree that the biosphere is a miraculous community or web of life, with dynamics still poorly understood, of which we are an integral part.

This convergence of ecological sensibilities is also a profoundly theocentric view, and, as EAJ rightly says, a sign of shifting consciousness. Some activists may be seen as a modern expression of whirlwind frustration, asking "who dares mess irreverently with the biosphere?" But simply recognising the shift is not enough: we must be active stewards. I would venture that we need to see ourselves as an organ of the biosphere, with a role befitting our 'singular' gifts as evolutionary offspring. Not least of these are our ability to exercise conscience and sense of community, show love and compassion, recognise problems and our ability to mitigate and solve them through intelligent stewardship and the exercise of choice and free will. This hopeful sentiment perhaps takes evolution-creation or science-religion debates beyond dialogue and into the realm of integration. God should not be a semantic obstacle when quoting EAJ and her conclusion: "Onwards, for the love of God." Indeed, onwards, for the love of creation, her creatures and her beautiful beasts.