Preliminary ratification and announcement at the Cradle of Forestry, Pisgah National Forest, NC
December 10, 2000
(excerpt)
Section 1: A RELIGIOUS VISION OF FORESTS
"The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof...." (Psalm 24:1)
1-1. Forests are more than trees.
The world's forests are unique God-given living systems of sunlight and soils, moisture and air, spirit and matter, animals and plants, plus innumerable fungi and subsurface organisms which combine to produce unique and essential services for life and the health of the planet.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)
1-2. Scripture presents trees as the emblem of God's Creation.
On the basis of textual prominence alone, the tree is the most important non-human living organism in Scripture. While trees are used in a variety ways, the tree is particularly used to symbolize the blessings that God bestows upon humans through creation. Conversely the destruction of trees in Scripture is a sign of God's wrath and punishment for all transgressions of the order of nature and spirit. Without introduction trees are the first thing which the first people meet in the Book of Genesis. Throughout Scripture, trees are the biblical emblem of creation.
And the Lord God made to grow out of the ground every tree that is pleasant and good for food.... (Genesis 2:9)
... and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)
1-3. Christians and Jews are called to care for creation and the forests.
The Scriptures call people of faith to care for the land and all its features and creatures. Most Christians and Jews accept that we are called to dominion and responsible stewardship.
1-3. Christians and Jews are called to care for creation and the forests. cont.
This means we should treat the land and its forests as the Lord would treat them: with love, care, respect, humility, and restraint. Neither dominion nor stewardship allow an arbitrary domination or a commodification of Creation. Others prioritize a covenantal relationship, reflecting the promise which God declared to Noah and all Creation, as crucial in shaping our attitude toward the land. This view also requires responsibility to God to care for Creation. Still others emphasize a relationship of mutuality between God, humanity and Creation. Regardless of the spiritual principles which one holds sacred, for all Jewish and Christian people, acknowledgment of God leads to care for Creation and respect for forests.
And God said... "Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.... " and the Lord God took them and put them in the Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it. (Genesis 1:28; 2:15)
1-4. Forests represent a spiritual test.
In the Creation story as told in Genesis, God commands care of the Earth. In the primordial Garden God places two trees before the first humans. The choice of whether and how to eat from the Tree of Life or the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a spiritual test for those first people. The way in which they chose to eat set them at odds, first with God and eventually the Earth. In our day, the way we treat trees and Creation's fruitfulness continues to be a spiritual test. Our interaction with trees still represents the way we choose between obedience to God and disobedience, the health of the whole Earth or personal selfishness, and ultimately between life or death.
The tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil... but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die. (Genesis 2:9, 17)
1-5. Forests are places of inspiration and beauty.
Creation reflects the handiwork of the Creator. Just as Beauty is an aspect of the Lord who infuses Creation with magnificence and wonder, so every tree embodies the glory of God and every forest manifests the wisdom of its Maker. We should therefore intuit in forests the Great Architect of life and respect that Superior Wisdom which manifests in its incredible diversity, intricacy, beauty and fruitfulness.
Sing, O you heavens, for the LORD has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! (Isaiah 44:2)
1-6. Forests provide for a healthy world.
Intact forests give oxygen and clean air to our planet. They regulate stream flows and provide clean drinking water. They metabolize carbon dioxide and buffer society and the planet against global warming. They cool the air in summer and stabilize local climates throughout the year. They absorb rainfall and moderate floods. They create soils, maintain stable hillsides, and prevent erosion and landslides.
They contain medicines, some discovered and many yet-to-be-discovered. Intact forests provide habitat for more than half of the world's animal and plant species. They offer hunting and fishing, camping, hiking and a variety of recreational opportunities for people who enjoy the outdoors. All of these non-monetary biological, ecological and spiritual values soar manyfold above the value of forests as timber or pulpwood.
O Lord, how many are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the whole earth is full of your riches.... (Psalm 104:24)
For more information on interfaith perspectives on land, forests, and wilderness, see:
