Reviewed Title: Van Dyke, Fred. Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2010. 237 pages. ISBN 978-0-313-37536-1

Ploegstra, Jeff

English

Dordt College

Volume 41 Number 1 Article 6 September 2012 Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection (Book Review) Jeff Ploegstra Dordt College, jeff.ploegstra@dordt.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/pro_rege  Part of the Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Ploegstra, Jeff (2012) "Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection (Book Review)," Pro Rege: Vol. 41: No. 1, 28 - 30. Available at: https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/pro_rege/vol41/iss1/6 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at Digital Collections @ Dordt. It has been accepted for inclusion in Pro Rege by an authorized administrator of Digital Collections @ Dordt. For more information, please contact ingrid.mulder@dordt.edu. 28     Pro Rege—September 2012 Pro Rege—September 2012     28 Fred	 Van	 Dyke	 has	 most	 recently	 been	 professor	of	 Field	 Biology	 and	 department	 chair	 at	 Wheaton	College	 and	 is	 now	 the	 executive	 director	 of	 Au	 Sable	Institute.	 With	 his	 extensive	 research,	 publications,	and	 professional	 experience,	 Van	 Dyke	 has	 helped	the	 Christian	 community	 develop	 an	 ethic	 of	 Judeo-Christian	 environmental	 stewardship.	 And	 that	 is	 the	focus	 of	 this	 2010	 book,	 Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection. This	book	is	a	concise,	enjoyable,	and	powerful	tool	for	every	Christian	to	better	understand	the	relationships	between	God,	humankind,	 and	 the	 rest	of	His	 creation.	Laying	out	a	framework	for	considering	how	we	should	approach	the	essential	questions	of	environmental	ethics,	Van	Dyke	describes	 historical	 examples	 of	 how	 Christians	 have	interacted	with	these	questions	through	time,	illuminates	the	 fallacies	 of	 amoral	 approaches	 to	 conservation	 and	environmental	ethics,	explicates	successful	approaches	to	environmental	redemption,	and	unabashedly	drives	home	the	need	for	fundamental	change	in	our	relationship	with	God’s	world.	One	 might	 be	 tempted,	 upon	 examination	 of	 the	contents,	to	read	a	few	chapters	with	appealing	titles—a	“A	Biblical	Understanding	of	‘The	Environment’”	or	“A	Comprehensive	Christian	Environmental	Ethic”—rather	than	 tackling	 the	 book	 from	 cover	 to	 cover.	 Resist	 the	temptation!	 This	 book	 is	 undoubtedly	 more	 than	 the	sum	of	its	parts.	Van	Dyke	is	careful	and	thorough	in	the	development	of	his	 arguments,	 and	 to	 skip	ahead	 is	 to	miss	a	great	deal.Van	 Dyke	 suggests	 that	 environmental	 ethics	 are	usually	and	 inappropriately	organized	according	 to	one	or	more	of	 the	“great”	questions	surrounding	the	value	of	nature,	the	nature	of	human	responsibility	for	nature’s	well-being,	 and/or	 human	 self-fulfillment	 through	appropriate	 interaction	 with	 nature.	 According	 to	 Van	Dyke,	these	questions	are	as	follows:Does the non-human world possess intrinsic value, a “good of  its own,” that exists independent-ly of  uses humans might find for it, and if  it does, what is the source of  that value?Is there a rational basis for human responsibil-ity toward non-human environment that goes be-yond enlightened (human) self-interest?What is the purpose of  environmental stew-ardship? That is, what value or values are being af-firmed or advanced by the actions we collectively call conservation?Is there a normative basis and pattern for envi-ronmental virtues (behaviors of  “excellence”) that should direct human action toward the environ-ment and, in the process, contribute to the forma-tion of  human beings as “better” people, people who are able to grow in their capacities and skills to do good to nature?What is the fate of  the earth, and does pres-ent conservation activity make sense in light of  that future fate? (27)Van	Dyke	clearly	makes	the	point	that	ill-considered	answers	 to	 these	 questions	 lead	 to	 ineffective	 activity	and	questionable	dispositions	 toward	 the	 environment.	He	 also	 argues	 that,	 taken	 individually	 or	 as	 a	 whole,	these	 questions	 are	 “inappropriate	 language”	 to	 speak	of	 Christian	 environmental	 ethics.	 Instead,	 he	 talks	 of	the	 nature	 of	 God’s	 love	 for	 each	 part	 of	 his	 creation	(51),	 image	 bearing	 (54),	 serving	 and	 protecting	 (55),	corruption	(56),	judgment	(57),	covenant	(58),	sabbath	(60),	and	redemption	(64).	All	of	creation	is	included	in	the	 biblical	 narrative,	 and	 that	 becomes	 clear	 through	the	 structure	 and	 language	 Van	 Dyke	 uses	 as	 he	 lays	out	 Chapter	 3,	 “A	 Biblical	 Understanding	 of	 ‘The	Environment.’”	 For	 most	 Christians,	 this	 should	 be	one	of	the	critical	chapters	of	the	book.	Our	activity	in	relation	to	the	environment	should	be	seen	as	part	of	our	participation	in	the	story	of	God	as	much	as	it	is	about	properly	acting	out	our	understanding	of	our	relationship	to	the	environment.	The	use	of	 this	narrative	 framework	 resonates	with	the	“between”	in	the	title	of	the	book.	It	could	be	seen	as	an	orientation	for	the	rest	of	the	book.	It	establishes	a	 sense	 of	 proper	 relationship	 and	 clarifies	 that	 the	conversation	shouldn’t	be	constrained	to	the	relationship	between	 mankind	 and	 his	 environment;	 it	 must	 start	with	 the	relationship	between	God	and	His	creation—including	mankind.	Also	found	in	the	title	might	be	hints	of	the	existing,	unwarranted	tension	within	the	Christian	Van Dyke, Fred. Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2010. 237 pages. ISBN 978-0-313-37536-1. Reviewed by Jeffrey T. Ploegstra, PhD, Professor of Biology, Dordt College.Pro Rege—September 2012     29 29     Pro Rege—September 2012community	surrounding	appropriate	focus.	Alternatively,	Van	Dyke	may	have	 intended	 that	we	 read	 the	 title	 as	an	indication	of	our	role	as	image	bearers,	or	perhaps	he	intended	to	allude	to	the	title	of	a	2000	video	describing	the	plight	 of	 the	Chesapeake	Bay	watermen,	which	he	also	describes	 in	 the	book.	All	 of	 these	understandings	of	 the	 title	 would	 fit	 well	 with	 the	 (re)orientation	 he	provides.Van	 Dyke	 continues	 the	 process	 of	 orientation	by	 describing	 the	 historical/cultural	 conversation	surrounding	 mankind’s	 relationship	 with	 his	environment.	Van	 Dyke	 makes	 very	 clear	 what	 should	be	 obvious:	 that	 conservation	 and	 Christianity	 are	 not	new	friends.	The	strong	fibers	throughout	the	Christian	tradition	 of	 valuing	 and	 caring	 for	 the	 creation	 clearly	emphasize	that	environmental	ethics	are	not	a	side	note	of	our	tradition	or	a	new	progressive	liberal	agenda	that	conservative	 Christians	 should	 view	 with	 hostility	 as	resistance	to	economic	progress.	Like	 a	 good	 ecologist,	 Van	 Dyke	 values	 context	and	does	not	 ignore	 economics,	 theology,	 sociology,	or	philosophy.	He	gives	space	to	each	and	draws	connections	between	 where	 we	 were,	 why	 we	 were	 there,	 and	 how	we	 got	 where	 we	 now	 are.	 The	 book	 is	 saturated	 with	explications	of	quotes	both	contemporary	and	historical	that	 elaborate	 on	 themes	 of	 stewardship,	 redemption,	relationship,	God	imaging,	God	Knowing,	and	worship.	Early	on,	Van	Dyke	relates	the	words	of	Basil,	Bishop	of	Caesarea	 (330-370	AD),	 in	his	homilies	on	 the	first	chapter	of	Genesis:“O God, enlarge within us the sense of  fellowship with all living things, Our brothers the animals to whom Thou gavest the Earth as their home in com-mon with us. We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high dominion of  man with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of  the Earth, which should have gone up to Thee in song has been a groan of  travail. May we realize that they live not for us alone, but for themselves and for Thee. And that they love the sweetness of  life even as we, and serve Thee better in their place than we in ours”(75). Thomas	Aquinas	(79),	Francis	of	Assisi	(82),	Luther,	Calvin,	 Wesley	 (90),	 Bacon	 and	 Leibniz	 (102),	 Weber	(104),	 Faraday,	 Lyell	 (108)	 Jonathan	 Edwards	 (113),	Muir	 (115),	 Berry	 (123),	 Leopold	 (125),	 and	 Gilbert	White	(145)	all	make	their	way	across	the	pages	of	the	book.	 That	 the	 book	 is	 well-referenced	 and	 indexed	makes	it	a	very	useful	gateway	into	the	realms	of	thought	surrounding	our	relationship	with	our	environment	and	the	 historical	 trajectory	 that	 has	 led	 to	 environmental	degradation.	Van	 Dyke	 rejects	 attractive	 but	 overly	 simplistic	interpretations	 like	 Lynn	 White,	 Jr.’s	 notorious	 essay	of	 the	1970s,	 “The	Historical	Roots	of	Our	Ecological	Crisis,”	 which	 painted	 Christianity	 as	 the	 basis	 of	our	 ecological	 downfall.	 In	 fact,	 Van	 Dyke	 notes	 that	Christians	 raised	 a	 critical	 voice	 of	 concern	 during	 the	industrial	 revolution	and	were	 instrumental	 in	 forming	some	 of	 the	 first	 organizations	 to	 protect	 wild	 species	(111).The	 historical	 character	 of	 much	 of	 the	 book	 also	opens	one’s	eyes	 to	 the	changes	 that	are	 too	gradual	 to	appreciate.	It	emphasizes	that	a	changing	society	requires	a	 constant	 reevaluation	 of	 self	 and	 direction	 as	 new	ideologies	 come	 to	 dominate	 culture.	 The	 materialism	and	 consumerism	 that	 have	 saturated	 contemporary	culture,	and	sadly	much	of	the	Church,	have	left	many	environmentally	 conscious	 Christians	 feeling	 alienated	and	 disaffected.	 The	 sentiments	 expressed	 through	 the	voices	of	so	many	shapers	who	challenged	the	common	thinking	of	their	day	come	as	air	to	the	drowning.	Besides	 establishing	 the	 framework	 for	 discussion	and	welcoming	the	reader	to	the	ongoing	conversation,	Van	Dyke	clearly	lays	down	the	critical	challenge	for	all	Christians	 to	 meaningfully	 and	 sacrificially	 serve	 and	protect	 the	creation.	He	states	 that	regular,	 intentional,	redemptive	interaction	with	natural	environments	should	be	a	normative	part	of	Christian	life	(208).	He	 opens	 his	 challenge	 by	 examining	 some	 of	 the	common	 arguments	 against	 Christians	 taking	 a	 more	active	role	 in	caring	 for	 the	creation.	He	contends	 that	these	 arguments	 are	 theologically	 unsound,	 self-serving	and	in	some	cases,	outright	heretical.	This	quote	is	offered	as	 representative	 of	 the	 opposing	 point	 of	 view:	 “God	does	not	want	us	to	worship	or	adore	the	earth	or	any	of	his	creations.	He	didn’t	even	ask	us	to	preserve	the	earth.	In	Genesis	1:28	God	commanded	man	to	 ‘subdue’	 the	earth.	That	is,	to	understand	it	and	gain	mastery	of	it;	to	put	it	to	work	in	our	own	best	interests.	Certainly	there	is	 also	 stewardship	 implied,	 but	 preserving	 a	 ‘pristine’	earth	may	not	be	in	man’s	best	interest.	Focus	on	saving	souls”	 (218).	 This	 kind	 of	 neo-platonism,	 Gnosticism,	Docetism,	and	Manichaeism,	Van	Dyke	says,	should	set	alarm	bells	ringing	when	actually	 laid	against	scripture,	yet	the	argument	stands	relatively	unopposed	(217,	222).	30     Pro Rege—September 2012 Pro Rege—September 2012     30 Van	Dyke	continues	his	challenge	using	unambiguous	language.	He	plainly	identifies	that	the	earth	is	the	Lord’s	(192),	that	the	creation	is	of	moral	significance	(203),	that	the	biblical	concept	of	rulership	is	one	of	sacrificial	service	(197),	and	that	this	redemptive	activity	is	not	only	about	the	effect	on	the	environment	but	also	about	loving	God	and	 our	 neighbor	 and	 our	 own	 transformation	 (208).	This	is	an	urgently	needed	clarion	call	to	obediently	bear	God’s	image,	to	love	what	he	loved,	to	care	for	what	he	cares	for—no	apologies	offered	or	needed.	This	book	should	not	stay	in	the	hands	of	those	who	find	themselves	agreeing	with	Van	Dyke.	Read	it	and	pass	it	on.	Better	yet,	read	it	and	buy	a	copy	to	give	to	your	sister	who	just	doesn’t	understand	you.Long, long ago, biographical criticism—interpreting a story or poem on the basis of  what we know about a writer’s life—lost favor when New Criticism began to assert that a poem is a poem is a poem, and not simply the by-product of  an artist’s life story.Think of  the Psalms, for instance:  some, like Psalm 51, begin with a preface that indicates when and where David penned it. That’s nice and it’s helpful.  Some, like Psalm 23, don’t.  Is 23 somehow inferior?  Of  course not.  Furthermore, you can read 51 knowing nothing of  David’s adultery with Bathsheba and his arranging the death of  her husband and still shiver with the intensity of  the grasping need for forgiveness.But for decades, the kind of  criticism that would use Edgar Allen Poe’s abysmal life, for instance, to explain what he means in his poems or stories was thought somehow a violation of  the holiness given to art, to a poem, itself.Along came what is called “the New Historicism,” which essentially puts the creation of  a poem or play or novel or script into its own time period once more, but then attempts to explain something about its author and its emergence into the cultural conversation by way of  historical events that may not even be referred to in the poem or story, or by the poet himself  or herself.  While I’m not familiar with her whole canon, it’s quite possible that someone like the Canadian short story writer Alice Munro may never have written a story about any character in or out of  the War in Vietnam. Yet, it would be foolhardy to argue that, even though she is a Canadian who sets her work consistently in Canada, Alice Munro was not in some very powerful ways shaped by the Vietnam War and the effects of  the entire era. David Maraniss’s new biography (the first volume), Barack Obama: The Story, takes a kind of  New Historical approach to the President’s life, churning up details lots of  folks might think absurdly removed from what is relevant.  Early on, he draws out the story of  Obama’s great-grandmother’s suicide (in 1926) with the kind of  detail that may seem unnecessary, given the fact that her suicide happened five decades before the President was even born—not to mention that vastly more consequential events seem obvious in the President’s life (his father’s almost total absence, as well as his mother’s frequent absences, for instance). But what Maraniss likes to pull from the story is the almost happenstance machinations of  history itself, where little things create big things.If  you’re simply interested in the present, of  course, or in the good stuff  (a white girlfriend whose diaries Maraniss quotes, a bunch of  young kids smoking pot), the incredible detail Maraniss marshalls out may well seem not only arcane but boring.  But Maraniss is a story-teller who not only loves great stories but also has an eye for finding them and a heart greatly capable of  writing them. It’s a brick of  a book—672 pages—but Maraniss is the kind of  biographer who knows exactly how to string a story, a thousand stories, into one powerful saga.Maraniss operates with the theory that any single life—yours or mine—is almost always a conglomeration of  nature, nurture, and sheer randomness. Here’s an example from my own life:  when my grandfather was told about his son-in-law’s desire to work in Michigan, he cried, having lost another daughter in a car accident on a foggy night less than a decade before. My father saw the tears and decided not to leave. If  he had, I would have been brought up in Michigan, in Grand Rapids. Thus, the lakeshore fog that was the cause of  a fatal accident changed the course of  my life long before I had any choice at all in the matter. “I believe that life is chaotic, a jumble of  accidents, ambitions, misconceptions, bold intentions, lazy happenstances, Maraniss, David. Barack Obama: The Story. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2012. 672 pp. ISBN 10:1439160406 or 13:978-143916404. Reviewed by James Calvin Schaap, professor emeritus, Dordt College. 

Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection (Book Review)

https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1135&context=pro_rege

Between Heaven and Earth: Christian Perspectives on Environmental Protection (Book Review)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Dordt College