Caring for the Creation as Incarnational Discipleship (Appendix: Shiu-lun SHUM's Response)

Caring for the Creation as Incarnational Discipleship

Glen H. STASSEN

This essay states that incarnational discipleship involves caring for God's creation. Based on Matthew 6:19-33, the author argues that God is actively and deeply involved in his creation (“your heavenly Father feeds them.…God so clothes the grass of the field"); the point of telling us this fact is for us to do the same, ie, to be actively and deeply involved in God's creation. Incarnational discipleship takes Jesus' admonishing to invest our money and life in things that have eternal values very seriously; it is our investment in worldly, temporary things (eg, cars, factories that produce more goods) that are causing problems like global warming and pollution. More specifically, incarnational discipleship would have us renounce using much plastic, avoid using as much gasoline as possible, conserve heat and electricity, and devise policies that would conserve our world's natural resources. For example, Europe and Japan have initiated policies that would discourage the use of gasoline by taxing gasoline more than other commodities. Based on the Sermon on the Mount (eg, Matt. 6:5-15, 6:19-34), incarnational discipleship places major emphasis on prayer and economic justice. According to the author, as we invest our lives in God's reign, in justice, and in charity, our hearts will be invested there as well.