From Nature to Creation

In his book, From Nature to Creation, Norman Wirzba argues that one must learn to live and see the world in a similar way that God does as its creator: “as good and beautiful, and as worthy of being cherished and celebrated”. He then explicitly outlines the starting point for doing this as “developing an imagination for the world as created, sustained, and daily loved by God.” This may be done by expressing the qualities that God ebodies and imposing them upon the world and God’s creatures residing in it. This involves humility and sympathy; having a pathetic (invoking pathos) relationship with knowledge. It involves honesty, attentiveness, and patience with the complexity of the world. It involves selflessness to not exploit the world in any degree as an expendable commodity. Most importantly, Wirzba says, is love. “We cannot properly know or live in the world if we do not share in the divine love that brings it into being and that sustains it and leads it into its perfection.” Love must be the motivation to care for the world. However, Wirzba moves on the point that love of the world itself is not enough. To love is to know, and to know God. To know God is to live in him, by his principles. Only in this way can the world be saved; for our sake and His.

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