Seasons Online

Traditional ways of naming the Sundays of a season did not seem appropriate in the face of our ecological crisis. So it was decided to name the Sundays in terms that immediately evoked a connection with creation.

We chose titles such as Forest Sunday, River Sunday, Ocean Sunday, and Cosmos Sunday. Worshippers around the world are free to modify or expand the Sundays with names that fit their creation contexts. It is great to invite artists to transform the place of worship into a forest, a river, or the ocean.

A set of readings for the Season of Creation has been prepared for the proposed three-year lectionary cycle, corresponding to the liturgical sequence of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Each set of readings has a focus not only on the domain of creation given in the title of that Sunday but also on the spiritual agent or impulse involved in the continuing process of creation, namely, the Spirit in creation, the Word in creation, and Wisdom in creation.

Especially important for any Bible study, reflection, or preaching from the readings for a given Sunday is a willingness to read texts from the perspective of Earth, whether that be a domain or living creatures of Earth. We have in the past, only read from the perspective of humans or God. But as Earth beings we are invited to read with a sensitivity to Earth or our Earth kin and seek to hear their voices in the text.

The Season of Creation is an opportunity to grow in faith, not only as servants of Christ but also as children of Earth. Through worship in this season we can also reorient our faith so that we unite with Earth and our kin on Earth in praising the Creator, discerning the presence of the cosmic Christ, and being genuine partners of the Spirit who groans with creation and renews all life on our planet.

Norm Habel is a Professorial Fellow at Flinders University, actively involved in social justice and ecojustice issues, initiator of The Earth Bible Series and Season of Creation (www.seasonofcreation.com), editor of Exploring Ecological Hermeneutics and author of An Inconvenient Text.

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Introducing the Season of Creation

Why a Season of Creation?

How do we celebrate the Season of Creation?

How are my resources affected?

Sept. 4: Forest Sunday

Sept. 11: Land Sunday

Sept. 18: Wilderness Sunday

Sept. 25: Rivers Sunday

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Celebrating the Season of Creation

Traditional ways of naming the Sundays of a season did not seem appropriate in the face of our ecological crisis. So it was decided to name the Sundays in terms that immediately evoked a connection with creation.