Ecospirituality: Diversity in life reveals manifestations of God

by Paulynn Instenes, FSPA

Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life in a community or ecosystem. Elementary students learn that the greater the diversity in an ecosystem/community, the healthier the system or community. Greater diversity allows for greater food choices and habitat development which in turn means less limiting factors for a population or a community or an ecosystem. This ensures the health of the biosystem.

A climax community is one which enjoys a great variety and diversity among its members. What is said of a climax community might also be said of a religious community. Diversity would provide for a richness and fullness for the members of the community.

Brian Swimme, at the Call to Action 2004 conference, suggested that St. Thomas Aquinas would have valued diversity. Paraphrasing Brian Swimme, St. Thomas might make a statement like this: "a vast diversity is needed to manifest God, a decline in diversity leads to a decline in the understanding of God." Each person (organism) brings a variety of gifts and talents to a community. In recognizing and appreciating the gifts, we come to know fuller the face of God. Knowing a great diversity of people and experiencing their various talents helps to achieve a more complete picture of God.

In the eyes of the young commonality is the goal sought in friendship and community. With aging, one realizes that diversity brings enrichment in life. Different foods, different clothes, different likes and dislikes in reading materials, different political ideals, different philosophy and different religious practices when shared with others enrich life. Science teaches that communities actually grow stronger by testing differences among members.

The knowledge that we come to know God through each other is also consistent with Franciscan teaching. Francis not only saw gifts and manifestations of God through his community, but also in the community of birds and trees and rocks. Everywhere Francis looked, plants, animals, mountains, valleys, lakes, sunsets or people, brought him closer to his creator God. To Francis, all creation was interrelated and manifested God.

However, as much as we have come to know the benefits of biodiversity, 20,000 species become extinct each year under our present situation. As much as 400,000 square miles of ice have melted in the Arctic due to humans' overuse of fossil fuels. Polar bears are scheduled to be extinct before the current 1st graders reach senior citizen status. Bird species and population numbers within various species are declining.

Even though ecosystems are being stressed, there are actions individuals can take. Lists of suggestions and more statistics are available on various websites. I have included a few personal
favorites.

Suggestions for relieving stress on the ecosystem

1. Appreciate diversity-seek it out-let it show you another facet of God.
2. Francis created poetry and songs celebrating the gifts of God. Let your song be heard.
3. Walk lightly where you go. Use what you need. Leave the place where you have been better than when you found it.
4. Plant flowers and vegetables to enjoy. Share them with others.
5. Waste little.
6. Make a list of all the new ways you have come to know God better in the last year. Thank those who helped you reach a deeper understanding of God.
7. Pray for your community-both in appreciation and gratitude for all the unique gifts each has been given.
8. Feed the birds, make bird and bat houses.
9. Recognize that you share the air with all of
creation, breathe deeply and enjoy God's gifts.
10. Fight to keep land and animal habitats secure for future generations.

Editors note: Sister Paulynn drew from these sources for this article:Houghton Mifflin, Discovery Works; Addison-Wesley Pub., Science Insights, Exploring Living Things; CBS and ABC Nightly News and the Wisconsin State Journal.

Using recycled magazines, 7th grade students at St. Luke School in Plain, Wis., created color wheels. The wheels are symbolic of diversity, no two are alike, and yet each is a circle of color.