Theological and Religious Approaches to Soil Stewardship - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 292

based his stewardship ethic as a farmer on biblical principles; another's grandfather
likewise based his farming ethic and soil conservation work on a notion from Leviticus
that humans are just tenants on the land, such that we should leave it a little better than
we found it in hope that it will continue to provide for the next generation. In addition
to specific principles that can inspire individuals, the fact that some respected commu-
nity leaders hold such views can also help promote stewardship in a given community.
12.3.1 r ecognizing a gricultural r oots WitHin r eligions
In many cases, religious and cultural connections with agriculture are deep. Some
religious systems have evolved from a more agriculturally dominant past, where
the rhythms of nature and life on the land were more fully integrated with religious
ritual. For instance, in ancient Israel, the harvest festival and agricultural charac-
ter of Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, was more apparent than in more recent celebra-
tion; even so, these deep roots can be drawn on for their contemporary resonance.
As detailed below, the Soil Stewardship Sunday tradition in American Catholic rural
communities (with Protestant parallels) drew upon traditional Catholic observations
of Rogation Days and Ember Days, which had diminished as common Catholic life
became less agricultural. The rediscovery and promotion of these themes was simul-
taneously developed as an expression of soil stewardship and an effort to renew litur-
gical life by more closely linking the rhythms of farming practice with the worship
life of Christian communities. In this way, the meaning of spiritual teachings became
more clearly framed within the common sense of cultural relationships with the land,
while land stewardship practices were reinforced with spiritual and ethical meaning.
Even in a society like the United States, where agricultural livelihoods now make
up less than 2% of the population and relationships with land cannot be assumed as
common sense, it has been instructive to witness the recent interest of faith commu-
nities in local agriculture, organic farming, food justice, and learning about natural
cycles.* Several denominations have generated policy statements and study docu-
ments to bring attention to land stewardship issues. † Religiously affiliated organic
farms have sprung up across the United States, ‡ and in Africa, where rural liveli-
hoods are much more prevalent, faith-based conservation organizations have also
* The Unitarian Universalist 2008-2012 Congregational Study/Action Issue is “Ethical Eating: Food
and Environmental Justice” (http://www.uua.org/environment/eating/55648.shtml); the Presbyterian
Food and Faith program provides related resources (www.pcusa.org/blogs/foodfaith/); “Rooted
in God's Word and Lands” is a land stewardship study guide produced by the National Council of
Churches (http://www.nccecojustice.org/network/downloads/landresource.pdf).
† The National Religious Partnership for the Environment provides links to food and agriculture (http://
www.nrpe.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=305&Itemid=1132) and other
issue statements, as does the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Programs: Faithful Harvest
program (http://nccecojustice.org/food/), and Interfaith Power and Light provides “Cool Harvest”
resources (http://action.interfaithpowerandlight.org/site/c.dmJUKgOZJiI8G/b.6605225/k.97F1/Cool_
Harvest.htm) that draw upon faith-based principles as a basis for engaging food and agriculture issues.
‡ A few examples include Shepherd's Corner Farm and Ecology Center, OH (http://www.shepherds
corner.org/); Genesis Farm, NJ (http://www.genesisfarm.org/index.taf); Crown Point Ecology Center,
OH (http://crownpt.org/); Green Gulch Farm, San Francisco Zen Center (http://www.sfzc.org/ggf/);
and Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center Adamah Farm Fellowship (http://isabellafreedman.org/
adamah/intro).