A Sustainable Soul

WICHITA, KANSAS Growing a Sustainable Soul. Copyright © 2014 Robert Daniel Flanagan. All Rights Reserved. Published in the United States of America by St. Mark’s Press. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or trans- mitted, in any form or by any means—including photocopying—without the prior written permission of St. Mark’s Press, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles and reviews. St. Mark’s Press 8021 W 21st St N Wichita, KS 67205-1743 Phone: 1-800-365-0439 Email: [email protected] For orders and information: stmarkspress.net Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. Cover Design: Diana Hubin Interior Design: J. Ted Blakley ISBN 10: 0-9839899-1-5 ISBN 13: 978-0-9839899-1-2 For Caity whose love for good soil and farming sustains me. Contents Introduction Semi-Millennial Reconfigurations ................................................................................................. 1 The Soul’s Heartache .................................................................................................................................... 3 Righteousness and Sustainability.................................................................................................... 4 Chapter One — A Sustainable Soul Still Waters ..............................................................................................................................................................11 Fresh Cut Grass ...............................................................................................................................................13 Parched Places ....................................................................................................................................................15 Lightning ...................................................................................................................................................................17 Flowers ........................................................................................................................................................................19 Storm .............................................................................................................................................................................20 Darkness ....................................................................................................................................................................22 Deer .................................................................................................................................................................................24 My Body, God’s Temple .......................................................................................................................26 Fire ....................................................................................................................................................................................28 Chapter Two — The Power of God The Hawk.................................................................................................................................................................33 Overflowing Joy ...............................................................................................................................................35 True Power .............................................................................................................................................................37 Chaos or Order .................................................................................................................................................39 The Rainbow’s Promise .........................................................................................................................41 The Foundation of the Earth ..........................................................................................................43 Chapter Three — The Right Use of Resources Lost Sheep ...............................................................................................................................................................47 Mist .................................................................................................................................................................................. 49 Water ............................................................................................................................................................................. 51 Subdue the Earth ........................................................................................................................................... 53 Gleaning .................................................................................................................................................................... 55 The Right Use of Resources ............................................................................................................ 57 Chapter Four — Jesus the Gardener The Gardener ..................................................................................................................................................... 61 Germination ......................................................................................................................................................... 63 The Fig Tree ......................................................................................................................................................... 65 Wind and Sea....................................................................................................................................................... 67 Weeds ........................................................................................................................................................................... 69 Seed ................................................................................................................................................................................. 71 Chapter Five — The Vision of Restoration Local Farms .......................................................................................................................................................... 75 Peace .............................................................................................................................................................................. 77 Cats and Dogs .................................................................................................................................................... 79 A New Earth ....................................................................................................................................................... 81 God’s Joy .................................................................................................................................................................. 83 Water, Fruit and Leaves ......................................................................................................................... 85 Chapter 6 — Holy Week Palm Branches ................................................................................................................................................... 89 God’s Keepsake ............................................................................................................................................... 91 Stones ........................................................................................................................................................................... 93 Gethsemane .......................................................................................................................................................... 95 Darkness ................................................................................................................................................................... 97 Silence ........................................................................................................................................................................... 99 Easter .........................................................................................................................................................................101 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 103 Index of Biblical References ...................................................................................... 104 Introduction Semi-Millennial Reconfigurations The twenty-first century is a time of dramatic change. The econ- omies of the world are transforming. Geopolitical forces are un- steady. Social movements rise and fall in quick succession. Rapid advances in technology make life easier but create new vulnerabilities to our personal privacy. Such dramatic times of change, while unsettling to live through, are not new to human history nor are their impact on social institutions like the Church. History demonstrates that the Church has always under- gone dramatic changes. As Phyllis Tickle notes in her book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing

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