LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY ENCOUNTERING GOD THROUGH HIS CREATION A Thesis Project Submitted to Liberty Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF MINISTRY By Philip Joseph Parker Lynchburg, Virginia January, 2007 Copyright 2007 Philip J. Parker All Rights Reserved LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET ______________________________ GRADE ______________________________ MENTOR ______________________________ READER ABSTRACT ENCOUNTERING GOD THROUGH HIS CREATION Philip J. Parker Liberty Theological Seminary, 2007 Mentor: Dr. David D. Pettus A review of current literature demonstrates the need for a comprehensive understanding of the revelation of God through His creation. The purpose of this project is to examine this subject from a biblical, historical, and theological perspective. Personal testimonies, pertinent research, and the writings of numerous authors have also been employed in this study. Additional insights have been gleaned from a survey given to the members of seven Southern Baptist churches. The project concludes with a number of recommendations for those who wish to pursue more meaningful encounters with God through His creation. Abstract length: 93 words To Sherry, Joy and Tim CONTENTS ABSTRACT . v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 A Preliminary Investigation of the Topic to Be Presented in This Paper Purpose Statement Research Questions Defined Terminology Limitations Declaration Theological Foundations Methodology Description Literature Review CHAPTER 2: BIBLICAL RECORD . 27 A Scriptural Investigation of Those Who Encountered God through His Creation Adam and Eve Abraham Jacob Moses Elijah and Elisha Jesus Paul Summary CHAPTER 3: TESTIMONY OF THE SAINTS . 57 A Historical Investigation of Those Who Encountered God through His Creation Antony of Egypt Patrick of Ireland Francis of Assisi Jonathan Edwards Charles G. Finney Charles Haddon Spurgeon Billy Graham Summary vii CHAPTER 4: DOCTRINAL IMPLICATIONS . 91 A Theological Investigation of How God Reveals Himself through His Creation Creational Evidence Biblical Concepts Theological Views Augustine Thomas Aquinas Martin Luther John Calvin Jonathan Edwards Current Considerations Naturalists’ Observations Summary CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH ANALYSIS . 134 An Investigation of Time Spent Outdoors and Its Impact upon Spirituality Current Findings Survey Results Summary CHAPTER 6: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS . 152 A Compendium of Recommendations for Meaningful Encounters with God through His Creation Christian Ecology Spiritual Pathways Summary CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSIONS . 164 A Presentation of Inferences That Have Been Derived from the Investigation of This Topic Pertinent Insights Recommendations for Further Study APPENDIX . 174 Encountering God Survey BIBLIOGRAPHY . 180 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Purpose Statement The purpose of this thesis project is to examine how people encounter God’s presence through His creation. Frequently referred to as “natural revelation” it is one of four ways in which God has chosen to reveal Himself. The first and the most objective revelation of God is through His Word, the Bible. Writing to Timothy, Paul, the great first century apostle said, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16). 1 Without the Scriptures, we would know very little about God and how He desires for us to live in terms of our relationship with Him and with one another. God has also chosen to reveal Himself in a very personal way through His Son, Jesus Christ. In our day and time that revelation is contained within God’s Word, the Bible. For the disciples and the followers of Jesus, however, it was a revelation of God that they had experienced personally. In John’s first letter he writes, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of 1Unless otherwise noted, all quoted passages of scripture are taken from the New International Version translation of the Bible. 1 2 life” (I John 1:1). They believed that they had met God in the form of a human being who had lived among them and who had given His life for them. Writing to the church in Colossae, Paul stated that Christ is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Another way in which God has chosen to reveal Himself is through the lives of His people. In Genesis 1:26, as well as in a number of other places, the Bible teaches that we were made in His image. The Bible also teaches that His Spirit dwells within the hearts and lives of His followers. For example, Peter declared on the day of Pentecost that those who repented and were baptized would receive the “gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). God’s Spirit would dwell within them in such a way that they would become a reflection of the very presence and power of God Himself. In fact, speaking to the Christians of Galatia, Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The final way in which God has chosen to reveal Himself is through His creation. Once again the Bible very clearly indicates that He made it (Genesis 1:1), that He governs it (Isaiah 40:21-26), and that He reveals Himself through it (Psalm 19: 1-4). In fact, this revelation precedes all of the others, and it is universal in the sense that it is available to all people regardless of whether or not they are aware of the other means by which God has disclosed Himself (Romans 1:18-20). Before the Bible was written, before the coming of Christ, and before there were a multitude of Spirit filled believers, people often encountered the presence of God when they were outdoors. For example, in the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve met with Him in a garden, Abraham on a starlight night, and Jacob on a “stony” pillow at a place he named “Bethel.” Over and over again, the Bible declares that God has chosen natural settings in which to unveil Himself to 3 those who either were or would become His people. To what extent is that taking place today, and if so, how does it happen and what, if anything, can be done to facilitate its happening? This is an intriguing topic and one which is generating renewed interest among today’s writers and theologians. Having grown up in the country, the author of this thesis learned at an early age to appreciate the wonder and majesty of God’s creation. During his years as a Boy Scout, he spent a great deal of time outdoors. Later, during his college years, he was introduced to the writings of Jonathan Edwards, a Puritan pastor who was instrumental in the birth of the First Great Awakening in America. In one of his narratives, Edwards describes an encounter with Christ while he was riding on horseback through the forests of New England. 2 The author could not help but wonder if that was an isolated event, or if it was genuinely possible for others to also have spiritual experiences in outdoor settings. Several years later the testimony of a friend provided confirmation that encounters with God in natural surroundings are not only possible but also desirable in terms of enriching our lives as Christians. At an outdoor worship service during a church sponsored camping trip, an invitation was given to share personal testimonies. The friend related an experience which had taken place while he was in high school. Having been asked to write an essay about a sunset, he decided to observe one that very evening. He sat down in his back yard and watched the sun dip below the horizon. He stated he had 2A Jonathan Edwards Reader , ed. John E. Smith, Harry S. Stout, and Kenneth P. Minkema (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995; Yale Nota Bene 2003), 293. 4 become aware of God’s presence as he beheld the setting sun. For him it was a treasured memory of an encounter with God on a very special evening. Having served as a pastor for over thirty years, the author is aware of the fact that people both need and desire to experience God’s presence. In spite of today’s secular culture, which does everything it can to eradicate even the mention of His name, people are still searching for God. They want to know Him and establish a relationship with Him. The New Age movement is but one example of this ongoing interest in all things spiritual. Indeed, our culture in America has become quite similar to the one Paul confronted in the city of Athens. The people were interested in spiritual things, but they were unaware of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. They were aware, however, that God had revealed Himself through His creation. This, therefore, became a point of common understanding upon which Paul could build his gospel presentation. When he spoke to those who had gathered for the meeting of the Areopagus, he introduced his message by saying, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands” (Acts 17:24). Like Paul, sharing Christ through a common awareness of God’s revelation of Himself through creation, and the possibility of even encountering Him through that creation, is an important consideration for evangelical outreach in today’s world. It provides Christians with a means by which they can effectively share their faith by drawing upon shared experiences with those who are non-Christians. This study, therefore, can be genuinely beneficial in two ways.