Reading this book review got me wondering, what is ecologically sustainable prosperity? And, how is ecologically unsustainable prosperity an issue of Christian faith?

This concept seems to do a few things.  First, it confuses faith with prosperity.  However, I’m not so sure that prosperity is an orthodox tenet of the Christian faith.  So, just because one follows Christ doesn’t automatically put one against the earth.

Second, it sets up a nearly unknowable standard.  How, exactly, does one determine that their prosperity is ecologically sustainable?  Part of man’s arrogance is thinking we understand enough about this creation to know what it can and cannot handle.  In light of recent events, it has become clear that much of what we ‘know’ about our impact on the environment is guesswork.  When the ‘settled science’ of manmade global warming is proven to be a farce, then we should rightly wonder about all the other ‘settled science’ of our environmentally minded friends.

In reality environmental consciousness is little more than earth worship.  From elementary school on we are taught to Reuse-Reduce-Recycle because the planet’s future depends upon it.  We are treated to visions of a cataclysmic future when man’s prosperity finally destroys the earth.  We are encouraged to place the needs of mother nature near to, and even above, the needs of other humans.

Perhaps there is one doctrine of Orthodox Christianity that isn’t ecologically sustainable-the judgment.  Scripture speaks often of a day of judgment, after which the earth as we know it will cease.  In its place will be a new heaven, and a new earth.  Yeah, sounds like God may not be on the ‘save the planet’ bandwagon after all.

And that leads to the biggest problem.  Poverty, famine and even natural disasters are mitigated through prosperity.  Why did Haiti suffer so and Chile, whose earthquake was 500x more powerful, suffer less?  Is it because of some hundreds year old pact with the devil, or is it because Chile is one of the most prosperous nations in South America.  Their prosperity meant building that could handle the earthquake better, it meant an infrastructure that could respond faster.  In short, it meant more lives lost.

If following Christ means encouraging folks to a life saving, but earth threatening, prosperity, sign me up.