Kinship with Creation, Susannah Kay Brindle Alistair McIntosh - Shop Online for Books in Australia
Kinship with Creation
Two Quakers Share Their Views
By Susannah Kay Brindle, Alistair McIntosh
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Format: Paperback, 40 pages
Published In: United Kingdom, 03 May 2002
Contents & Introduction attached
Contents; Page; Introduction 1; The Questions: 1. How did you come to your beliefs? 2; 2. How do non-indigenes relate to the place inhabited by indigenous peoples? 6; 3. Are there Quaker insights on the right relationship between indigenous peoples and non-indigenes? 10; 4. Is there a conflict between nature religions and Christianity? 11; 5. Is it feasible for non-indigenes to develop a sense of belonging to the land? 14; 6. How can Quakers' understanding and discernment be applied to ecological relationships? 17; 7. Should or can the Quaker concept of ministry be extended to listening to the natural world? 20; 8. Is there too much emphasis on the supposed wisdom and lifestyle of indigenous peoples? 22; 9. Is there much cooperation in nature? Have we something to learn here? 24; 10. Is our rejection of Nature linked to our fear of death and of being recycled in the natural process? 26; 11. Is Genesis 1:28 to be blamed for Christianity's general exploitative attitude to the rest of creation? 29; 12. Is it possible to respect indigenous peoples when one holds a position of power and privilege over them by land-ownership? 30; 13. Does the land itself have a spirit through which God communicates with us? 32; 14. Is our first step towards knowing God knowing Nature? 34; Appendix from Susannah 37;
Introduction;
Having read Alastair's book 'Healing Nationhood' (the second one had not been published then) and Susannah's James Backhouse Lecture, 'To learn a New Song', it seemed that each had a similar theme, that of the relationships between people, the land and God. Alastair comes from a Scottish background, with ancestral memories of the clearances, and Susannah works with and feels a close empathy with the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Both the Scottish crofters and the Australian indigenous peoples depend on the land and on a close knowledge of its productivity, seasonal changes, variations in weather, soil, and flows of water.
Alastair and Susannah are exceptional people, due to their experiences and their ability to reflect on these and to work out a theology for themselves. They bring a fresh new perspective which is not often heard now, especially as so many of us are urban dwellers, sometimes totally cut off from the natural world.
Therefore, in Quaker Green Action, we felt it important to give more publicity to both these writers and asked them to contribute their answers to a series of questions around the issues of people, their land and God. They are both Quakers, and they explain how they came to their beliefs in their answers to the first question Some of their views may be found to be challenging, and, as Alastair says, he can be a turbulent friend, as we suspect can Susannah.
So they are not necessarily the views of Quaker Green Action (if, indeed, it can be said to have collective views!), and not necessarily those of the Society of Friends (although again, our views on some matters are quite divergent).
However, both authors make one think, and they may in fact be ahead of their time. The ecological challenge is with us today as never before, and anything we can learn about right living on the land is important.
Indigenous people can provide valuable insights, both practically and spiritually. Not having access to resources from outside they have to live by their skills on the land as they find it. Their spirituality is bound up with the natural world so they can appreciate small changes, which the uninitiated would not notice, and find meaning in them.
Quakers are perhaps more open to the ideas expressed in this booklet than some other denominations of the Christian faith and QGA hopes that it will inspire and challenge readers to think more deeply about our relationships to the rest of creation.
Kinship with Creation
Two Quakers Share Their Views
By Susannah Kay Brindle, Alistair McIntosh
---
Format: Paperback, 40 pages
Published In: United Kingdom, 03 May 2002
Contents & Introduction attached
Contents; Page; Introduction 1; The Questions: 1. How did you come to your beliefs? 2; 2. How do non-indigenes relate to the place inhabited by indigenous peoples? 6; 3. Are there Quaker insights on the right relationship between indigenous peoples and non-indigenes? 10; 4. Is there a conflict between nature religions and Christianity? 11; 5. Is it feasible for non-indigenes to develop a sense of belonging to the land? 14; 6. How can Quakers' understanding and discernment be applied to ecological relationships? 17; 7. Should or can the Quaker concept of ministry be extended to listening to the natural world? 20; 8. Is there too much emphasis on the supposed wisdom and lifestyle of indigenous peoples? 22; 9. Is there much cooperation in nature? Have we something to learn here? 24; 10. Is our rejection of Nature linked to our fear of death and of being recycled in the natural process? 26; 11. Is Genesis 1:28 to be blamed for Christianity's general exploitative attitude to the rest of creation? 29; 12. Is it possible to respect indigenous peoples when one holds a position of power and privilege over them by land-ownership? 30; 13. Does the land itself have a spirit through which God communicates with us? 32; 14. Is our first step towards knowing God knowing Nature? 34; Appendix from Susannah 37;
Introduction;
Having read Alastair's book 'Healing Nationhood' (the second one had not been published then) and Susannah's James Backhouse Lecture, 'To learn a New Song', it seemed that each had a similar theme, that of the relationships between people, the land and God. Alastair comes from a Scottish background, with ancestral memories of the clearances, and Susannah works with and feels a close empathy with the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Both the Scottish crofters and the Australian indigenous peoples depend on the land and on a close knowledge of its productivity, seasonal changes, variations in weather, soil, and flows of water.
Alastair and Susannah are exceptional people, due to their experiences and their ability to reflect on these and to work out a theology for themselves. They bring a fresh new perspective which is not often heard now, especially as so many of us are urban dwellers, sometimes totally cut off from the natural world.
Therefore, in Quaker Green Action, we felt it important to give more publicity to both these writers and asked them to contribute their answers to a series of questions around the issues of people, their land and God. They are both Quakers, and they explain how they came to their beliefs in their answers to the first question Some of their views may be found to be challenging, and, as Alastair says, he can be a turbulent friend, as we suspect can Susannah.
So they are not necessarily the views of Quaker Green Action (if, indeed, it can be said to have collective views!), and not necessarily those of the Society of Friends (although again, our views on some matters are quite divergent).
However, both authors make one think, and they may in fact be ahead of their time. The ecological challenge is with us today as never before, and anything we can learn about right living on the land is important.
Indigenous people can provide valuable insights, both practically and spiritually. Not having access to resources from outside they have to live by their skills on the land as they find it. Their spirituality is bound up with the natural world so they can appreciate small changes, which the uninitiated would not notice, and find meaning in them.
Quakers are perhaps more open to the ideas expressed in this booklet than some other denominations of the Christian faith and QGA hopes that it will inspire and challenge readers to think more deeply about our relationships to the rest of creation.
