Naturalists

Loving God Out Of Doors

Description

“Where we worship can have a profound impact on the quality of our worship. The naturalist seeks to leave the formal architecture and the padded pews to enter an entirely new “cathedral”, a place that God himself has built: the out-of-doors.”

(36, from Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas)

Suggested Activities

  • •Take your Bible outside and read it; meditate while feasting your eyes and spirit on natural beauty
  • •Rest
  • •Worship as the dawn breaks
  • •Go for a walk
Nature

Scriptures to Reflect On

Romans 1:18–23

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

NIV — New International Version

Study Questions

  1. What is knowable about God from creation?

    • –Wrath of God (v. 18)
    • –God's invisible qualities: eternal power and divine nature (v. 19)

  2. Who did God reveal Himself to?

    • –Godless and wicked people (v. 18)
    • –People in general (v. 20)

  3. How does God make Himself known?

    • –God made it plain (v. 19)
    • –God's invisible qualities are visible from what has been made (v. 20)
    • –God's invisible qualities are known since the creation of the world (v. 20)

  4. What does God expect from those who know Him?

    • –a. Know God → glorify God → give thanks to God (v. 21)
    • –b. NOT to know God → glorify images of creatures (v. 23)
    • –All people have no excuse for choosing (b) instead of (a) above

  5. What might "creation of the world" include?

    • –Literally everything created (v. 20)

  6. How might people today understand God's eternal power or divinity through creation?

    • –Thinking about it (v. 21).
    • –Today there are many ways to explore the world, including sciences, philosophies, arts, what the Bible says about it, etc.

Takeaway: God's self-revelation through nature is called general revelation. General revelation isn't enough for saving faith because it doesn't include the good news of Jesus, but it's enough to know, glorify, and thank God. Naturalists are people who especially love to love God through nature because they enjoy knowing, glorifying, and thanking God through nature.

Reflection Questions

  1. 1.Where and when do you feel closest to God?
  2. 2.How is worship different for you when you are inside listening to speakers, etc. and outside enjoying nature?
  3. 3.What could you do (where could you go) that would help you worship more deeply on a regular basis?
  4. 4.How do you balance the need for natural beauty and quiet with the command to be in community? What kinds of community activities are satisfying to you spiritually and emotionally?

Well Known Naturalists

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi

Italian friar & patron saint of ecology

Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards

American Puritan theologian & revivalist

Antoni GaudĂ­

Antoni GaudĂ­

Catalan architect & Designer

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Victorian preacher, "Prince of Preachers"

Susan Power Bratton

Susan Power Bratton

Environmental theologian & ecologist

Pamela Reeve

Pamela Reeve

Author of nature parables & devotionals

Resources

  • Edwards, Jonathan. "The Language and Lessons of Nature"
  • Muench, David, Marc Muench, Francis of Assisi. Canticle of the Earth: The Words of Francis of Assisi Celebrated in the Photography of David Muench. (2002). Sorin Books. ISBN: 1893732452
  • St. Francis of Assisi, Frank Missant Shambhala. Cantile of the Sun. 2002. ISBN: 1570629803
  • Heaven on Earth: The Inspirational Writings of Saint Francis of Assisi. (1973). ISBN: 0875293220
  • Song of Creation. (2003). Laughing Elephant. ISBN: 1883211344
  • Dr. Pamela Reeve, Parables of the Forest; Parables of the Sea

Sources