Rethinking Sacred Space: Our 21 st Century Challenge

Rethinking Sacred Space:Our 21st Century Challenge

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Our Sacred Spaces are Threatened — by Climate Change

• CARBON DIOXIDE in our atmosphere, over the last 20,000 years.

• Proof, sadly, that today’s rise in CO2 (and temperature) is from our actions (oil & coal, etc)

• That huge rise at the end – that’s our generation, alone!

Our Sacred Spaces are Threatened — by Climate Change

• CARBON DIOXIDE & TEMPERATURE, projected, over the next 100 years.

• Each line is a different study – top scientists all agree that we’re messing dangerously with the planet; their differences are minor, and reflected here.

Exodus 2


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God *is* Place – Place *is* GodGod *is* Place – Place *is* God

Makom

מקום

God *is* Place – Place *is* GodGod *is* Place – Place *is* God

Makom מקוםBioregionalism“a sense of Place”

1. God *is* Place

Martin BuberBorn in Austria in 1888Barely escaped Nazi

Germany in 1938Early advocate of bi-

national (Jewish & Arab) Palestine/Israel

Died in Jerusalem in 1965

1. God *is* Place1. God *is* Place

Buber: “…real relationship to God cannot Buber: “…real relationship to God cannot be achieved on earth if real relationships be achieved on earth if real relationships to the world and to [hu]mankind are to the world and to [hu]mankind are lacking. Both love of the Creator and love lacking. Both love of the Creator and love of that which [God] has created are finally of that which [God] has created are finally one and the same. In order to achieve one and the same. In order to achieve this unity, man [sic] must indeed accept this unity, man [sic] must indeed accept creation from God's hands, not in order to creation from God's hands, not in order to possess it but lovingly to take part in the possess it but lovingly to take part in the still uncompleted work of creation... ”still uncompleted work of creation... ”

1. God *is* Place1. God *is* Place

Buber: “Buber: “love of the Creator love of the Creator and love of that and love of that which God has which God has

created are finally created are finally one and the one and the

same.same.””

2. build a deep, enduring, largely egalitarian relationship with Place

Martin BuberBorn in Austria in 1888Barely escaped Nazi

Germany in 1938Early advocate of bi-

national (Jewish & Arab) Palestine/Israel

Died in Jerusalem in 1965

2. 2. build a deep, enduring, largely build a deep, enduring, largely egalitarian egalitarian relationshiprelationship with Place with Place

Phyllis TriblePhyllis TribleHumans are Humans are

both:both:

a part a part (of)(of)

andand

apart apart (from)(from)

First, “God *is* Place.” Then:

2. build a deep, enduring, largely egalitarian relationship with Place

3. PlaceS … and Eco-Interfaith

3. PlaceS … and Eco-Interfaith

J. Baird Callicott –

Three paradigms:

1. Current Ecological (will we save the crane in time?)

2. Hegemonic (bad!)

3. ORCHESTRAL (let’s hear those interfaith harmonies)

3. PlaceS … and Eco-3. PlaceS … and Eco-InterfaithInterfaith

3-a: we must develop a 3-a: we must develop a sense of Placesense of PlaceSS. .

3-b: the interconnections 3-b: the interconnections at the heart of ecology at the heart of ecology serve as a key interfaith serve as a key interfaith lesson.lesson.

4. Places are unique, interconnected, interdependent; save the one, & save all


Mother Jones: “Mourn the Dead… and fight like hell for the living”


“All God’s critters got a place in the choir – some sing low, & some sing higher; some sing out

loud on the telephone wire; some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they

got now…” -- Bill Staines

“Vayar Elohim et kol asher asah, And God saw all that God had made; and ‘yo!,’ v’hineh! – it was tov me’od, very good” (Gen. 1:31)

5. people build great places too, sometimes

5. People can do great things – but what’s holy about the ex-mountain?

5. people build great places too, sometimes

“In the image of God did God create them”

(Gen. 1:27)

6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build

““don’t just build a don’t just build a building; build a building; build a just building” just building”

-- Judith Helfand -- Judith Helfand

6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build --Adat Shalom Recon. Cong., Bethesda MD

6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build --Adat Shalom Recon. Cong., Bethesda MD

6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build --Jewish Reconstructionist Cong., Evanston IL

6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build --Jewish Reconstructionist Cong., Evanston IL

6. Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build

Review: 1, “God *is* Place”…Review: 1, “God *is* Place”…

2, 2, build a deep, enduring, largely egalitarian build a deep, enduring, largely egalitarian relationshiprelationship with Place with Place

3, PlaceS … and Eco-Interfaith3, PlaceS … and Eco-Interfaith

4, 4, Places are unique, interconnected, interdependent; Places are unique, interconnected, interdependent; save the one, save the one, && save all save all

5, 5, people build great places too, sometimespeople build great places too, sometimes

66, , Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build Build Sustainably, or Don’t Build

7. Time and Space both count, with Sabbath connecting them




Judy Chicago, “Rainbow Shabbat”

‘Tending the Earth Together’

8. 8. Spaces must be preserved by LawSpaces must be preserved by Law

Regulation is OK –Regulation is OK –

it’s how the publicit’s how the public

interest is preserved.interest is preserved.

What if there had beenWhat if there had been

a bit more regulationa bit more regulation

of deep-sea drilling inof deep-sea drilling in

The The Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Mexico ?!?!

8. Spaces must be preserved by Law

“I have set before you this day life and death, the blessing and the curse – you should[but might not!] choose LIFE, that you & your descendants may live.” (Deut. 30:19)

9. Place and Proximity -- Care about Near, and also about Far



10. 10. With the Gift / Miracle of With the Gift / Miracle of Place, comes ResponsibilityPlace, comes Responsibility

10. 10. With the Gift / Miracle of With the Gift / Miracle of Place, comes ResponsibilityPlace, comes Responsibility

‘Duh’ !

10. With the Gift / Miracle of Place, comes Responsibility

בשעה שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את האדם הראשון, נטלו והחזירו על כל אילני גן עדן ואמר לו:

ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן וכל מה שבראתי בשבילך בראתי. תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריבאת עולמי, שאם קלקלת אין מי שיתקן אחריך .


When the Holy Blessed One created the first human, God toured this human around all the trees of the Garden of Eden, and said to the person: “See My works, how beautiful and praiseworthy they are?


And everything I have created, I have created for you. Be mindful -- that you do not curse [ruin] and devastate My world --


-- for if you ruin it, there will be no one after you to repair it.”

(Qohelet Rabbah, 7:13)


After Rabbi Tarfon, Talmud, Pirkei Avot 2:21 – “It is not upon us to complete the task – but neither are we free to avoid it.”

… or:

The Choice is Ours:


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Rethinking Sacred Space: Our 21 st Century Challenge