About a year ago my friend Jane, unknowingly, presented me
with a challenge as she gave me a little ‘world pin’. She is part of a group about which I know
only that they have created and distribute this lovely little lapel pin of
planet earth with its oceans and continents.
In our conversation she casually said, “Just what is the world? . . . the world, the earth, the
planet, is it all the same?” I think I
responded with something like “well not exactly”.
I went on to expound (yes, I do do that!) about Teilhard de Chardin and his explanation of the
formation of the earth’s layers that evolved over an incalculable span of time;
first there coalesced the Barysphere and Lithosphere—the metal core and rocky crust;
next, those layers were overlaid with the Atmosphere and Hydrosphere—air and
water; which were the necessary precursors for the Biosphere—all life
forms. Over eons of time, an array of
vegetation and animal life slowly appeared, advancing in form from simple to complex. Teilhard defined that as the ‘law of
complexity-consciousness’, which drives evolution to ever reach for greater
intricacy and more freedom by complexifying nervous systems and increasing
consciousness. The process ultimately
brought forth the rational and reflective creature—the human species. This wasn’t just ‘another species’ but the
very axis and arrow of evolution, adding a new layer to the planet. That layer, Teilhard named the Noosphere—the thinking layer. With thought and freedom, human choices have
shaped the emerging world in which we live: a world of buildings, roads and
machines; a world of languages, music and arts; a world of laws, institutions
and philosophies . . .
Evolution is on-going change. Only humans have the ability to initiate
change, both within the self and in the world they inhabit. It is imperative that we awaken to the power
humanity has to determine the destiny of this awesome interacting system—our
world.
Our planet is an object in a solar system that orbits the
sun in harmony with other planets—Jupiter, Mars, Venus, etc. At the planetary level it is but one of many
similar objects. It differs however,
because of being surrounded by continually re-circulating air and water, thus
providing what is necessary to support life.
The interaction of these elements is a unique process, fully integrated
with the myriad life forms animating our earth.
Just as the Biosphere changed the planet into the living earth (fondly
referred to as ‘Mother Earth’), the newest layer, the Noosphere, changed it
into the world of thought and action we occupy.
Over the past year my thoughts kept returning to the
challenge of that question, ‘are they the same?’ I now realize I found the question so
significant because it points to the basic God/human interaction—together we
co-create the world.
When I speak of God, I’m not referring to a remote Being far
away in the heavens who counts sins and grants favors. Knowledge of the nature of God is of a
dimension beyond human comprehension.
When I speak of God I mean that dynamic Mystery beyond my understanding
that brought order out of chaos. I look
at the known evidence of life and the magnificent balance of the uncountable
elements necessary for the universe to exist—yet there it is and here we are! So I say, “Thank you, Mystery God” and I
think of the wonder of human consciousness that can seek Truth, Justice and
Love and can express love, compassion . . . and hope.
The evolutionary process is still unfolding; the God
contribution has been set before us, ours is underway as we explore our
capacity for both good and evil. We’re
given this playground free and clear, no strings attached. Our ultimate challenge is for the human
family to learn to act cooperatively in supporting the preservation of our common
home. We can make it flourish as it was
meant to, or we can destroy it by our collective violence, greed and selfish
choices, so reducing it to a dead planet left empty in its orbit around the
sun.
So my friend’s question about ‘sameness’ can be answered
both yes and no. Either word refers to
the same whole unit, but the world
comes into being thru the God/human interaction. We’ve been given planet-earth, flourishing
with life and potential; and too, we’ve been called to consciousness and
freedom to do with it what we will.
Ultimately ‘our world’ is our
answer to Mystery God.