“Intertwined” — What’s that about?
My initial call was to build a faith community with a focus on environmental issues. The name came later, and I can’t recall exactly how, but it might have come to me after meditating on John 15:5, in which Jesus is speaking to his disciples during his final meal with them:
I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant.
We are intertwined with Jesus, and we’re intertwined with one another as siblings. As much as we might sometimes feel separated or segregated, what happens to one of us affects all of us. Even if we don’t directly witness the suffering of our siblings, the fact that it is occurring—whether because of systemic injustice or an isolated instance of evil—is an affront to God’s will for us.
We’re also intertwined with the rest of God’s creation. The world in its majesty, diversity, and intricacy was not created to be extracted, abused, and ruined for our convenience, comfort, and entertainment. The Creator pronounced the creation as good, and calls us to be its stewards. We have dominion over creation just as we have dominion over our families, and should thus maintain its balance and well-being. We continue to learn that warming the air and seas has repercussions for all humankind, and the marginalized in particular. The prophets and Jesus himself warn against such injustice. In the Kingdom of God, we recognize our connection to one another as well as our connection to God’s good creation. Asserting that we can treat the world as we please since it’s just a stepping stone to the afterlife is bad theology and reprehensible to anyone who cares about younger generations.
Finally, our bodies are intertwined with our souls. Just as Christ inhabited a physical body after his resurrection, scripture indicates we will one day as well. I don’t pretend to know the details of that, although I’m confident we won’t spend eternity playing harps, wearing wings, and dancing on clouds. Our bodies are not our enemies or adversaries. God created them as part of God’s good creation, and God loves our bodies along with our souls.
That’s the story behind the name. If you’re interested in more exploration of what it means to be intertwined, please join our discussion group or follow us online.
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