물리적 환경과 생명에 대한 신학적 고찰

A Theological Reflection on Physical Environment and Life

It is our purpose to clear up the meaning of life's relation to the natural world as physical environment from the theological perspective. The ecological crisis facing our nation has been rapidly growing since the beginning of the social industrialization in 60' years. Now, all life in the world is today threatened by the worldwide environmental disruption. The undefinite will of a 'domination' power has been the decisive factor what has been conquering and exploiting the physical environment through modern technology. If present trends continue, we will face an environmental disaster as irreversible. Therefore, profound changes of our thinking and living way in regard of human relation to the natural world are very urgent in order to enhance all life and to avoid an environmental catastrophe. As such, life could not be defined exactly like other external realities. From the theological viewpoint, life can be understood only in relation with God. Theological view of life issuses from the faith on God as creater and savior. The biblical terms as 'hayim', 'ruah', 'nephesh' and 'basar' may be used to denominate the life as such. Life, as understood in the Bible, in motion. The primordial meaning of life has to do with 'mobil' and 'mobilizing'. Also life consists primarily not in 'esse in ', but in 'esse ad'. To have life is to possess the power to move and to act. In the revelation of the Trinity one can glimpse the fullness of the interpersonal diving life. In the one God there are three persons who live and act. God, Father, principle of life gives all he is to Son. God the Holy Spirit, mysterious bond between Father and Son, who pours Their life and love in man. he who is life itself made incarnate as Jesus Christ. He comes to men to take them up into sharing of the trinitarian God's life to which God has gratuitously called them. It is through the Holy Spirit, the life-giver, that this union of man with Christ is forged and sustained. All life is this trinitarian God's action within a plan of goodness and for a purpose, fully known only to God. Life itself is the breath of God places the life within an order or relation to Himself. So, man does not merit the life. This is God's free gift. All life stems from the divine act of creation. God is life and the source of every life. The high estimate of the title of the living God is an indication of the Christian regard for life. It spears at the last stages of creation as its crowning point in the Bible. Finally, man was created as image of God with His blessing. Therefore, man is ready to sacrifice everything to preserve life. While all life comes from God, life is something precious and sacred. All life participates in God as Creator. And man as image of God has to become a guardian of all life in the world. There are differentiated lives in this world which should not be seen as objects of dominance and exploitation. In union with God man has the task to guard all life with brotherly and sisterly love and to develop all world's possibilities for the purpose of the creation. This means that man has to protect the physical environment as the real condition of all life.