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Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love
For millennia plant and animal species have received little sustained attention as subjects of Christian theology and ethics in their own right. Focused on the human dilemma of sin and redemptive grace, theology has considered the doctrine of creation to be mainly an overture to the main drama of human being`s relationship to God. What value does the natural world have within the framework of religious belief? The crisis of biodiversity in our day, when species are going extinct at more than 1,000 times the natural rate, renders this question acutely important.Standard perspectives need to be realigned; theology needs to look out of the window, so to speak as well as in the mirror. Ask the Darwin and the God of Love leads to the conclusion that love of the natural world is an intrinsic element of faith in God and that far from being an add-on, ecological care is at the centre of moral life.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
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About the author
Elizabeth A. Johnson
41 books111 followersJohnson grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of seven children in an "Irish Catholic family." As a young adult she joined the religious order of the Sisters of Saint Joseph whose motherhouse is in Brentwood, Long island, NY. She received a B.S. from Brentwood College in 1964, an M.A. from Manhattan College in 1964.
1981, she became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in theology at the Catholic University of America (CUA). CUA is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church and is the only university in the U.S. founded and sponsored by America's bishops. Johnson recalls that her experience there was "rich, respectful, and collegial," but was also "lacking in female presence." During her studies there in the 1970s Johnson observes, "I never had a woman professor, I never read one woman author. There were none to be had. It was a totally male education." CUA attempted to remedy this when Johnson herself was hired into a tenure-track position in Christology. She became one of the first female theologians allowed to receive a doctorate by the church authorities, as a result of the "liberalization decrees that capped the Second Vatican Council." Feminism had begun impacting the thinking and dialog of female Catholic theologians, and pioneering feminist theologians Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza and Sandra M. Schneiders influenced Johnson on feminist topics, including using feminine metaphors and language for God. Inspired by their example, Johnson and other women graduate students formed a group, "Women in Theology."
She has served as head of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society.
While at CUA in 1980 she felt profoundly affected by events of the Salvadoran Civil War when four American women, including three nuns, working as missionaries and helping oppressed people to escape violence, were abducted and killed by a death squad. Johnson mourned the women, but she "redirected her anguish by carrying out their mission in her own field of theology."
Johnson notes that leaders of her religious community encouraged her to enter the field of theology and pushed her to continue in spite of obstacles. "When I applied for tenure at Catholic University, I received the full positive vote of the faculty. But the outcome was in doubt because some bishops were not happy with an article I had written," she says, referring to her article questioning the traditional view of Mary as "humble and obedient." Though she contemplated leaving rather than facing the "arduous process of interrogation," General Superior Sister John Raymond McGann advised her not to give up, and Johnson did receive tenure.
Johnson had taught science and religion at the elementary and high school level, then taught theology at St. Joseph's College (New York) and at CUA before moving to Fordham in 1991. At Fordham, she was named Distinguished Professor in 1997 and "Teacher of the Year" in 1998.
1981, she became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in theology at the Catholic University of America (CUA). CUA is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church and is the only university in the U.S. founded and sponsored by America's bishops. Johnson recalls that her experience there was "rich, respectful, and collegial," but was also "lacking in female presence." During her studies there in the 1970s Johnson observes, "I never had a woman professor, I never read one woman author. There were none to be had. It was a totally male education." CUA attempted to remedy this when Johnson herself was hired into a tenure-track position in Christology. She became one of the first female theologians allowed to receive a doctorate by the church authorities, as a result of the "liberalization decrees that capped the Second Vatican Council." Feminism had begun impacting the thinking and dialog of female Catholic theologians, and pioneering feminist theologians Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza and Sandra M. Schneiders influenced Johnson on feminist topics, including using feminine metaphors and language for God. Inspired by their example, Johnson and other women graduate students formed a group, "Women in Theology."
She has served as head of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society.
While at CUA in 1980 she felt profoundly affected by events of the Salvadoran Civil War when four American women, including three nuns, working as missionaries and helping oppressed people to escape violence, were abducted and killed by a death squad. Johnson mourned the women, but she "redirected her anguish by carrying out their mission in her own field of theology."
Johnson notes that leaders of her religious community encouraged her to enter the field of theology and pushed her to continue in spite of obstacles. "When I applied for tenure at Catholic University, I received the full positive vote of the faculty. But the outcome was in doubt because some bishops were not happy with an article I had written," she says, referring to her article questioning the traditional view of Mary as "humble and obedient." Though she contemplated leaving rather than facing the "arduous process of interrogation," General Superior Sister John Raymond McGann advised her not to give up, and Johnson did receive tenure.
Johnson had taught science and religion at the elementary and high school level, then taught theology at St. Joseph's College (New York) and at CUA before moving to Fordham in 1991. At Fordham, she was named Distinguished Professor in 1997 and "Teacher of the Year" in 1998.
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April 6, 2015
This is not a book to be tripped through lightly, but needs to be savored and digested. As one who usually gobbles down novels, I was able to read only a few pages at a time. But it was worth it. The author is a Distinguished Professor of Theology at Fordham University and her book is full of wisdom and poetry.
The only other book I’ve underlined so much of is Rosemary Haughton’s The Passionate God. Like that book, Ask the Beasts was constantly presenting me with startlingly new thoughts. Johnson’s stated goal was to look at the natural world through both a scientific and theological lens; as a dialog and not an argument. She begins by asking what is the theological meaning of the natural world? How can reason and faith produce a greater love and respect for Earth’s community of life? For her, this last is the most crucial question facing the human race today. The damage we’re doing to our planet is a deeply moral issue, she says; the way humankind is pushing other species to unprecedented rates of extinction is akin to murder.
The author begins by exploring what Darwin actually had to say in his ground-breaking Origin of Species. I learned, to my surprise, that the phrase “survival of the fittest” didn’t appear until the fifth edition of his book and the term “evolution” wasn’t used until the edition after that. She describes how Darwin saw the world with an attentive and loving care which verged on the profoundly religious. In fact, many people at the time saw no great divide between his book and their religious beliefs. That argument came later, as Johnson describes. I was left, after the first half of the book, with a kind of awe for Darwin’s work and a vision of it as a literary, as well as scientific, masterpiece.
Then Johnson asks The Question: in the face of what Origin says about the absence of direct design, the presence of chance, the huge amount of suffering involved when species after species disappears into extinction, and a process that takes billions of years, how are we to understand the theological insistence that the Spirit of God acts continuously as a loving creator? That’s when her book became hard for me to put down, when new thoughts began to form.
“To my way of thinking,” Johnson writes, “[evolution] is a technical way of interpreting how mature Love acts.” It shows far more power to give others a “causative capability” than to just go ahead and do everything oneself. She goes deeper than that though, into a discussion of the role that chance, that suffering, and that death has in the way God creates. Our world is a mix of the matter and energy we (kind of) understand and the dark matter and energy that’s still a mystery. It seems, she notes, as if matter was created with the extraordinary capacity to transcend itself, to evolve from a blind mix of proteins that slowly became beings conscious of themselves, beings whose very blood comes from elements forged only in stars.
Johnson never ignores the darker reality of God’s felt absence, nor does she give answers of easy optimism. Life, for us and all created things, will end. What comes after, science doesn’t know and theology can only hope.
But her book rises into a truly awesome climax when she addresses the idea of “deep incarnation.” It builds, page after page of reasoning, biblical commentary, and insight, into what mystics of all religious persuasions have intuited almost from the beginning: the Spirit of God is an integral, loving and providential part of the cosmos. The incarnation didn’t depend on Adam and Eve’s “sin,” she says, but “was Love’s intent from the beginning.” After years of pastoral ministry, I recently came to believe the same thing: the first “Christmas” was really the Big Bang.
Reading her book gave me a deeper understanding of how science and theology together more fully describe the tragedy, love and wonder inherent in the truly dazzling evolution of the tree of life. Ask the Beasts is a gift to our world.
The only other book I’ve underlined so much of is Rosemary Haughton’s The Passionate God. Like that book, Ask the Beasts was constantly presenting me with startlingly new thoughts. Johnson’s stated goal was to look at the natural world through both a scientific and theological lens; as a dialog and not an argument. She begins by asking what is the theological meaning of the natural world? How can reason and faith produce a greater love and respect for Earth’s community of life? For her, this last is the most crucial question facing the human race today. The damage we’re doing to our planet is a deeply moral issue, she says; the way humankind is pushing other species to unprecedented rates of extinction is akin to murder.
The author begins by exploring what Darwin actually had to say in his ground-breaking Origin of Species. I learned, to my surprise, that the phrase “survival of the fittest” didn’t appear until the fifth edition of his book and the term “evolution” wasn’t used until the edition after that. She describes how Darwin saw the world with an attentive and loving care which verged on the profoundly religious. In fact, many people at the time saw no great divide between his book and their religious beliefs. That argument came later, as Johnson describes. I was left, after the first half of the book, with a kind of awe for Darwin’s work and a vision of it as a literary, as well as scientific, masterpiece.
Then Johnson asks The Question: in the face of what Origin says about the absence of direct design, the presence of chance, the huge amount of suffering involved when species after species disappears into extinction, and a process that takes billions of years, how are we to understand the theological insistence that the Spirit of God acts continuously as a loving creator? That’s when her book became hard for me to put down, when new thoughts began to form.
“To my way of thinking,” Johnson writes, “[evolution] is a technical way of interpreting how mature Love acts.” It shows far more power to give others a “causative capability” than to just go ahead and do everything oneself. She goes deeper than that though, into a discussion of the role that chance, that suffering, and that death has in the way God creates. Our world is a mix of the matter and energy we (kind of) understand and the dark matter and energy that’s still a mystery. It seems, she notes, as if matter was created with the extraordinary capacity to transcend itself, to evolve from a blind mix of proteins that slowly became beings conscious of themselves, beings whose very blood comes from elements forged only in stars.
Johnson never ignores the darker reality of God’s felt absence, nor does she give answers of easy optimism. Life, for us and all created things, will end. What comes after, science doesn’t know and theology can only hope.
But her book rises into a truly awesome climax when she addresses the idea of “deep incarnation.” It builds, page after page of reasoning, biblical commentary, and insight, into what mystics of all religious persuasions have intuited almost from the beginning: the Spirit of God is an integral, loving and providential part of the cosmos. The incarnation didn’t depend on Adam and Eve’s “sin,” she says, but “was Love’s intent from the beginning.” After years of pastoral ministry, I recently came to believe the same thing: the first “Christmas” was really the Big Bang.
Reading her book gave me a deeper understanding of how science and theology together more fully describe the tragedy, love and wonder inherent in the truly dazzling evolution of the tree of life. Ask the Beasts is a gift to our world.
September 6, 2014
A Review:
Elizabeth Johnson’s “Ask the Beasts:
Darwin and the God of Love”
By Greg Cusack
September 6, 2014
The author is the theologian whom the Catholic bishops of this country castigated last year for an earlier work – Quest for the Living God – in which they said she had strayed into dangerous territory. It turns out, they had not actually read the book but were relying upon the opinion of others! Such is the sad state of ecclesiastic “authority” in the Catholic Church these days.
Johnson’s Ask the Beasts was just published this year, and is an interesting, thought-provoking, and elevating read. In her first section, Ms. Johnson gives a wonderful presentation of Darwin’s groundbreaking book The Origin of Species, much of it using his own words. While I am relatively familiar with the theory of evolution – including the many updated adjustments that have occurred since Darwin published his book in the 1860s – I had never actually read the original. Ms. Johnson makes clear that he was an eloquent, thoughtful, and deeply spiritual person. The awe and wonder he displays in discussing his finds, and their implications, is beautiful to behold. Ask the Beasts is worth its cost for this section alone.
She then briefly goes over the many things we have learned (and gotten terribly wrong) about Darwin’s theories since publication of his book. In the first category, perhaps the most important is that instead of evolution proceeding at a rather steady, slow pace over great periods of time, we now know that – while slow evolution (adaptation to environments) is always going on, great advances in species diversification and/or within species have been triggered by past dramatic events (the geologically stunning time spans of continental drift and cyclical climate change, for instance, as well as the cataclysmic disasters caused by volcanic eruptions and collisions with asteroids.) Of particular note is the great asteroid impact in the Yucatan peninsula around 66 million years ago which not only caused the rapid extinction of dinosaurs but also – because of the generations long nuclear winter which followed – the die-off of about 75% of all existing life on Earth.
In terms of the seriously erroneous applications of Darwin’s findings were the many implications of so-called “Social Darwinism,” which argued that the success of the wealthy elites was due to the “survival of the fittest” and that, therefore, any attempts to ameliorate the lot of the less fortunate was both doomed to failure and, even worse, was effectively going against nature and God’s plan! The great evil which culminated in Nazi efforts to eliminate entire classes of people as “unworthy” – including the genocide of the Jewish people – was a result of such nonsense and the even more advanced corruption of “scientific eugenics.”
In the second part of her book, she attempts to introduce into our understanding of evolution Christian theology regarding the evolving understanding of God (whom she often alludes to simply as “Mystery”) in sparking creation itself and the mysterious formation of ever more complex life forms. There is much here that is quite rich; but I also struggled with arguments which, in fairness, cannot be labeled “fanciful” but which, nonetheless, struck me as a modern example of arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin!
This illustrates (for me, at least) one of the difficulties good, intelligent, and very creative people have within a Church that is so doctrinally fixated. While Ms. Johnson does very successfully demonstrate that sound theology has always seen human beings within the context of all creation – and, thus, not somehow “separate” or “above” other creatures – it seems that she forces, just a little bit, some questionable concepts as the Trinity (questionable in that I am not sure this formulation need be seen as the “last word” on the mysterious essence of the Holy One) into discussing how this works with creation and evolution.
For the more theologically inclined (or curious) among you, you might well enjoy this section. For the rest, however, I would advise feeling free to move rather quickly through it whenever it becomes too “far-out” or “heavy” for you. There is richness here, but the first and third sections were, for me, far more informative and powerful.
In her third section, then, she turns to how human beings fit into creation and evolution, and asks what our essential role is (or ought to be). She demonstrates that Christian theology in more recent centuries has forgotten the intimate association with all creation that was so present through much of the Hebrew bible (the Old Testament) and which is truly present in Christian Scriptures. (She mentions specifically the manner and teachings of Jesus as well as Paul – “all creation groans in agony.”) She laments the fact that we have more recently come to see humanity as apart from creation, and even that “God’s major plan” is really solely about humans. She takes issue with this and shows, with much scriptural support from both of the bible’s two testaments, that this is a deviation, if not an outright perversion, from the essential message.
For the rest of this review, I think it best you hear directly from Elizabeth Johnson as there is no way I could adequate summarize, or in any way improve upon, her words.
“Contemporary studies of living animals are making it clear that the gap between humankind and otherkind is much less absolute than previously thought, with many shared characteristics appearing on a graded spectrum…. With homo sapiens, evolution on this planet has brought forth a creature able to decipher the very process of evolution and draw diagrams about its progression. In so doing, it has brought forth a being that can massively effect the evolution of other species for good or ill…. Despite our unique capacities for language, reason, morality, and love, however, the human legacy is becoming the erasure of others on the tree of life.” (p. 241)
“…The ongoing destruction of life on Earth by human action, intended or not, has the character of deep moral failure. To speak theologically, it is profoundly sinful. Buy acts of commission and omission we are perpetrating violence against life and its future. In so doing we are pulling contrary to the will of God, whose beloved creation this is and whose goodness is reflected in its diverse forms of living species. Ethicists have coined new words to name the sin: biocide, ecocide, geocide. Sacrilege and desecration are not too strong a designation…. Whatever the language, the religious judgment remains that the damage humans are wreaking on the earth is profoundly wrong.” (Pp. 249-50)
“Social injustice and ecological degradation are two sides of the same coin, lack of respect for life. Both evils precipitate out from policies and lifestyles that reward the greed and selfishness of some to the disadvantage of many others.” (p. 256)
“[This] implies that moral consideration must be given to species beyond the human, and moral standing to ecological systems as a whole. In terms of the moral good, we owe love and justice not only to humankind but also to otherkind. The moral responsibility associated with extending respect to the natural world thus calls into play the substantial tradition on right and wrong, virtue and sin, already so well developed in terms of the dignity of the human person, and invites its challenging application to this new set of lives.” (p. 257)
Accordingly, “what pope, patriarch, and numerous other religious leaders are urgently preaching is the need for people to change their ways. The traditional term for such a change is conversion… [metanoia in Greek] In a broad sense conversion is a continuous characteristic of the life of faith, an ever deepening fidelity in relationship with God…. Conversion also means literally a turning, a change of direction, switching away from one path and swiveling toward another… this turning results from an awakening, slowly or abruptly, to certain spiritual realities, a new awareness that occasions changes in lifestyle, thought patterns, and moral commitments… We humans sin when by actions of commission, omission, or sheer indifference we disappear species, reduce biodiversity, break up integrated ecosystems, and cut off future possibilities…. We need a deep spiritual conversion to the Earth.” (pp. 257-8)
“The future of the tree of life is now at the mercy of human decision and indecision. If ever there were a sign of the times to be interpreted theologically in the light of the living God who creates and redeems, this is it.” We have arrived at “a crossroads: the option for conversion to the Earth, or not.” (p. 285)
“The argument here has been that commitment to ecological wholeness in partnership with a more just social order is the vocation which best corresponds to God’s own loving intent for our corner of creation. We all share the status of creaturehood; we are all kin in the evolving community of life now under siege; our vision must be one of flourishing for all…. The long-term goal is a socially just and environmentally sustainable society in which the needs of all people are met and diverse species can prosper, onward to an evolutionary future that will still surprise…. Living the ecological vocation in the power of the Spirit sets us off on a great adventure of mind and heart, expanding the repertoire of our love.
“The beasts ask of us no less.” (Pp. 286-7)
Elizabeth Johnson’s “Ask the Beasts:
Darwin and the God of Love”
By Greg Cusack
September 6, 2014
The author is the theologian whom the Catholic bishops of this country castigated last year for an earlier work – Quest for the Living God – in which they said she had strayed into dangerous territory. It turns out, they had not actually read the book but were relying upon the opinion of others! Such is the sad state of ecclesiastic “authority” in the Catholic Church these days.
Johnson’s Ask the Beasts was just published this year, and is an interesting, thought-provoking, and elevating read. In her first section, Ms. Johnson gives a wonderful presentation of Darwin’s groundbreaking book The Origin of Species, much of it using his own words. While I am relatively familiar with the theory of evolution – including the many updated adjustments that have occurred since Darwin published his book in the 1860s – I had never actually read the original. Ms. Johnson makes clear that he was an eloquent, thoughtful, and deeply spiritual person. The awe and wonder he displays in discussing his finds, and their implications, is beautiful to behold. Ask the Beasts is worth its cost for this section alone.
She then briefly goes over the many things we have learned (and gotten terribly wrong) about Darwin’s theories since publication of his book. In the first category, perhaps the most important is that instead of evolution proceeding at a rather steady, slow pace over great periods of time, we now know that – while slow evolution (adaptation to environments) is always going on, great advances in species diversification and/or within species have been triggered by past dramatic events (the geologically stunning time spans of continental drift and cyclical climate change, for instance, as well as the cataclysmic disasters caused by volcanic eruptions and collisions with asteroids.) Of particular note is the great asteroid impact in the Yucatan peninsula around 66 million years ago which not only caused the rapid extinction of dinosaurs but also – because of the generations long nuclear winter which followed – the die-off of about 75% of all existing life on Earth.
In terms of the seriously erroneous applications of Darwin’s findings were the many implications of so-called “Social Darwinism,” which argued that the success of the wealthy elites was due to the “survival of the fittest” and that, therefore, any attempts to ameliorate the lot of the less fortunate was both doomed to failure and, even worse, was effectively going against nature and God’s plan! The great evil which culminated in Nazi efforts to eliminate entire classes of people as “unworthy” – including the genocide of the Jewish people – was a result of such nonsense and the even more advanced corruption of “scientific eugenics.”
In the second part of her book, she attempts to introduce into our understanding of evolution Christian theology regarding the evolving understanding of God (whom she often alludes to simply as “Mystery”) in sparking creation itself and the mysterious formation of ever more complex life forms. There is much here that is quite rich; but I also struggled with arguments which, in fairness, cannot be labeled “fanciful” but which, nonetheless, struck me as a modern example of arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin!
This illustrates (for me, at least) one of the difficulties good, intelligent, and very creative people have within a Church that is so doctrinally fixated. While Ms. Johnson does very successfully demonstrate that sound theology has always seen human beings within the context of all creation – and, thus, not somehow “separate” or “above” other creatures – it seems that she forces, just a little bit, some questionable concepts as the Trinity (questionable in that I am not sure this formulation need be seen as the “last word” on the mysterious essence of the Holy One) into discussing how this works with creation and evolution.
For the more theologically inclined (or curious) among you, you might well enjoy this section. For the rest, however, I would advise feeling free to move rather quickly through it whenever it becomes too “far-out” or “heavy” for you. There is richness here, but the first and third sections were, for me, far more informative and powerful.
In her third section, then, she turns to how human beings fit into creation and evolution, and asks what our essential role is (or ought to be). She demonstrates that Christian theology in more recent centuries has forgotten the intimate association with all creation that was so present through much of the Hebrew bible (the Old Testament) and which is truly present in Christian Scriptures. (She mentions specifically the manner and teachings of Jesus as well as Paul – “all creation groans in agony.”) She laments the fact that we have more recently come to see humanity as apart from creation, and even that “God’s major plan” is really solely about humans. She takes issue with this and shows, with much scriptural support from both of the bible’s two testaments, that this is a deviation, if not an outright perversion, from the essential message.
For the rest of this review, I think it best you hear directly from Elizabeth Johnson as there is no way I could adequate summarize, or in any way improve upon, her words.
“Contemporary studies of living animals are making it clear that the gap between humankind and otherkind is much less absolute than previously thought, with many shared characteristics appearing on a graded spectrum…. With homo sapiens, evolution on this planet has brought forth a creature able to decipher the very process of evolution and draw diagrams about its progression. In so doing, it has brought forth a being that can massively effect the evolution of other species for good or ill…. Despite our unique capacities for language, reason, morality, and love, however, the human legacy is becoming the erasure of others on the tree of life.” (p. 241)
“…The ongoing destruction of life on Earth by human action, intended or not, has the character of deep moral failure. To speak theologically, it is profoundly sinful. Buy acts of commission and omission we are perpetrating violence against life and its future. In so doing we are pulling contrary to the will of God, whose beloved creation this is and whose goodness is reflected in its diverse forms of living species. Ethicists have coined new words to name the sin: biocide, ecocide, geocide. Sacrilege and desecration are not too strong a designation…. Whatever the language, the religious judgment remains that the damage humans are wreaking on the earth is profoundly wrong.” (Pp. 249-50)
“Social injustice and ecological degradation are two sides of the same coin, lack of respect for life. Both evils precipitate out from policies and lifestyles that reward the greed and selfishness of some to the disadvantage of many others.” (p. 256)
“[This] implies that moral consideration must be given to species beyond the human, and moral standing to ecological systems as a whole. In terms of the moral good, we owe love and justice not only to humankind but also to otherkind. The moral responsibility associated with extending respect to the natural world thus calls into play the substantial tradition on right and wrong, virtue and sin, already so well developed in terms of the dignity of the human person, and invites its challenging application to this new set of lives.” (p. 257)
Accordingly, “what pope, patriarch, and numerous other religious leaders are urgently preaching is the need for people to change their ways. The traditional term for such a change is conversion… [metanoia in Greek] In a broad sense conversion is a continuous characteristic of the life of faith, an ever deepening fidelity in relationship with God…. Conversion also means literally a turning, a change of direction, switching away from one path and swiveling toward another… this turning results from an awakening, slowly or abruptly, to certain spiritual realities, a new awareness that occasions changes in lifestyle, thought patterns, and moral commitments… We humans sin when by actions of commission, omission, or sheer indifference we disappear species, reduce biodiversity, break up integrated ecosystems, and cut off future possibilities…. We need a deep spiritual conversion to the Earth.” (pp. 257-8)
“The future of the tree of life is now at the mercy of human decision and indecision. If ever there were a sign of the times to be interpreted theologically in the light of the living God who creates and redeems, this is it.” We have arrived at “a crossroads: the option for conversion to the Earth, or not.” (p. 285)
“The argument here has been that commitment to ecological wholeness in partnership with a more just social order is the vocation which best corresponds to God’s own loving intent for our corner of creation. We all share the status of creaturehood; we are all kin in the evolving community of life now under siege; our vision must be one of flourishing for all…. The long-term goal is a socially just and environmentally sustainable society in which the needs of all people are met and diverse species can prosper, onward to an evolutionary future that will still surprise…. Living the ecological vocation in the power of the Spirit sets us off on a great adventure of mind and heart, expanding the repertoire of our love.
“The beasts ask of us no less.” (Pp. 286-7)
December 23, 2019
A thorough examination of the relationship between evolutionary theory and Christian theology. Although at times it feels a bit too introductory and prolix, it is indispensable reading for understanding where Christian theology must go from here.
August 7, 2014
This is a wonderful book to read surrounded by the wilderness. I read most of it on the porch of my Maine cabin.
Many of my friends might find it surprising that I would so enjoy and be educated by a book synthesizing Darwinian evolution and Biblical/Christian theology - one written by a Catholic nun who has often been at odds with the Church's hierarchy.
I have read considerable Chardin, another Catholic who explored the same areas decades ago.
Sr. Elizabeth Johnson's fine literary style enhances the book's content, shaping her arguments for a more cosmic view of nature, our place in it (for better or worse), and the embodiment of expanding knowledge in the mystical realm of creation.
The first half of the book is a primer on Darwin and his " On the Origin of Species." The second half searches Biblical teachings which reflect and even sanctify his notions.
The end is an appeal for an active environmentalism to thwart rampant challenges to God's creation.
I highly recommend this, even to my conservative friends, who value intellectual challenges. You may disagree with some elements of the book, but I would hope you can share with me admiration for the breadth of this work.
Many of my friends might find it surprising that I would so enjoy and be educated by a book synthesizing Darwinian evolution and Biblical/Christian theology - one written by a Catholic nun who has often been at odds with the Church's hierarchy.
I have read considerable Chardin, another Catholic who explored the same areas decades ago.
Sr. Elizabeth Johnson's fine literary style enhances the book's content, shaping her arguments for a more cosmic view of nature, our place in it (for better or worse), and the embodiment of expanding knowledge in the mystical realm of creation.
The first half of the book is a primer on Darwin and his " On the Origin of Species." The second half searches Biblical teachings which reflect and even sanctify his notions.
The end is an appeal for an active environmentalism to thwart rampant challenges to God's creation.
I highly recommend this, even to my conservative friends, who value intellectual challenges. You may disagree with some elements of the book, but I would hope you can share with me admiration for the breadth of this work.
August 31, 2020
Walks through Darwin's "Origin of the Species" alongside the Nicene Creed. An essential read for an understanding of the importance of feminism in our discourse on the Church and the natural environment.
July 11, 2018
Johnson is a feminist theologian with some borderline heretic statements. I'm very aware of this but still read her, because of course, saying you study feminism, being Catholic and avoiding feminist theologians seems a bad move. This book isn't really feminist, anyway. More about ecology.
I approached this one with an open mind, I really wanted to like this book. I was enjoying it way more than She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse, for the small bits of already confirmed dogmatic teaching (Creation, the Trinity, Incarnation, Redemption and Resurrection, including the good bits of her preceding work), and the calmed way in which she exposed Darwin's theory contributions and limitations, and an accurate balance of his vision of humanity (which yes, ultimately is inclined to recognize a "natural", "ideal" outcome in the "superiority of white men".
On the other hand, phrases like this made me think maybe she could have cut a bit on the hippie perspective that matter just regenerates, though of course, I don't oppose to the idea that Jesus renews all of creation:
"The atoms comprising His body were once part of other creatures. The genetic structure of the cells in His body were kin to flowers, the fish, the whole community of life that descended from common ancestors in the ancient seas. "
There's also an interesting chapter on whether animals will be part of this renewed creation, and theologians as well as Early and Late Augustine are divided. I guess I will have to read more on this.
And then she calls into consideration the phenomenon of population growth and the economic as well as environmental factors. But by this phrase, I was already frowning:
"in recent decades the Roman Catholic Church has endorsed the basic idea that it is legitmate to limit human births [...] In this light one can conclude that not all levels of human birth are morally correct"
Yes, she said that the Church opposes contraception but then said this, and not one word about abortion, just about having children with no prudence, and consideration to needs of the family, society (!) and the environment (!) (yes, it gets that weird). No, not one mention about abortion or euthanasia. Hmmmm.
I approached this one with an open mind, I really wanted to like this book. I was enjoying it way more than She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse, for the small bits of already confirmed dogmatic teaching (Creation, the Trinity, Incarnation, Redemption and Resurrection, including the good bits of her preceding work), and the calmed way in which she exposed Darwin's theory contributions and limitations, and an accurate balance of his vision of humanity (which yes, ultimately is inclined to recognize a "natural", "ideal" outcome in the "superiority of white men".
On the other hand, phrases like this made me think maybe she could have cut a bit on the hippie perspective that matter just regenerates, though of course, I don't oppose to the idea that Jesus renews all of creation:
"The atoms comprising His body were once part of other creatures. The genetic structure of the cells in His body were kin to flowers, the fish, the whole community of life that descended from common ancestors in the ancient seas. "
There's also an interesting chapter on whether animals will be part of this renewed creation, and theologians as well as Early and Late Augustine are divided. I guess I will have to read more on this.
And then she calls into consideration the phenomenon of population growth and the economic as well as environmental factors. But by this phrase, I was already frowning:
"in recent decades the Roman Catholic Church has endorsed the basic idea that it is legitmate to limit human births [...] In this light one can conclude that not all levels of human birth are morally correct"
Yes, she said that the Church opposes contraception but then said this, and not one word about abortion, just about having children with no prudence, and consideration to needs of the family, society (!) and the environment (!) (yes, it gets that weird). No, not one mention about abortion or euthanasia. Hmmmm.
May 28, 2024
i think this definitely went over my head but it was an interesting read. i liked the idea but i think it would’ve been better for me to like have bought this and read it occasionally instead of having to check it out from the library like five times lol
December 2, 2024
The word intense describes several aspects of Elizabeth Johnson’s treatment of her subject. She has an intense admiration for Charles Darwin and for the work he did to put together On the Origin of Species. She has an intense desire to exalt the God of love and the love of God as demonstrated in the Incarnation, in God becoming human. She has an intense concern for the well-being of the planet on which humans and all other lifeforms evolved.
I started reading Ask the Beasts expecting an apologetic on behalf of Darwin and his principles and theories, but that’s not what this book is. While there are many in Christian circles, including perhaps the Roman Catholic Church of which Dr. Johnson is a member, who insist that Darwin was mistaken or deluded, Dr. Johnson does not seek to disabuse them of their notions. She simply assumes evolution as the process by which God brought life into existence on our planet.
The language of Ask the Beasts is beautiful, elegiac, and passionate. The thoughtful reader will want to allow time for a careful read; a grasp of the arguments requires that time and care.
What of the title, Ask the Beasts? It is a reference to the Old Testament Book of Job, specifically Job 12:7 (7–10 quoted here from the New International Version):
In this passage we see the intelligence and agency of creatures and the ongoing work of creation. These are central points in Dr. Johnson’ thesis. She also does not shy away from predation and death as necessary and even good parts of that creation.
The more extensive passage on God’s work in what we call the natural world is found at the end of the book of Job, chapters 38–41, which Elizabeth Johnson discusses at some length, along with Psalm 104.
The middle of the book also includes a discussion of the Christian understanding of redemption, accomplished by God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, and of resurrection. This discussion is not evangelistic in nature, but one can’t help but be moved by Dr. Johnson’s emphasis on the love and grace of God.
The end of the book focuses on the current ecological crisis and the peril into which humans have thrown our fellow creatures. The author is careful to emphasize that humans are capable of reasoning, cognition, empathy, and other activities and traits that even our nearest evolutionary relatives don’t approach. She is also quick and careful to emphasize that, because of those capabilities, we bear sole responsibility for stopping and undoing the damage we have done to the environment and to our fellow creatures.
With the solstice soon to come and the long nights of winter in the Northern Hemisphere upon us, Ask the Beasts would make rewarding and challenging reading for those who want something substantial to dig into during this season when much of the natural world seems to be sleeping.
I started reading Ask the Beasts expecting an apologetic on behalf of Darwin and his principles and theories, but that’s not what this book is. While there are many in Christian circles, including perhaps the Roman Catholic Church of which Dr. Johnson is a member, who insist that Darwin was mistaken or deluded, Dr. Johnson does not seek to disabuse them of their notions. She simply assumes evolution as the process by which God brought life into existence on our planet.
The language of Ask the Beasts is beautiful, elegiac, and passionate. The thoughtful reader will want to allow time for a careful read; a grasp of the arguments requires that time and care.
What of the title, Ask the Beasts? It is a reference to the Old Testament Book of Job, specifically Job 12:7 (7–10 quoted here from the New International Version):
But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
In this passage we see the intelligence and agency of creatures and the ongoing work of creation. These are central points in Dr. Johnson’ thesis. She also does not shy away from predation and death as necessary and even good parts of that creation.
The more extensive passage on God’s work in what we call the natural world is found at the end of the book of Job, chapters 38–41, which Elizabeth Johnson discusses at some length, along with Psalm 104.
The middle of the book also includes a discussion of the Christian understanding of redemption, accomplished by God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, and of resurrection. This discussion is not evangelistic in nature, but one can’t help but be moved by Dr. Johnson’s emphasis on the love and grace of God.
The end of the book focuses on the current ecological crisis and the peril into which humans have thrown our fellow creatures. The author is careful to emphasize that humans are capable of reasoning, cognition, empathy, and other activities and traits that even our nearest evolutionary relatives don’t approach. She is also quick and careful to emphasize that, because of those capabilities, we bear sole responsibility for stopping and undoing the damage we have done to the environment and to our fellow creatures.
With the solstice soon to come and the long nights of winter in the Northern Hemisphere upon us, Ask the Beasts would make rewarding and challenging reading for those who want something substantial to dig into during this season when much of the natural world seems to be sleeping.
August 12, 2024
I grew up assuming evolution was true. Then, I became convinced of Creationism. After that, I began seeing the holes in that theory. Yet I have not yet seen some of its critiques of evolution refuted. I was hoping that this book would answer some of those lingering questions, by describing not only Darwinian evolution, but some of its more contemporary iterations. It did not. And Johnson's description of evolution was the same as that critiqued by creationists, so I was left where I started, unconvinced by either.
However--and this is a big however!--where Johnson really shone for me was in her theology. First, I appreciated the reminder that Gen 1:28 was written at a time when the world was more dangerous to humans than the reverse. Since that it not the case anymore, we have reason to re-think dominion as a kind of subjugation for human purposes.
In the passages of the book where Johnson describes her theology of creation, she presents creation in community with human beings, eschewing both humans as indistinguishable from animals as well as humans as unimpeachable rulers. She emphasizes the value of creation as attesting to the glory of God on its own, without reference to humans, and in capacities beyond its utility to us in ways that are likely beyond our comprehension.
By the end of the book, I began, in fact, to think of creation in light of the incarnation, not as in pantheism, nor even panentheism, but more as a reflection of the incarnation that comes to fruition in Jesus. Just as we see God in Jesus, we also see God reflected in creation and as such creation's beauty is valuable in and of itself because it reflects (and glorifies) God.
The place where the discussion again becomes more difficult for me is when we start talking about suffering. On the one hand, while I agree that human greed has and continues to cause depredations and suffering, I think that suffering is part of creation even in the absence of human causes. And while Johnson wants to (in my view) romanticize the death of prey (for example) as also reflecting its own kind of beauty, I am of two minds about that. I think that the only reason suffering every has its own kind of beauty is when it is undertaken voluntarily for love. And I suspect that the suffering in creation is part of the general fallenness of creation (not just humanity). Thus, again, Jesus's choice to share that with creation redeems suffering, while still not justifying it.
However--and this is a big however!--where Johnson really shone for me was in her theology. First, I appreciated the reminder that Gen 1:28 was written at a time when the world was more dangerous to humans than the reverse. Since that it not the case anymore, we have reason to re-think dominion as a kind of subjugation for human purposes.
In the passages of the book where Johnson describes her theology of creation, she presents creation in community with human beings, eschewing both humans as indistinguishable from animals as well as humans as unimpeachable rulers. She emphasizes the value of creation as attesting to the glory of God on its own, without reference to humans, and in capacities beyond its utility to us in ways that are likely beyond our comprehension.
By the end of the book, I began, in fact, to think of creation in light of the incarnation, not as in pantheism, nor even panentheism, but more as a reflection of the incarnation that comes to fruition in Jesus. Just as we see God in Jesus, we also see God reflected in creation and as such creation's beauty is valuable in and of itself because it reflects (and glorifies) God.
The place where the discussion again becomes more difficult for me is when we start talking about suffering. On the one hand, while I agree that human greed has and continues to cause depredations and suffering, I think that suffering is part of creation even in the absence of human causes. And while Johnson wants to (in my view) romanticize the death of prey (for example) as also reflecting its own kind of beauty, I am of two minds about that. I think that the only reason suffering every has its own kind of beauty is when it is undertaken voluntarily for love. And I suspect that the suffering in creation is part of the general fallenness of creation (not just humanity). Thus, again, Jesus's choice to share that with creation redeems suffering, while still not justifying it.
February 12, 2022
The first 4 chapters, dealing primarily with Darwin and his contemporaries and the current theory of evolution, is fascinating and enlightening. In many respects, evolution as a branch of science is very different than the popular conception of it. However, the subsequent chapters on what Christian theology has to say about the natural world and humanity's role in it are much less accessible to a reader who is not thoroughly versed in theological literature. At times poetic and lush in her prose, Johnson can also be overly academic, unnecessarily wordy and simply redundant in the second half of the book. There's a lot to think about even there too, but if not reading this for a class, this layperson probably would have abandoned the effort.
January 27, 2023
I commend Johnson for her thorough-going dive into an intimidating and complex topic: the intersection of theology and evolution. Her "law and chance" dichotomy is useful, as are many of her images of God: the loving parent who delights in the increased agency of her growing children, God as a composer folding a simple melody back in on itself, or God as a game designer who salts the deck with wild cards (pg 177-178). However, I found sifting through her academic arguments to be both tedious and possibly masking ambiguity. I have hope that another author might be able to build on her formidable work and create something more accessible and with greater willingness to be unorthodox where the two systems really do clash.
May 23, 2024
Johnson gives us a very readable understanding of Darwin's On the Origin of Species and then connects this to faith concluding that care for ALL creation is a moral imperative. I loved this book! I appreciate the depth of understanding and awe of evolution I gained. I have been a lover of plants and animals so it was a "YES!" to read Johnson's challenge to us! At this time of climate change and its effect on our little blue planet this book is a "must read!"
August 21, 2018
Save the Planet and Faith
This an essential book to put aside the false dichotomy between Darwin, Science and Faith in the Trinitarian God. It is a book that will help save the planet from destruction and promote understanding of bothe the natural world and the God who created. No creationism of fundamentalism here...
This an essential book to put aside the false dichotomy between Darwin, Science and Faith in the Trinitarian God. It is a book that will help save the planet from destruction and promote understanding of bothe the natural world and the God who created. No creationism of fundamentalism here...
April 30, 2021
Firstly the cover is marvelous. So is the stuff about Charles Darwin and his meticulous approach to tracing the origin of the species. I am convinced. And i am deeply appreciative of the theological reflection upon creation, incarnation and the church's anthropocentric approach to understanding our place in the world and the irresponsible ways we have tried to dominate things.
May 23, 2021
The first half of this work was quite dense and difficult to get through the writing, but the second half was engaging and thoughtful. This work challenges currently how many Christians see their role with non-human species as dominance. In fact, the scriptures repeatedly highlight that dominion is a form of stewardship, and that humans are called to support the survival of all living beings.
May 11, 2022
Wow this book was a beast (pun intended). Incredibly insightful, especially for someone who was only proximately familiar with Darwin. A few parts got a little bit bogged down in exposition, but overall stimulating and invigorating. I found chapter 8 particularly moving, as I read it curled up next to my dog.
January 1, 2022
There was less "asking the beasts" than one would hope with such a title and framing. This was really good, but didn't really engage animals directly as much as I was hoping it would. Really helpful theological engagement with Darwin, though.
July 24, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
This was a really interesting read that got me thinking about things differently. I'm not a science person, but Johnson's meticulous review/overview of Darwin's theory and its connection to theology is compelling. I recommend it.
This was a really interesting read that got me thinking about things differently. I'm not a science person, but Johnson's meticulous review/overview of Darwin's theory and its connection to theology is compelling. I recommend it.
October 6, 2018
Brilliant and beautifully written.
January 10, 2020
Hmmm… Even Eighth Time wasn’t quite the charm…
My Full Review
My Full Review
May 16, 2021
This book has significantly developed my thinking around a coherent articulation of the intersections between christian theology and evolutionary theory.
May 15, 2022
Underwhelming. Johnson tries to come up with a theological and scientific compromise that is satisfying for no one.
February 19, 2024
Truly inspiring and informative!
December 18, 2024
(Read for class)
Elizabeth Johnson is one of the best communicators out there. Great place to start thinking about the intersection between evolution, ecology, and theology.
Elizabeth Johnson is one of the best communicators out there. Great place to start thinking about the intersection between evolution, ecology, and theology.
December 15, 2025
This book has stolen my heart both times that I read it. Elizabeth Johnson writes in quite a beautiful way that speaks to the soul. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those with a passion for Catholicism and creation!
October 18, 2016
Excellent discussion of Darwin, evolution, and Catholic theology. The most powerful words for me are on pp. 258-9: "We need a deep spiritual conversion to the Earth." Such a conversion must be intellectual, emotional, and ethical. "In sum, ecological conversion means falling in love with the earth as an inherently valuable, living community in which we participate, and bending every effort to be creatively faithful to its well-being, in tune with the living God who brought it into being and cherishes it with unconditional love."
What I found missing, and surprisingly so, was an extended discussion of Franciscan theology and spirituality as relevant to this discussion. There were a couple references to Francis of Assisi (despite no entry for Francis in the index) and there was some discussion of John Duns Scotus's view of God's love and creation. But Johnson did not acknowledge the Franciscan tradition as inherently relevant to this discussion. In addition, I wanted more discussion of Hildegard of Bingen whose theology and spirituality of "green-ness" points to a theology based in a deep appreciation and love of creation. Hildegard is mentioned, but not developed as fully as I had hoped.
What I found missing, and surprisingly so, was an extended discussion of Franciscan theology and spirituality as relevant to this discussion. There were a couple references to Francis of Assisi (despite no entry for Francis in the index) and there was some discussion of John Duns Scotus's view of God's love and creation. But Johnson did not acknowledge the Franciscan tradition as inherently relevant to this discussion. In addition, I wanted more discussion of Hildegard of Bingen whose theology and spirituality of "green-ness" points to a theology based in a deep appreciation and love of creation. Hildegard is mentioned, but not developed as fully as I had hoped.
November 4, 2014
Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love is a beautifully written book on seeing God in all of creation. One of, if not the most important, arguments put forth by Sr. Elizabeth, is how Christians/Christianity has dropped the proverbial ball on the theology of human dominion over creation. "The future of the tree of life is now at the mercy of human decision and indecision. If ever there was a sign of the times to be interpreted theologically in light of the living God who creates and redeems, this is it. Impacted by the contours of the crisis, this book's dialogue between Darwin's view of evolution and Christian belief in the God of love has delivered us to a crossroads: the option for conversion to the earth, or not. The option reaches into profound depths, for the call to be converted to compassionate care for other species is not in the first instance an ascetic or moral mandate, but an urgent invitation to be converted to God: to love in tune with God's abundant love so that all may have life. (p. 285)
October 23, 2014
I wish I could give this 4.5 stars... I reserve 5 for my absolute favorites, but this book is truly excellent. Johnson does an especially wonderful job of making Darwin's Origin of the Species accessible to theological dialogue. She argues persuasively for ecological stewardship. Sometimes her theology becomes a little bit too large - sweeping for the coherence of her argument, but all the same she does honor to the Christian understanding of creation, as revealed both scientifically and theologically.
May 11, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and it is exhaustively detailed in what concerns Darwin's work. However, I would expect a greater synthesis between such science and theological reasoning. Relatively to other authors, such as Denis Edwards, John Haught, I didn't sensed the novelty I was expecting.
October 17, 2014
Beautifully written, thought provoking, Elizabeth Johnson puts into words what was always in my heart. She also impresses the importance of including a theology of creation in our religious institutions.
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