How Western Christianity Got It Wrong (replacing fear with healing)

How Western Christianity Got It Wrong is a book that many of us would like to leave in the library of several politicians and media pundits, though whether they would pick it up and read it, is another matter!

The author (of mixed white and Native American heritage) traces how a brown man from Nazareth (Jesus!) who never lost his connection to the whole community of creation, has been turned into the poster child for building empires and destroying the planet?

Jesus never intended to start a religion that would justify destroying creation, enslaving people or stealing land. So how come many of those who do these things, then preach about God to us?

The faith that bears His name has now made theologies that rationalise greed and violence – things that Jesus was completely against.

Jesus was not about billion-dollar Vatican City empires that rent out property to Mcdonald’s for 30,000 Euros a month, or support bullfights (scared of not getting enough income from Mexico if they do). It’s not about dropping bombs on other countries, or sending polar bears extinct or drilling for oil. Jesus was a simple humble man without any money, yet these political and religious institutions are never questioned?

Even our monarchy (the head of the Church of England). It has huge wealth (yet recently the government had to pay to clear up a huge toxic dump owned by the Duchy of Lancaster). This nothing to do with what Jesus preaches.

Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley is a writer, teacher and scholar, who speaks on justice, faith, the earth and indigenous heritage. He and his wife co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice (an inter-faith community for regenerate farming) outside Portland, Oregon.

Jesus spoke to the wind, to the water and to trees: closely observed the habits of birds, flowers and animals; and called his disciples to model their lives after what they saw in nature. There were many mechanical inventions during Jesus’ time, but the record reflects he paid little attention to them.

Each area of creation is working with the Creator to maintain earth’s balance. The rain and snow, oceans and sun all sustain life on earth. Animals regulate each other within their various natural cycles. Plants provide oxygen, food, and shelter for all of creation to coexist together.

Things are out of balance. Earth’s topsoil is disappearing; coral reefs are dying; glaciers are melting; aquifers are not being recharged; animal, bird, fish, and plant species are dying at exponential rates. We are experiencing a steadily increasing amount of severe weather patterns through hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, forest fires, landslides, droughts, and snowstorms. Earth is out of balance, and as a result all God’s creation is in peril. Randy Woodley