Nature Praising God

During the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 crisis, streets were emptied, churches closed, and a relationship with nature developed in which questions to be asked again in light of the crisis arose: Is God present in nature? Is communion with God in nature possible? Is there a relationship between the God of creation, the God of history, and the God we worship in Sunday liturgies?

In Nature Praising God, Dermot Lane explores these questions by returning to the Bible. The Christian tradition shows that nature is understood as a living community, is graced by God, and has a sacramental character. He suggests that readers change their perception of how nature is traditionally regarded as a resource for human needs—and embrace a new way of praising God through an appreciation of and care for the myriad life forms on earth. The result of these explorations is the outline of a new theology of nature praising God, with lessons for the way we worship God in our churches today.

Dermot A. Lane is a priest of the Archdiocese of Dublin, former president of Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin City University, and retired pastor in Balally parish. He has taught theology for over fifty years in various institutions in Ireland and in the US. His publications include The Experience of God: An Invitation to Do Theology, Keeping Hope Alive: Stirrings in Christian Theology, and Theology and Ecology in Dialogue: The Wisdom of Laudato Si’.