Let There Be Light

Let There Be Light

Stories about the nature and power of the soil pervade art, poetry, history and religion. Antaeus, the mythological giant, got his strength from the soil. So each time he was knocked down he got up stronger.

In ancient Greece, soil was sacred. Plato and Homer described it as ‘divine’ and wrote about soil as having the power to influence the soul. The Book of Genesis and the Hebrew bible reported the world’s first crime, murder, and its terrible punishment: "When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength…"

Today, a chorus of farmers and philosophers, poets and politicians, songwriters and scientists are raising their collective voices and their concerns about tilling the ground and whether it will continue henceforth to yield her strength.

Some writers argue that soil issues are moral and ethical issues uniquely within the providence of the world’s religions. Dr. Larry Rasmussen and Martin Palmer are examples.

Dr. Rasmussen is one of the world’s foremost Christian environmental ethicists. He has mentored a generation of Christians in eco-theology and ‘green religion.’

Martin Palmer, an Anglican Christian who is a regular contributor to the BBC on religious, ethical and historical issues, leads the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) in an effort to encourage religions of the world to advance environmental programs based on their own core teachings, beliefs and practices.

ARC plans to launch its international Faith in Food initiative during the November 2010 Festival of Faiths in Louisville. The theme of the festival is “Sacred Soil: Foundation of Life”. Palmer selected the Festival of Faiths as a venue because:

"The unique atmosphere and history of the interfaith movement in Louisville, Kentucky, makes it the obvious place to launch an international movement of faiths purchasing and producing food ethically and sustainably. The theme of this year's festival - Sacred Soil - reflects the wisdom in each faith that the earth itself is a dynamic part of the sacred responsibility of faithful people.”

Dr. Rasmussen will address an interfaith prayer breakfast during the festival.

From November 3 through 9 at the Henry Clay Hotel, a Tibetan Sacred Sand Mandala will be created by monks from the Drepung Gomang Institute.

A wide range of soil themes will be explored through presentations and exhibits by more than 60 communities of faith, individuals, non-profits, corporations, academic institutions and artists.

Topics include: industrialized farming, living on the land, faith and food, urban farming, manufactured landscapes, farming with a purpose, sustainable agriculture, food justice, sustainable food production, farming knowledge and best practices, creation care and the earth, Native American soil blessings, the difficulties and rewards of being an environmentalist of faith, how architecture should manifest sacred aspects of the land, the ecological impact of burials and a faith in action sacred soil tool kit.

Panels and workshops include many notable speakers and activists such as Wendell Berry; Matthew Sleeth; Will Allen of Growing Power, Wes Jackson, President of the Land Institute; Josh Viertel; President of Slow Food USA, Patrick Holden, former director of The Soil Association International, the United Kingdom’s leading environmental charity; Ellen F. Davis of Duke University Divinity School, Rabbi Dr. Ron Kronish Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel, Dr. Roger S. Gottleib author of “The Greening of Faith :Religions Environmentalism and our Planet’s Future; Rev. Mitch Hescox, CEO of Evangelical Environmental Network and  Dr Jill Bolte Taylor author of “My Stroke of Insight”.

The Festival will also host screenings of award winning films, including “DIRT! The Movie,” “Grown in Detroit,” “The Real Dirt on Farmer John,” and “Manufactured Landscapes.”

A Sacred Soil Faith in Action Toolkit will be available for purchase and includes DIRT ! The Movie the official award winning festival film. Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson are honorary co-chairs of the 2010 festival.

Now in its fifteenth year, the Festival of Faiths celebrates the diversity of belief and spiritual practices among the world’s religions and the common themes that unify all communities and people of faith.

The festival is sponsored by the Louisville based Center for Interfaith Relations which takes to heart the first words spoken by G-d in the Book of Genesis.

Let there be light.


DV
692 words as revised/October 27, 2010 and written for publication by the Louisville Courier Journal

Note: The Henry Clay Building, 604 S. Third St., is the headquarters for the Festival,

Tickets and Reservations: There is a charge for some events. Tickets may be purchased at the Kentucky Center Box Office: 502-584-7777 or 800-775-7777: The Box office is at 501 West Main Street.
Center for Interfaith Relations/415 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd./Louisville, KY 40202/502-583-3100.

Donald Vish is a Louisville lawyer, writer and photographer. He served as president of Interfaith Paths to Peace from 2005-2010.