Earth day (Wednesday, April 22, 2020) is upon us as we focus on the goodness of God’s creation and our obligation within that creation. Whenever I think about the environment and our ecological responsibility, I hear echoes from the First Nations of this continent. In particular, I am reminded of a remarkable speech made by a Native American Chief in 1854. Chief Sealth (for whom Seattle was named) gave a most impressive oration when his people were betrayed by the U. S. government and forced to “sell” their native lands. Chief Sealth knew there was no hope of the Duwamish tribe keeping their ancestral home, so he agreed to leave. But before departing, he spoke eloquently of his people’s love and respect for the land and his puzzlement and grief over the destructive ways of the white civilization.
His speech is far too long to be quoted. However, I want to share with you several sentences which stand out in my mind:
“This we know. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected.”
“Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”
“This earth is precious to God and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator.”
“The whites too shall pass; perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Continue to contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.”
The prophetic insight this man had over a century and a half ago is outstanding. The Native American perspective reminds us that there is a profound difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is “know-how” or technology. As a civilization we have astounding amounts of knowledge. Our technological ability is the envy of the world. But unfortunately, our wisdom has not kept pace with our knowledge. While knowledge focuses on the question of “how,” wisdom centers on the question of “why.” Wisdom asks the significant questions of purpose, identity, and destiny. And wisdom reminds us that we are but “a strand in the web of life” and are connected in a wonderful and fragile way to the rest of creation.
We shall be compelled to discern afresh that wisdom and knowledge are not the same and that knowledge without wisdom is collective insanity just waiting to unleash its destructive consequences.
If we are to meet the ecological crisis facing us and our children with any integrity (and there doesn’t seem to be much will among the American people or in the political arena to do so, especially with a demagogue who rejects the reality of the climate crisis), then we shall have to listen to the wise words of people like Chief Sealth. We shall be compelled to discern afresh that wisdom and knowledge are not the same and that knowledge without wisdom is collective insanity just waiting to unleash its destructive consequences. No matter how impressive our technological achievements may seem, the stupidity of destroying the very earth on which all life depends makes such “success” irrelevant and lethal.
(For the nitpickers out there, I am aware of the doubts some scholars have raised regarding the source of the speech attributed to Chief Sealth. I would remind such critics that we have plenty of other statements from First Nations leaders which are very similar, and the origins of those statements are not in question. For those who would like to avail themselves of this Native wisdom, I would recommend Touch the Earth: A Self-Portrait of Indian Existence, compiled by T. C. McLuhan. I almost despair of those who dismiss or overlook the truth behind these words because they are obsessed with the authorship. We should learn from Native Americans who often begin their stories and legends with these words: “I don’t know if this really happened, but it’s true.” A lack of appreciation for truth in this deeper sense is another casualty of a civilization which can’t tell the difference between knowledge and wisdom.)
