God Feels Closer in Nature

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Madaglan

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What is the Eastern perspective of experiencing God in nature, or rather, while in nature alone and away from human society?

Oftentimes, I feel that God is closer when I pray alone in nature away from much of the noise of the world, than when at Divine Liturgy with fellow believers.

I know that many Egyptian saints (e.g. St. Anthony, St. Mary, etc.) lived alone for long periods of time. But are they exceptions?

What are your thoughts on this? I notice, in the particular church I now attend, there is a tendency to see being alone, even in prayer, as somehow aberrant. I do a lot of my praying while hiking/walking alone, so I wonder about this.
 
Community prayer is important, but so also is solitary prayer. Jesus went away to pray alone to the Father sometimes, but remember that He also had company when he prayed in the Garden. He took Peter, James, and John with Him.

Community
Jesus said, He says, “if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted by my Father in heaven. For where two or more meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” [Matthew 18:19-20]

Solitary
He also said, “Go into your private room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” [Matthew 6:6]
 
Everything has its place and everything can be praise. To demonstrate

**a) I value community prayer…go to Mass each day…the Eucharist is the sun of my life.

b) I do know what you mean about nature…I wrote the following praise of God with some of my enjoyment of experiences in life and in nature.**

A song of praise and delight
My Lord, You delight me!
As to glimpse, and to recognise, reciprocal love
and feel the exquisite response within!
As the quickening touch of hand warm with affection–
excruciating joy, in wordless transmission…

As the splash of another’s unselfish tear,
As glimmering joy after sobbing grief;
As the peace of forgiveness restored!
You fill my heart, Lord!

As breath drawn to spontaneous laugh!
As a knowledge sought-labouring, suddenly complete,
As the new insight of a truth always known…
You delight me, O Lord!

As the sudden bright flame when burning logs fall;
As the iridescence of dewdrops on grass;
As the diamond shattering of water on glass…
You astonish me, Lord!

As sun-warmth on a frost-chilled cheek;
As the shock of cool air on a sleep-warm lung,
and the gasp of a cold rock pool plunge…
You exhilarate me, Lord!

As first raindrop’s shock on long-cracked drought;
As the pungent earth-smell of dust after rain;
As one blue patch over flood’s despaired ruin…
You restore me, O Lord!

As rainbow arching across misted heavens—
juxtaposed in translucent bright colours—
shimmers assurance of God’s devoted love,
You hearten me O Lord!

As fresh-sprung breeze soft-caressing my hair;
As clean slash of gusting wind on a panting run,
As rustle of whirling leaves’ crisp fall…
You refresh me, O Lord!

As clear birdsong on pale smoky air;
As birds wheeling wild in blue freedom,
As the surprise of a bird almost touched!
You awake my song, Lord!

As silent-meeting-wide-eyes on a bushwalk;
As soft mew of a frightened wild creature…
Momentary brush of escaping fur…
You touch my compassion, Lord!

As full blooms warmed fragrant by afternoon sun,
As falling petals with fruit-blossom’s promise;
As flowers queening glorious for one single day
You enchant me, O Lord!

As lone-walking known paths alien-in-moon-silver;
As jewelled clarity of stars far from cities;
As dark tree-framed sunrise gleaming scarlet and gold…
You awe me, O Lord!

Delighting, I lay before You all things that move my heart—
pleasing sense and memory—that shared, are enhanced,
returned to their Creator, are fulfilled,
to give You glory Lord, to give You thanks.
 
Don’t forget that “nature” is itelf part of the fallen physical universe.
 
True, it is sometimes easier to see God’s hand in nature than in a building. One of the most beautiful experiences of my life was attending a mass out-of-doors on a mountain, having the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus in my Heart by sunset and moonlight!

Some people wonder, why go to mass at all, when I can see Jesus in nature? Yet the mass has all the important elements of prayer; praise, thanksgiving and petition, while at the same time reminding us that we are joined as one with our brothers and sisters as we will be in heaven, praising as with one voice! The mass is our joining with our brothers and sisters at the foot of the cross. The Heart of Jesus is present in each Eucharist and His union with us is priceless and healing. That quiet time after communion is precious time spent with Him.

The spiritual person, the true, whole and fulfilled child of God makes time for both communal and private prayer. We pray together, looking for His Face in the faces of our brothers and sisters, and we pray every day in solitude - particularly in nature where we can see His imprint on all living things!
 
Madaglan said:
What is the Eastern perspective of experiencing God in nature, or rather, while in nature alone and away from human society?

Oftentimes, I feel that God is closer when I pray alone in nature away from much of the noise of the world, than when at Divine Liturgy with fellow believers.

I know that many Egyptian saints (e.g. St. Anthony, St. Mary, etc.) lived alone for long periods of time. But are they exceptions?

What are your thoughts on this? I notice, in the particular church I now attend, there is a tendency to see being alone, even in prayer, as somehow aberrant. I do a lot of my praying while hiking/walking alone, so I wonder about this.
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You should remember that the east views nature as revelatory. The energies of God penetrate through all of creation. Christ is the cosmic man. Byzantine theology speaks of Christ redeeming the whole of creation. Syriac theology, represented in saints like St. Ephrem, views it as full of mysteries that reveal God. Either way it is sacramental.
 
I would like to add that St. Ephrem speaks of revelation coming through the ‘book of scripture’ and the ‘book of nature’. It is through these two places that we learn of God.
 
jimmy said:
I would like to add that St. Ephrem speaks of revelation coming through the ‘book of scripture’ and the ‘book of nature’. It is through these two places that we learn of God.
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Very interesting. I have St. Ephrem’s book of spiritual hymns (Paulist Press). Is that mentioned in there?
 
Madaglan said:
Very interesting. I have St. Ephrem’s book of spiritual hymns (Paulist Press). Is that mentioned in there?
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Are you speaking of the volume in the Classics of Western Spirituality series? Here is a short passage from Hymn 20 on Virginity from p.348 of that book.

In every place, if you look, His symbol is there,
and when you read, you will find His types.
For by Him were created all creatures,
and He engraved His symbols upon His possessions.
When He created the world,
He gazed at it and adorned it with His images.
Streams of His symbols opened, flowed and poured forth
His symbols on His members.
 
When I smell a rose or look at a daffodil I am convinced that there is some kind of
Higher Being…so I think that Nature helps my very wavering faith.

Also, the way an acorn can become an Oak tree or tiny seed become a bunch of delicious tomatos…that’s truly remarkable on so many levels!

I like this topic, but I do have a question…what is Eastern Catholicism?
 
Dear brother Madaglan,

It is my understanding that modern Eastern/Byzantine theology often derides natural law and natural theology. I have gathered this from explicit statements by Eastern Orthodox Christians online. I am not certain to what extent this is reflected in Eastern Catholicism.

Brother Jimmy has noted the affinity of Syriac spirituality with nature. This is, in fact, a general feature of ORIENTAL spirituality. Every Oriental Orthodox Church has specific adherence to Natural Law (interestingly, much like the Westerns). In Coptic spirituality, reflected in the Coptic Orthodox liturgy, you will find numerous references to nature, either as being filled with the Presence, reflective of the Presence, or praising the Presence.

You find this appreciation for God’s creation and God’s Natural Law among numerous early Oriental and Eastern Fathers, particularly the Alexandrians. St. Basil’s Hexaemeron is a classic example reflecting this demeanor and understanding of the early Church.

Blessings,
Marduk
 
mardukm said:
Dear brother Madaglan,

It is my understanding that modern Eastern/Byzantine theology often derides natural law and natural theology. I have gathered this from explicit statements by Eastern Orthodox Christians online. I am not certain to what extent this is reflected in Eastern Catholicism.

Brother Jimmy has noted the affinity of Syriac spirituality with nature. This is, in fact, a general feature of ORIENTAL spirituality. Every Oriental Orthodox Church has specific adherence to Natural Law (interestingly, much like the Westerns). In Coptic spirituality, reflected in the Coptic Orthodox liturgy, you will find numerous references to nature, either as being filled with the Presence, reflective of the Presence, or praising the Presence.

You find this appreciation for God’s creation and God’s Natural Law among numerous early Oriental and Eastern Fathers, particularly the Alexandrians. St. Basil’s Hexaemeron is a classic example reflecting this demeanor and understanding of the early Church.

Blessings,
Marduk
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I believe that “Natural law” is derided because such a thing is philosophy (much as the poorly named natural theology is). I think, from my own understanding, that the byzantine world sees value in the terms philosophy has given us, but does not feel a need to tie itself down to a method of philosophical reasoning rather then the study of the Church fathers and the mystical life. As opposed to say, the Latin Church in the 1700s where rationalist enlightenment philosophy took hold and in the 1800s where “neo-thomism” was lifted up to a quasi dogmatic approach. In the Latin Church today, there is a movement called the “Resourcement” or back to the sources, which desires to restore a more Patristic theology to the west, this happens to be Benedict’s own school of thought.
 
The presence of Gods Grace and energies in nature is general to all of eastern Christianity. The reason why the Byzantines reject natural theology is as Formosus says, due to it being philosophy.

The Orthodox recognize that Grace is present to man through nature and they often speak of it as a sacrament. Take for example Alexander Schmemann, a late 20th century liturgical theologian of the Eastern Orthodox who spoke of nature sacramentally. Some of what he says is reminiscent of St. Ephrem’s words. Other theologians speak of the whole of creation being redeemed.

I would say that in the west the most similar are the Franciscans who have a strong love for nature.
 
TracyJ said:
When I smell a rose or look at a daffodil I am convinced that there is some kind of
Higher Being…so I think that Nature helps my very wavering faith.

Also, the way an acorn can become an Oak tree or tiny seed become a bunch of delicious tomatos…that’s truly remarkable on so many levels!

I like this topic, but I do have a question…what is Eastern Catholicism?
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Not to throw this off topic, but real quick: Eastern Catholicism refers to those rites (Byzantine and others) that are in communion with Rome and all that entails, but retain their own liturgical and spiritual traditions. To find out more Tracy, look through the Eastern Christianity forum here and read some of the posts.

Anyway, I live in a place surrounded by nature, and I can’t experience it without seeing God’s creative hand in all of it. The beauty of it is awe-inspiring. To go into the wilderness and acknowledge God’s love, to offer prayers and praise to Him for it, is certainly not the same as “communing with nature,” which sounds more to me like a New Agey type of practice. We must, however, remember that this is the fallen world, and what we see is only a pale reflection of what God has prepared for those who love Him.
 
Dear brothers Formosus and Jimmy,

Thank you for that explanation regarding the philosophical aspect of natural theology (or adherents to Natural Law) from the Byzantine viewpoint. I don’t quite understand what about it is philosophical that should be rejected. Can you explain that a bit more?

IMHO, natural theology is merely sacramental (or, as I have heard Latins call it, “incarnational”) theology - the understanding that God works and reveals himself in and through His creation. This understanding is profound in my Coptic Tradition, so I do not see what there is about Natural Law (or theology) that is “philosophical” in a bad way.

Can you give a couple of specific examples? Thanks.

Blessings,
Marduk

P.S. Yes, St. Francis is one of my favorites.👍
 
jimmy said:
The presence of Gods Grace and energies in nature is general to all of eastern Christianity. The reason why the Byzantines reject natural theology is as Formosus says, due to it being philosophy.

The Orthodox recognize that Grace is present to man through nature and they often speak of it as a sacrament. Take for example Alexander Schmemann, a late 20th century liturgical theologian of the Eastern Orthodox who spoke of nature sacramentally. Some of what he says is reminiscent of St. Ephrem’s words. Other theologians speak of the whole of creation being redeemed.

I would say that in the west the most similar are the Franciscans who have a strong love for nature.
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Yes, actually it’s funny because I was just about to post how I was reading Alexander Schmemann the other day and came across this.

The Franciscans and nature: I can see that. I also see it in much of English poetry–e.g. “God’s Grandeur”.
 
mardukm said:
Dear brothers Formosus and Jimmy,

Thank you for that explanation regarding the philosophical aspect of natural theology (or adherents to Natural Law) from the Byzantine viewpoint. I don’t quite understand what about it is philosophical that should be rejected. Can you explain that a bit more?

IMHO, natural theology is merely sacramental (or, as I have heard Latins call it, “incarnational”) theology - the understanding that God works and reveals himself in and through His creation. This understanding is profound in my Coptic Tradition, so I do not see what there is about Natural Law (or theology) that is “philosophical” in a bad way.

Can you give a couple of specific examples? Thanks.

Blessings,
Marduk

P.S. Yes, St. Francis is one of my favorites.👍
Click to expand...
I do believe we are using the term “Natural theology” to imply different things. Natural Theology is , as far as I understand, what Plato and other pre-Christian philosophers practiced. Attempting to understand God using Reason. Such as Aristotle’s unmoved mover. Natural Law, similarly, attempts to create a Law of Nature that is autonomous from direct divine revelation that concerns what can be discovered using reason. Historically the rejection of philosophy occurred because of Barlaam the Philosopher’s contention that we can know God’s divine revelation with our reason and that the Philosophers were greater then the Prophets.

Interestingly enough, this idea of Natural Law has actually hurt western Christianity in the long run, because it allowed for speculation that nature had some sort of “autonomy” from God, which as Cardinal Kasper points out in his book “The God of Jesus Christ”, eventually leads to an idea of autonomy of man , aka Atheism.

Incarnational theology would be under the Engergies idea that Jimmy seemed to be discussing. Do not get me wrong though, I love Philosophy (it is one of my majors). I just prefer not to let my Philosophy and Theology become dependent upon each other.
 
I agree that you can be close to God in nature, but don’t forget that in Divine Liturgy (or Mass), God is actually present there in the Eucharist, in a unique way 🙂 not like anywhere else. It’s not the fellowship, it’s not the people, or the building, but the Eucharist…

but certainly there’s nothing wrong with spending time outside in nature to pray too 🙂

God bless!
 
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