This Good Earth

I learned something interesting today. We had a lecture this morning on "Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship," and touched on what a Christian theology of creation looks like. It was actually a married couple that delivered a lecture, Dr. Martin Hodson and Rev. Margot Hodson. Dr. Hodson talked about the science of climate change, and the crisis that human-induced emissions is creating. His wife then talked about why the Christian has particular reason to care about this matter. She noted that God created the world originally good, and that we see a resounding affirmation of creation's goodness in the Incarnation of Jesus. But the ultimate affirmation is the promise of Revelation 21, where it speaks of the "new heavens and new earth." She said that there are two Greek words for "new," and that the one used in this passage actually means a "renewal." If she's right, it helps resolve some confusion that I've had about the biblical understanding of creation. The narrative of Scripture has always seemed to me to move toward the renewal of creation, not a totally new one. After all, if it were a completely new creation, why all the redemption leading up to it? It seems more consistent with God's original purpose and his great redemptive program that the redemption is consummated in a renewal of this earth. So her exegesis made sense to me.