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Water for a Thirsty Land:
An Invitation to a Sacramental Commons
By Darryl Birkenfeld
"Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world
fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the Gospel."
Pope Paul VI, Justice in the World
"An education in ecological responsibility is urgent;
responsibility for oneself, for others, and for the earth."
Pope John Paul II, The Ecological Crisis, A Common Responsibility, 1990
How can we respond to water conflicts that beset parts of the United States? What method could we use to best deal with the challenges of water in a thirsty land? As people rooted in a Catholic faith perspective, it is not sufficient for us to merely give decision-making power to those who have the most political clout or economic power. Nor it is enough to simply read the newspaper and allow public policy to be dictated by the media or talk show pundits. Certainly, the political system has a huge stake in deciding the direction of public policy, yet without widespread participation by stakeholders and citizens, public policy decisions will be inequitable as well as short-term.
What I want to bring to you today is a model for responding to a specific water conflict — the Rio Grande River and the shared water crisis of El Paso, Juarez and Southern New Mexico. I will examine this from the perspective of Roman Catholic Social Teachings, one known as the "pastoral circle". It is based on a tradition of reflection developed in the 1940’s and 50’s called "Catholic Action" which championed the Church’s involvement in the world and politics based on a simple formula: see, judge, act. Through this method, Roman Catholic laity and lay apostolates sought to put into action the Church’s Social Teachings, especially the papal encyclicals. Basically, "see, judge, act" — or ver, juzgar, actuar — means to act on behalf of social concerns requires the elements of experience, analysis, evaluation and implementation. More than action is required: To be truly effective, study is needed, but also prayer and spiritual discernment.
[A concrete example of this same approach can be found in a pastoral letter concerning the Columbia River entitled, The Columbia River Watershed: Realities and Possibilities, written by the Catholic Bishops serving up and down the river’s watershed in the Pacific Northwest. I recommend this pastoral letter, which can be found on the web in both English and Spanish (www.ColumbiaRiver.org).]
STEP 1
Beginning with the first step of the pastoral circle — describing our experience — means responding to the question, "What is happening?" — a fundamental beginning for moral agents. Somehow, this must be applied on a personal level, even if it starts from group discussions and public forums. I will draw some currents of experience from articles that appeared in the El Paso Times over the past few months. Here are some main features of the current experience of water conflicts that I gleaned from these articles.
-The Rio Grande River crisis extends beyond any regional situation — any proposed solutions must ultimately address the entire watershed. This river is huge…extending more than 1500 miles, from the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado to the Brownsville area and the Gulf of Mexico. The watershed includes tributaries in Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. Though it starts by virtue of snowmelt and springs in mountain areas, the Rio Grande River flows and lives mostly in the company of arid plains and desert regions, where it molds an oasis of life and diversity.
- The Rio Grande River connects distinct and often separated entities into one body, one world. "We (El Paso) are basically joined at the hip with both Juarez and Southern New Mexico whether people admit it or not." (Ed Archuleta, general manager, El Paso Water Utilities).
- The Rio Grande River Valley intertwines an amazing variety of stakeholders and social institutions. It includes American and Mexican citizens; rural and urban dwellers; Anglo, Hispanic and Native American; farmers, urban landowners, municipal governments, city utilities, irrigation districts, businesses, the poor and marginalized, developers and environmentalists, regional birds, animals, and living species, the mountains, and deserts. It connects natural and social ecologies.
- The Rio Grande River and its freshwater aquifiers are being steadily depleted by development and growth. By 2010, the El Paso-Juarez-Southern New Mexico area will have almost 3.5 million people. Juarez’s water supply could be depleted in 5 years, and El Paso’s water supply is predicted to be severely depleted in 25 years.
- Human water use in excessive. Landscape watering accounts for up to 60% of El Paso water use in the summer months. Ten percent of water used in those months goes to evaporative coolers, up to 180 gallons per day for 6 hours of use, most of which in discarded as waste water and not recycled. Taking showers uses from 50-100 gallons per day—still the largest portion of water use in El Paso on a daily basis.
- The threat of contamination. Juarez has 200,000 residents with no sewer hookups — using some form of open latrines for human waste. Also, arsenic levels in El Paso’s water supply are cited as "too high" by the Natural Resource Defense Council. The poor, marginalized and migrant populations have disproportionate access to water and public sewer services.
- Farmers, private individuals and property owners are considering selling water rights to cities and counties. This is an affront to a sacramental commons, according what the bishops have written in the Columbia River Pastoral.
- Economic development is in some way curtailed or stymied by lack of adequate water supply and cooperation between private, public and governmental agencies.
Of course, these represent only a generalization of experiences regarding water and the Rio Grande River. There is much more that could and needs to be added. But we can refer to these items I just listed as "realities" that impact the water situation in this region. Some might see discussing these experiences as a recipe for trouble — an endless debate about realities that exist but cannot really be changed. Keep in mind, this is only the first step in the process — and if we work no further, then we are doomed to failure. But the second step in the pastoral circle involves analysis — or in other words, understanding our experience. To understand our experiences, we need to employ a variety of sources: our memories, collective and personal, the wisdom of a local community that influences experience, but also sociological and philosophical tools of analysis that can help us to understand "why is this happening?"
STEP 2
My studies in the field of social ethics, particularly social and ethical thought, make clear to me is that our actions, personally and communally, are not simply based on economic realities -- the "laws of supply and demand", so to speak -- but rather, they are largely motivated and colored by our worldviews. These visions are our largely unconscious, but unbelievably powerful ways of looking at reality. I would like to share with you some of my research on three "root metaphors" or worldviews as outlined by theologian Gibson Winter, that have heavily influenced Western society, and therefore, the situation of water use and conservation in this region of the Rio Grande River. Why talk about root metaphors, symbols, and social values? Because human beings live in a "symbolized world" that is fundamental to the construction of formal knowledge and public institutions. We are interpreters of a world interconnected by symbols. Consciously or unconsciously, we employ metaphors to generate meaning in a vast, ever-expanding "lifeworld."
A root metaphor serves as a guiding image that gives coherence to a people’s world in a way that rational formulae and information systems cannot. Root metaphors are mainly unconscious, and yet they are enacted and daily. They form a script we live by, that we are not aware we are reading. Within the root metaphors or paradigms, we find "factors of influence" which give concrete texture, form and shape to the values system:
- guiding principle
- core values
- conception of time
- view of social change
- conception of truth
- forms of technology
- forms of capital
- moral landscapes
An Application of the Root Metaphors of Gibson Winter to U.S. Agriculture
(based on Liberating Creation: Foundations of Religious Social Ethics, 1981)
(copyrighted by Darryl L. Birkenfeld, 2000)
"Organic" Root Metaphor -- Middle ages till early 1800s
(subsistence economy: dominated until mechanization began replacing manual labor)—the "good farmer"
guiding image: the body. a structure wherein everyone has a place under the head
key values: order, cohesion, hierarchy, cultural wisdom, stability, self-sufficiency, hard work, fiscal conservatism, neighborliness, community (village), subsistence
governing principle: authoritarian (family: nuclear & extended)
concept of time: cyclical and seasonal
technology: labor-intensive capital: locally generated and owned, "use" value
view of social change: deviant, suppression or slow, cautious acceptance
truth conception: ontological and analogical
moral landscapes: teleology, metaphysical vision of virtue and happiness, scholastic rigorism and nominalism
"Mechanistic" Root Metaphor---mid-1800s to present
(market economy: highly industrialized and capital-intensive, especially after World War II) – the "high-tech farmer"
guiding image: the machine...reality is composed of interchangeable parts
key values: increasing production, progress, commodities, rationality, domination, maximization of power, affluence, individual needs and freedom, competition, efficiency, pluralism, profitability
governing principle: management "bureaucracy"
separation of work & home, constituents and clients (someone you work for)
concept of time: linear and evolutionary
technology: large-scale industrial; corporate-based and market-driven
capital: surplus commodity trade and profit, "exchange" value
view of social change: rapid and controlled
truth conception: empirical, theoretical, value-free; quantitative, rational and subjective
moral landscapes: deontological; autonomous rational moral agent, utilitarianism, {emotivism}
"Artistic" Root Metaphor --- 1970s--still emerging
(substainable economy: long-term planning & visioning, economically, ecologically, socially and spiritually regenerative; relational; urban and rural based, multiple forms of income) – the "values-added farmer"
guiding image: artistic process...birthing—the reflexive interplay of object and subject
(husbandry & midwifery)
key values: community (local & global), creativity (skills instead of labor), ethical standards, networking, bio-regeneration, self-reliance, health, integrated lifestyle, continuing education, balance, relationships, spirituality, sustainability
governing principle: participation (stakeholders instead of constituents) embodiment, formation, buy-in
"intentional communities"
concept of time: fullness {past, present & future}
technology: ecologically, economically, and socially appropriate and sustainable
capital: bioregionally and globally accountable; "multi-dimensional" value
view of social change: transformative and conflictual
truth conception: praxis-oriented, disclosure; qualitative, dialogical, empowering
moral landscapes: responsibility; discourse, narrative, dialectical, relational {relativism}
While the artistic root metaphor is a vision that will still need to be "fleshed out" and made concrete, it does give us a clue as to what a sustainable economy could look like in the Rio Grande River Watershed, and what values would be fundamental.
STEP 3
But our work in not finished. If the sociological model of root metaphors has helped us to analyze and understand our experience, we still need the third step of the pastoral circle: to evaluate the analysis we have made in the light of our moral and religious frameworks. In other words, when dealing with public policy through the pastoral circle, we are called to evaluate our analysis through the insights found in Scripture and Tradition. To not do so would lead us into the trap of secularism.
For the Scriptural reflections, I will turn to the excellent summary in the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral. The Bishops point out three particular stories in the Bible by which we can evaluate our analysis: the creation stories in Genesis, the Jubilee tradition in Leviticus, and the "living water" teachings in the Gospel of John.
Images of God--
"The work of creation is a process begun by God and entrusted to humans to understand and in part to continue as images of God…In God’s image, humans are called to be the loving and integrating consciousness of the cosmos…The varied members of creation serve unique roles in the integrated totality of Earth’s ecosystem…In Genesis God calls all creation ‘very good’." (p. 22-23)
Jubilee tradition--
1. "Rest for the Land—by responsible care for the ecosystem entrusted by God to our care.
2. Freedom for slaves—as freedom for the poor of the land.
3. Cancellation of debts—as economic restructuring based on the needs of the poor.
4. Land redistribution—by a just redistribution of the land and water and the rights pertaining to each, to benefit the common good." (p. 33)
Sacramental Commons--
"In the Catholic tradition, sacramentals are moments of grace revealing God’s presence among us. The whole of creation can be sacramental for the person of faith; the beauty of a mountain lake, a flowing river, a flourishing old forest all exhilarate us and lead our minds and spirits to acknowledge the presence of God." (p. 24)
"Biblical teachings and the Christian tradition see the whole Earth as a commons, a source of the goods required to meet human needs. This commons is not for humans alone. It is intended by God to provide for all of God’s creatures as they live in ecological relation…We are called to responsibly care for that commons, and to distribute its benefits well." (p. 24-25)
Living Water--
"The Bible and our Christian tradition teach us about the benefits of water, which is seen both literally and figuratively as a giver of life…In the Bible, living water meant water which was flowing free and pure; it is contrasted with water from wells and cisterns, which tended to be stagnant and to have a noticeable taste. The living water offered by Jesus for our spirit and the living water in God’s creation for our body are complimentary: both types of water bring life." (p.27-28)
"Rather than being sacramental, a revelatory sign of God’s Presence and creativity, the rivers reveal signs of human ignorance, human carelessness, human indifference and human greed." (p. 28)
"Catholic Church documents over the past quarter-century explain and enhance these biblical teachings. The plight of the poor and the suffering of the earth have been condemned, … social justice for people and ecojustice for the earth." (p.28)
This is the beginning part of step 3, but there is more we need to do. If we decide on actions only by drawing from the Scriptures, we could end up in some forms of fundamentalism. We need to look to the Tradition of the Church, namely papal encyclicals and pastoral statements, which bring additional refinements that are helpful and necessary for our evaluation of analysis and our movement towards action.
National Catholic Rural Life Conference offers seven themes that sum up the basic tenets of Roman Catholic Social Teaching, and they can expand the Scriptural themes cited above. To parallel with these themes, I have listed the themes the bishops of the Pacific Northwest use in the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral, as formulated by Audrey LaPorte-Vest in a recent article in Liguorian magazine ("Caring for the Earth: A Moral Challenge", Liguorian, March, 2000, p. 12).
1.) Human dignity: each person is made in the image of God.
(2) A consistent respect for human life and all creation.
2.) Subsidiarity: no higher power should deny lower levels freedom to self governance.
(4) An ethic that promotes cooperation and sharing in the world community.
3.) Solidarity: persons are called by God to self-transcending love.
(3) A worldview that affirms the ethical significance of global interdependence and the common good.
4.) Universal destination of goods: private ownership has a social mortgage.
(5) Equitable use of the earth’s resources.
5.) Common good: each should act on behalf of the good of all.
(7) A conception of development that offers direction for progress which respects human dignity and the limits of material growth.
6.) Integrity of creation: the created order is one whole, each being has its own worth.
(1) The need for a God-centered and sacramental view of the universe.
7.) Option for the poor: a fundamental question is how human action affects the most vulnerable among us.
(6) An option for the poor expressed in respect for the diversity of cultures.
STEP 4
Now we come to the fourth step in the pastoral circle, the one that many want to rush to right away — planning and implementation of action. This is not some exhaustive plan of action that I will propose, only an outline for your consideration, based mostly on actions suggested in the Columbia River Pastoral (which I will designate with page numbers when quoting the document).
1. Save the Rio Grande River, to protect and enhance it as a "sacramental" of God’s love and life, belonging as a "commons" to all species of creation.
2. Enlist the entire Rio Grande Watershed in a pastoral reflection process—involve those dioceses in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and the states in Mexico where tributaries like the Pecos, el Rio Conchos, and other rivers enter the Rio Grande.
3. Enlist parishes and small groups, diocesan conferences and meetings in a two-year reflection process that involves the steps of the pastoral circle. Include in Step 1: Describing the Experience, an exercise of listing and elaborating shared values in the group. Include in Step 2: affirming and evaluating all actual and potential ecosystem benefits for the Rio Grande, plus a listing of all the available and acquirable human resources that will be needed, that will compliment natural and recyclable natural resources in the Rio Grande Watershed. Finally, identify and explore potential areas of collaboration by community and commercial enterprises. (see pgs. 39-40)
4. Continue the work already done on the five themes of the Jubilee Year and strive to apply and elaborate them as they relate to the social and natural ecologies that exist in the Rio Grande Watershed.
5. "Promote justice for the poor and marginalized, linking economic justice and environmental justice." (p. 46)
6. "Engage citizens and communities in local efforts to improve ecosystem well-being." — beginning in Catholic parishes, institutions and schools. (p. 46)
7. Promote responsible municipal water use and recycling. (Foster new landscaping designs, reduce daily water consumption)
8. "Create international alliances among interested players in activities that can foster economic development that is beneficial to the regional communities, responsible and just, employment provision that includes fair wages, job security and safe working conditions, and environmental practices that are integrated respectfully into local and regional ecosystems." (p. 48)
9. Protect, enhance and restore the small farming operations that are a hallmark of the Rio Grande River Watershed.
10. Use ecologically responsible forestry, recreational & tourist use, as well as mining practices in the watershed.
11. "Integrate transportation needs with the requirements of a sustainable ecosystem." (p. 49)
12. "Respect ethnic and racial cultures, citizens and communities." (p. 49)
13. "Honor the provisions of treaties with indigenous peoples; foster respect for indigenous peoples’ religious and social traditions, and hunting, gathering and fishing rights, assist native nations’ self governance efforts" as well as ecosystem management and economic development." (p. 50)
In conclusion, let us remember that the Rio Grande River is, like all of God’s Creation, made in the image of God. Wendell Berry reminds us that if we are truly a faith-filled people, we will learn to treat water and the Rio Grande River in an a sacramental way.
"To live, we must daily break the body and shed the blood of creation. When we do this knowingly, lovingly, skillfully and reverently, it is a sacrament. When we do it ignorantly, greedily, clumsily and destructively, it is a desecration. In such desecration we condemn ourselves to spiritual and moral loneliness, and others to want." (Wendell Berry, The Gift of Good Land, p. 281.)
Let continue to describe our experience, understand those experience through analysis, evaluate our analysis upon the basis of the Scriptures and our Catholic tradition, and implement actions that will honor the fullness of life that our God continually creates.
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