Last week’s post began the discussion on the theology of innovation. Today’s post examines innovation as a participation in God’s creative action.
God’s creative action goes back to the creation story itself, recorded in the book of Genesis, which is a ‘work’ God did for six days and rested on the seventh. God created humans in his own image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27), and mandated them to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Gen 1:28). In other words, humans are to continue in the creation work, and human work is a participation in God’s creative power.
As the Second Vatican Council teaches, “For while providing the substance of life for themselves and their families, men and women are performing their activities in a way which appropriately benefits society. They can justly consider that by their labour they are unfolding the Creator’s work, consulting the advantages of their brother men, and are contributing by their personal industry to the realization in history of the divine plan” (Gaudium et Spes, 34). Hence, the Church considers work as “fundamental dimension of man’s existence on earth” (Laborem Exercens, 4).
Although God is the creator of heaven and earth, and His creation was good (Gen 1:31), creation was not ultimately perfect. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “Creation has its own goodness and proper perfection, but it did not spring forth complete from the hands of the Creator. The universe was created ‘in a state of journeying’ (in statu viae) toward an ultimate perfection yet to be attained, to which God has destined it” (CCC, 302). Hence, Christ exhorts all to strive for perfection as God is perfect (Matt 5:48).
The Second Vatican Council establishes the link between work and change when it states that, “Throughout the course of the centuries, men have laboured to better the circumstances of their lives through a monumental amount of individual and collective effort. To believers, this point is settled: considered in itself, this human activity accords with God’s will” (Gaudium et Spes, 34). It also affirms “when a man works he not only alters things and society, he develops himself as well” (Gaudium et Spes, 35). As Pope John Paul II affirms “man, created in the image of God, shares by his work in the activity of the Creator and that, within the limits of his own human capabilities, man in a sense continues to develop that activity, and perfects it as he advances further and further in the discovery of the resources and values contained in the whole of creation” (Laborem Exercens, 25).
Hence, since God did not bring creation to its ultimate perfection, innovation is necessary. Innovation is the introduction of something new to improve the current situation, solve problems, or make things better. Innovation is rooted in God’s own creative activity.
This means that God’s creative and sustaining activity, as well as humans’ co-creative activity towards ultimate perfection, require innovation through work.
However, one must note that, by participating in the creation and prolonging the work of the Creator, humans do not share in the transcendence of God’s creative act; instead, they cooperate in it. In sum, innovation is perfecting creation, in safeguarding human dignity, promoting the common good and cooperating with God’s salvific plan.
Innovation concerns newness, and God is the source of newness. Yet, God’s revelation shows continuity with the past while remaining open to new expressions and forms. Jesus did not abolish the law and the prophets but fulfilled and deepened them (Matthew 5:17). Innovation is therefore development, not rupture.
Several biblical passages mention God as the source of newness. They include: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing something new” (Isaiah 43:19); “I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26); “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17), “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new’” (Revelation 21:5). Revelation 21:1 describes a new heaven and a new earth.
Next week’s post will discuss the Holy Spirit as the principal agent of authentic innovation
May God continue to help us
K’ọdị.
