2nd Annual Academic Symposium - Chris Walk

Humanity's bond with the land is strongest in the practice of agriculture, yet in its modern form agriculture has broken this relationship, resulting in the current ecological crisis. The roots of modern agriculture are traced back to the American application of the Enlightenment idea of progress. Progress has been described as a claim that humanity, through science and reason, shall gradually be perfected, resulting in a general happiness for all of humankind. This description lacks two important aspects. First, Enlightenment progress is not simply an idea, but a narrative that has been told and lived out by Western Civilization. Second, a necessary characteristic of this story is the objectification of the land. The transformation of agricultural practice must be informed by the Christian narrative. When authentically told, that narrative casts the land as a character, like humanity, that relates to God and will ultimately be redeemed by God.