The term “Holy Nature” encapsulates three key ideas:
| Concept | Description | |---------|-------------| | Immanent Sacredness | God is present in and through creation (not just as a distant Creator). Nature is a “second scripture.” | | Reverence & Reciprocity | Humans are not owners but caretakers and kin to all creatures. | | Contemplative Ecology | Prayer and silence in nature reveal divine wisdom and healing. |
Paula New argues that modern Christianity has overemphasized transcendence (God above) at the expense of immanence (God within and among). Recovering a sense of “Holy Nature” restores balance. holy nature paula new
| Aspect | Traditional Western Theology | Paula New’s “Holy Nature” | |--------|------------------------------|----------------------------| | View of nature | Fallen, to be subdued or escaped | Sacred, revealing God’s glory | | Salvation focus | Human souls only | Whole creation (Romans 8:19-22) | | Spiritual practice | Indoor, verbal, doctrinal | Outdoor, sensory, contemplative | | Eschatology | Leaving earth for heaven | New heaven and new earth |
In a consumer culture obsessed with pristine beauty, New demands we venerate the damaged. A tree struck by lightning, a rose with black spot fungus, a creek choked with silt—these are the "holy wounds." Her workshops, often labeled as Paula New Holy Nature retreats, involve participants drawing or photographing things society considers "ruined" and writing a psalm about them. The term “Holy Nature” encapsulates three key ideas:
To the uninitiated, "Holy Nature" might sound like a simple synonym for "beautiful landscape." However, within the Paula New lexicon, the term carries specific, almost legalistic weight.
According to New, "Holy Nature" is defined by three distinct characteristics: | Paula New argues that modern Christianity has
From Paula New’s likely body of work, the following principles emerge: