Water: A Christian Faith Reflection

R. Christopher Rajkumar

Water Today:

This 21st Century is marked by the development and progress based on modern Science and Technology. But this neo- development and neo-economical policies do not allow the people to drink Water from the springs. The rivers’ water polluted by the industrial waste, the de-forestation global warming result and the “nil-rain falls” affect the ground water table.

The media of this era is forcing us to drink water from the ‘packed bottle’. This reminds us the Jesus’ words in St, Mathew 7: 9-10“… if there any one among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake?” (NRSV). I guess, Jesus would not have thought that the age would come like this. Other wise he would not have uttered these words. Because, if a child asks for food today, the parents are forced to give pizza or lays chips. Or if a child thirsts for water, we give the chemicals like Pepsi and Coke, which are causing danger’. Now rivers are dying, and are sold to the multinational companies.

So we as natives of this land are denied of on access to the source of Water. All the faith traditions are considering this element as blessing, sacred, powerful and even as God. Water is not only the political issue but faith issue also. Many can avoid politics and survive but not Water, because it is part of our lives. This paper is an attempt to help us to look the issue of Water from the faith perspective and make us to respond to it.

Water in Different Faiths:

All the polytheistic or pluri-theistic faith traditions considered water as a sacred element. In Hinduism the creator appears after the waters and water appeared after the creator, and they are born from one another (Rig Veda 10.121 Vs 7ff). The same idea is found in II Peter 3: 5-6. “They deliberately ignored the fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water...”(NRSV) And also in ancient-near-east monotheistic faith traditions like ‘Jewish faith tradition’ and ‘Abrahamic faith tradition’, Water is a matter, by which all things are made and Water is the one which purifies and qualifies human to have a proper and cordial relationship with God. And in Abrahamic faith tradition Water is considered as heaven where God Almighty is dwelling.

In Genesis 1:2 we read “… the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters”. The Extra-scriptural faith traditions also consider water as an element, which helps humans to obtain real spiritual purification...

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