Luther’s Understanding of the Presence of God in Creation: Toward a Lutheran Eco-Theology

Abstract

This paper argues for a Lutheran eco-theology based on the notion of the presence of God in the creation, heavily derived from two of Martin Luther’s interrelated concepts: creation and sacramental theology. Both Luther’s theological ideas proclaim the presence of God based on God’s creative works. This paper investigates both theological ideas despite having different approaches to presenting God’s power and its significance to eco-theology. The method employs theoretical research of Martin Luther’s main writings and works. The primary result of this investigation shows that Luther’s understanding of the real presence of God in the dialectical differences between creation and sacramental theology provides meaningful expressions and elements to develop a Lutheran eco-theology. The paper concludes that in the middle of the present ecological catastrophe, it is urgent to develop a relevant eco-theology that can provide significant theological and ethical ideas for the care of the Earth.