February 5, 2015
With over 120 people in the new Marpeck Commons space at Canadian Mennonite University, our discussion turned attentively to land. We gathered to discuss food, faith, land, and science as part of the Germinating Conversations event series. Three scientists eloquently presented the highlights of their understanding of how land is part of human culture, and the scientists challenged the audience to think more carefully of how science is, and is not, utilized in the search for a way to live as stewards on God’s earth. Our guest scientists came from a variety of backgrounds and workplaces. Their comments were unique and relevant to how we live, how we grow food, and how and what we eat.
Henry Janzen, scientist in residence at Canadian Mennonite University, spoke of the question of time. God’s time is not as a human lifetime, nor determined by human history. He said that particularly when asking whether modern agriculture or contemporary organic agriculture is the better way to manage land, “we don’t know the answer yet.”
Joanne Thiessen-Martens of University of Manitoba explained the implications her faith perspective has had in observation of agricultural systems, in her articulation of the scientific questions, and in deciding which questions to pursue in her work. Her comments ranged through a variety of environmental issues – pollination, the usefulness of agri-chemicals, air purification – to the spiritual renewal of all living beings as well as issues pertaining to the dignity of farmers in agricultural work and in society. As a listener, I was struck by how unusual it is for me to hear about scientific research studies directly from the researcher. Thiessen-Martens has worked with farmers, worked on the test plots, touched the plants and animals, and with her team has gathered the data to analyze it and present findings.
Rodney Reynar brought together the soil subject matter together with a strong concern about humanity. His background in rural sociology and work around the globe, including Bangladesh, gave the basis for his revelatory comments about how all of humanity, particularly Christians, continue learning about land and about ourselves. In history we have, he said, often proceeded with our “ill-conceived adventures with too much certainty and too little knowledge.” In a most helpful way, he asked, “Is the way we think broad enough? Have we considered the losses carefully enough?” especially the social losses, the loss of neighbours in rural communities.
After these short presentations, a few of our committed farmer-participants joined the scientist panel with questions. The dialogue was involved, detailed, controversial at times, and also respectful. I’d like to mention just a few point made in the course of the dialogue. We tend to think of science only in terms of technological solutions, however, we all share responsibility in discerning the implications of the answers and hypotheses presented. As eater-consumers, information is prolific but not always helpful in making healthy choices. Agriculture is not simple. Farmers bear many burdens of political, economic, and social pressure as well as have little control over soil and weather conditions. It is complicated in this time to live on this land, yet we must also consider the short history of European-style agriculture adopted on the prairies in comparison with the little-told history of First Nations peoples on this land.
Again and again the question came to the fore, Where do we put our trust? In our conversations bridging urban and rural and social divides, we listen with close attention and strive to hear the stories that are told, and we do not expect to find answers to all the questions.
Thank you to Rodney Reynar, Joanne Thiessen-Martens, Henry Janzen, Margaret Rempel, Ron Krahn, and Terry Mierau for a chance to hear them speak and for their dialogue. Germinating Conversations are hosted by A Rocha Canada (Bethany Paetkau), Mennonite Central Committee (Steve Plenert), and Canadian Mennonite University (Kenton Lobe).
posted March 13, 2015. Bethany Paetkau. bethany.paetkau@arocha.ca
