Is there a theology of litter? Christians ought to be concerned about that question when "Ireland of the litter" is not only a long-running correspondence feature in The Irish Times but a hot topic of conversation in Co Wicklow where "The Garden of Ireland" still looks unkempt after the chaotic changeover in refuse collection arrangements.
It is not merely a pragmatic question affecting tourism: how is Ireland to be kept clean and its tarnished image restored? For Christians, it is a subject that goes to the heart of mission. The scope of the Gospel is very great, for we are to live in the world as if it were God's handiwork and not merely raw material for our economic well-being.
Canadian environment theologian Loren Wilkinson has asked "When we talk about `throwing things away', where is `away', exactly?" Living in God's creation, surrounded by his handiwork, Christians should be unwilling to concede that "away" exists. We live in a world God made, and existence without reference to its Creator is not an option.
It is a powerful dimension of witness to God and the Gospel that in our relationship to the environment, and notably our garbage, we proclaim the lordship of Christ the Creator. That is, after all, the heart of Christian mission - bearing testimony by what we say, and how we live, to what we believe.
How we use or abuse the raw material of creation is inseparable from our relationship with God. What we do with litter is a "religious" act because it reveals our beliefs. The driver of the grey S-class Mercedes on the N11 who opened his window and threw a large takeaway bag into my path, almost causing a major accident, was unconsciously defying God. His religion, and by extension ours because of the sheer lack of serious grassroots protest about litter nationwide, is that we believe that by consuming more we will be happier, and that the environment is only there to enable that to happen.
The garbage problem in Co Wicklow, the fouled streets, and the publicity which pricked the national conscience, shouted to us that we need to recover a relationship with God our Creator that expresses our gratitude to him for his glorious creation. Such a grateful response will include living in the world as God intended, and not in an abusive and unsustainable way.
Practically, what can be done? A considerable stratum of Ireland's population can still be reached by teaching from the pulpit, and where better to proclaim God as Lord of his world? The evidence of our rebellion against him is up our noses pungently, and before our eyes graphically, in the form of litter. It's then the Gospel has a compelling ring with its invitation to receive forgiveness, coupled with the offer of the Spirit's power to begin long-term rehabilitation producing practical godliness in daily living.
After all, it is surely a godly action to dispose of one's litter properly. Conversely, isn't it a very ungodly act, and not merely an anti-social one, to throw a takeaway container into the road or someone's garden? In the end, it is the theological argument that is conclusive for Christians. It is impossible to love God and then despise our neighbours by abusing his creation - which the litter problem so publicly and embarrassingly reveals we do on a daily basis.
Somewhere, soon, small groups of Christians, networking across their local communities, will pick up on this teaching and put it into practice. The cleaning and greening of Ireland in their neighbourhood will be a very powerful evangelistic message. It will assert that the earth we live in matters because it is God's handiwork and that litter is not only an irritant to us, it is above all "an abomination unto the Lord".