Creation Justice Stories: Joy of God's Marine Creation: "Blue Theology"

by Gabrielle Poli 

Sometimes the joy of God’s creation is embodied in a single sand crab. This summer, a group of Blue Theology students headed down to Asilomar Beach to collect data on the local crab population. Blue theology hosts students each summer to engage in ocean conservation from a Christian perspective, through service-learning projects and contemplative practice.
The pacific mole crab, (“sand crab”) is an indicator species— an abundance of sand crabs indicates a healthy ecosystem. Students sifted through sand to search for crabs. These little creatures tend to inspire all kinds of emotions; some students are afraid, some are grossed-out, some are in awe. This group described the crabs as “weird,” “creepy,” and “like little aliens.” Some didn’t want to touch one.
Until, that is, someone squealed with delight! One student held up her crab, belly-side up, and exclaimed, “she’s pregnant!” Everyone huddled together to see the bright orange eggs in this mother’s clutch. Jaws dropped over the news that each clutch holds over 45,000 eggs! One particularly hesitant student smiled, “aww, so many babies!”
Determined to find more crab-mothers in the “sand nursery,” the group’s attitude had gone from sand-crab hesitant to sand-crab adoring in one moment. The group collected and measured hundreds of sand crabs, recording the size, age-range, and gender of each. 

This is joy: an opening to life and love in the most unfamiliar of places. At Blue Theology, this is how we develop ocean advocates: by creating opportunities for students to connect to the ocean through joy, forming a heart connection. And to fully lean into joy requires some openness to the unknown.

This is joy: an opening to life and love in the most unfamiliar of places. At Blue Theology, this is how we develop ocean advocates: by creating opportunities for students to connect to the ocean through joy, forming a heart connection. And to fully lean into joy requires some openness to the unknown. Joy is a spiritual practice. A practice of openness to the divinity right at our feet. Of digging through sand and flipping over crabs. Don’t forget to check for eggs!
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