Knowledge of the Cosmos Aids in Self-Knowledge

Man ought to know himself, but this knowledge cannot be attained by him unless first he is willing to acknowledge the entire scope of things, including God Himself. And then, from the constitution and furniture of the world itself, every one endowed with reason holds that it was established by God, and is governed and administered by Him.

~ The Octavius of Minucius Felix, XVII. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. IV. Eerdmans, 1994, p.181.

God Cares for Every Part of Creation

God does not care only for the universe, He also cares for all of its parts. … If on entering a house, you should behold everything refined, well arranged and adorned, you would believe that a master presided over it, and that he was much better and above all those excellent things. So in this house of the world, when you look upon the heaven and the earth, its providence, its ordering, its law, believe that there is a Lord and Parent of the universe far more glorious than the stars themselves, and the parts of the whole world.

~ The Octavius XVIII Quoted in The Anti Nicene Fathers Vol. IV. Eerdmans 1994, p. 182.

Bio

One of the most eloquent of the western fathers, Marcus Minucius Felix was born in Certa of North Africa and traveled to Rome where he became a lawyer. Not much is known about his early life; he apparently converted to Christianity rather late – in middle age.   His discourses on the Christian life follow the Ciceronean style of conversations between friends, and he uses this approach to address a number of theological issues. His writing is ranked as the most artistic and eloquent of all the early writers. His contribution to a theology of ecology lies in his emphasis upon the Beauty of nature and its ability to lead the soul into appreciation of divinity hidden in all things. He teaches that latent in creation is a subtle reflection of the promise of the Resurrection.