Welcome to the Cairns Road Environment Focus Blog...
The following outline explains the thoughts we have had about thinking more about environmental issues and the church. Here we have pulled these into a framework by which we can think through issues further, share ideas with the church and be active!
1) Understand a Christian response to the environment and Creation care –
By knowing what our central motivation should be – i.e. What the Bible says to us.
What does it teach about stewardship?
What are the Old Testament and New Testament perspectives?
How does it fit with / into the Gospel?
ACTION: Series of Bible studies looking at the above.
2) The Issues –
Knowing what they are, looking at different scales (i.e. local issues in Bristol) up to global issues.
ACTION: Show An Inconvenient Truth film with little bit of explanation/discussion on Christian response. What about a youth event too?
NB. Need to be careful not to scaremonger. Shouldn’t just debate without anchorage of what the Bible says. We shouldn’t lead ourselves to difficulties – remember the Christian hope perspective.
3) The Difficulties –
Difficulties such as: What is the truth behind the climate change debate? Aren’t the issues just too big for us to tackle? Is it all media/political hype?
ACTION: Taking the time to learn ourselves, we need to research this.
Helping people in the church/ourselves to know what reliable resources of information are.
4) Christian hope in this messy situation –
How do we bring hope – this should build on the initial Bible Studies and should point towards practical actions.
ACTION: Could include some testimony – Helen’s experience with A Rocha? Also refer people onto the response section below – knowing what our motivation is for Creation Care should link to our worship of God.
5) Response -
Linked to Church aims?
i) Worship & Teaching - Bible studies, bringing in the worship team, walks – getting outside in groups, Environment themed Sundays in May – teaching on the theology.
ii) Reaching out – Including local people – links to café? Wider Bristol initiative?
Look at ‘secular’ motivations for caring for the environment – their ethics; we need to learn how to engage.
iii) Practical Action -
· Prayer
· Resource people to help us live more lightly: ‘Cairns light living handbook’ – using useful resources (Tearfund, Christian Aid, A Rocha, iCount), linking people in, making it accessible and including encouragement! (Funding available for this sort of thing?)
· Cairns – going Carbon Neutral? Use Eco-congregation guidelines. What is our ecological footprint, what can we do to reduce it? Encouragement from Ashton Hayes example.
· Look outwards – open doors events – Fashion show in November – recycling?
· Solar panels for the church – feasible? Needs investigating but could really speak to the community too.
· Joining national initiatives/lobbies etc. Telling people about these.
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3 comments:
Thanks very much for this Emma!
Huw
This looks very interesting Emma. Thanks to everyone who's doing the thinking here.
Herewith sermon notes (from Huw)
God and the Earth
some Biblical perspectives*
1. God as Creator has absolute sovereignty over our environment (Psalm 24 v1)
- the Earth is not the possession of humankind
- the Earth is not a goddess (Gaia) (Colossians 1vv16-17)
• We must treat it only in accordance with His will
2. The primary function of Creation is to act as a revelation of God (Psalm 19 vv1-4)
• If we spoil it, we prevent if from fulfilling this function
• Our ‘dominion’ (subduing) of the earth should be to act as God’s agents in exercising His rule (Genesis 1 v28)
• As Christians it is part of our responsibility to care for the Earth (Matt 6 v10)
- It is not ‘unspiritual’to do so but is part of expressing our love for God and his Creation
- It is not appropriate to ignore environmental concerns on the grounds that Jesus will one day return
3. There is an intimate link between humans and the Earth (soil)
• We are taken from it (Genesis 2 v7)
• Our food is derived from it (Genesis 1 v29)
• We are commanded to till (serve) and keep it (Genesis 2 v15)
• We will return to it (Genesis 3 v19)
• To destroy the earth is to destroy human life
‘If man is allowed to destroy all we need, he will soon have to pay with his life for his greed’
Don Mclean ‘Tapestry’ 1970
4. Our relationship with the Earth has been disrupted by the Fall (Genesis 3 vv17-19)
• We will naturally tend to use Created things selfishly
-Over-consumption
-Pollution
-Unjust distribution (and trading) of resources
• We will be tempted to allow economic
and practical considerations to override ecological ones
-Business and commerce often puts profit before environmental responsibility
• How should we respond? (and then the good news!)
5. The redeeming work of Jesus includes the redemption of Creation (Col 1 vv19-20)
• Jesus came to deliver us from the selfishness and injustice that we naturally tend towards
• Through relationship with him, we can be free from the destructive cycle of consumption and environmental destruction
• If we love Him, we’ll want to do all we can to conserve and respect His Creation, and help bring in the new heaven and earth of His Kingdom that is coming (Rev 21v1-4)
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