the big issue of the century
Now we know for sure that things are heating up…
Seriously, I must admit to becoming increasingly gloomy and to feeling unnaturally apocaplyptic about this upcoming century. I have always felt that it was going to be one unbelievably difficult one. When we throw in runaway technology (future shock), massive geo-political shifts, people mucking with the codes of life (genetics), all this combined with a degenerating moral compass with which to guide our actions makes for a pretty volatile and dangerous mix.
But to be honest, I think the biggest issues that we will face all relate to the environment. I remember reading David Suzuki back in the 80’s where he envisioned a world where water and food were so scarce that we would have what he called ‘the water wars’. (The degeneration of the world’s drinking water is one of the looming environmental crises that is seldom talked about) When people are fighting over water you have no basis for a civil society any longer. And even if we do not get to scrap over water, with global climate changes, I can foresee a time when whole economies are going to collapse. And in that scenario, I promise you that we will find lots of things to fight about. In the end environmental issues become social issues and because of this always must retain religious and ethical significance.
I think this will prove to be the biggest issue facing the human race in the 21st Century, and that includes us as a church. Sorry to be so depressing, but I think the church must wake up to this and prepare for what is coming. What do you think we should be doing?
Forgotten Ways, The: Reactivating the Missional Church - Alan Hirsch
Forgotten Ways Handbook, The: A Practical Guide for Developing Missional Churches - Alan Hirsch, Darryn Altclass
ReJesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church - Michael Frost, Alan Hirsch
The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church - Michael Frost, Alan Hirsch
And your “Hmmmm” added another one to the list
Just flicking through the blog today for the first time - I lament the church’s total abdication of this issue - watched the “inconvenient Truth” for the first time last week - compelling viewing. When will the church wake up to this - stewardship of the planet. I’m still trying to figure out what the theological implications are - how does all this fit with the eschatological stuff? Talking to my kids - and now grand kids - they are worried…
To me it is obvious that the care of creation is a “no brainer” for the church. After all, “the earth is the Lord’s and all it’s fullness…” and the creation communicates the truth of his existence and power and majesty and beauty.
A popular Christian worship song says, “Lord of all creation, of water earth and sky, the heavens are your tabernacle, glory to the Lord on high…” If we really believe these things, then isn’t a “reasonable act of worship” to care for his amazingly beautiful tabernacle.
It should certainly a “no brainer” but for the reality that, unfortunately, the evangelical church has largely sold it’s soul to the “conservative” agenda which tends to be so pro-industry that the creation must take a back seat.
Interesting though… you’d think that “conservatives” would be interested in “conservation”… but I guess not. Why is that?
Ah…semantics strikes again.
I’ve been re-reading a little book, written 30 years ago by Vernard Eller, called “Cleaning up the Christian Vocabulary: words that cofuse and divide.” I find that I must go back to this little book anually…because one of the areas that is most difficult for me is keeping everyone’s definitions straight. If I assume that my definitions are the same as everyone else’s, I find myself in trouble sooner or later.
This seems to be one of the areas of “cultural distance” we talked about on another thread, but it is not addressed nearly enough, in my experience.
One of the things that I most appreciated, Alan, is the glossary you put in TFW…to deal with this very issue. People’s definitions are usually different…sometimes in subtle ways…from those whose context is different. And one of the problems we are facing today is the speed at which these definitions are changing.
It is almost impossible to have a conversation on any subject, much less about God, without first coming to an understanding concerning terms. Certainly this topic could use some contemplation of terms in order to sort through the confusion.
The question, though, is whether we are really willing to spend the time honestly understanding each other?
Are we sometimes reckless reactionaries rather than holy rebels? Perhaps we should define those terms….
Hmmm….
In response to your post on environmental crisis:
The link between Mind and Social / Environmental-Issues.
The fast-paced, consumerist lifestyle of Industrial Society is causing exponential rise in psychological problems besides destroying the environment. All issues are interlinked. Our Minds cannot be peaceful when attention-spans are down to nanoseconds, microseconds and milliseconds. Our Minds cannot be peaceful if we destroy Nature.
Industrial Society Destroys Mind and Environment.
Subject : In a fast society slow emotions become extinct.
Subject : Scientific/ Industrial/ Financial thinking destroys the planet.
Emotion is what we experience during gaps in our thinking.
If there are no gaps there is no emotion.
Today people are thinking all the time and are mistaking thought (words/ language) for emotion.
When society switches-over from physical work (agriculture) to mental work (scientific/ industrial/ financial/ fast visuals/ fast words ) the speed of thinking keeps on accelerating and the gaps between thinking go on decreasing.
There comes a time when there are almost no gaps.
People become incapable of experiencing/ tolerating gaps.
Emotion ends.
Man becomes machine.
A society that speeds up mentally experiences every mental slowing-down as Depression / Anxiety.
A ( travelling )society that speeds up physically experiences every physical slowing-down as Depression / Anxiety.
A society that entertains itself daily experiences every non-entertaining moment as Depression / Anxiety.
Fast visuals/ words make slow emotions extinct.
Scientific/ Industrial/ Financial thinking destroys emotional circuits.
A fast (large) society cannot feel pain / remorse / empathy.
A fast (large) society will always be cruel to Animals/ Trees/ Air/ Water/ Land and to Itself.
To read the complete article please follow either of these links :
PlanetSave
TheHolisticWheel
sushil_yadav
“When will the church wake up to this - stewardship of the planet. I’m still trying to figure out what the theological implications are - how does all this fit with the eschatological stuff?”
Depends which eschatological stuff you’re talking about. As I indicated earlier, an eschatology that sees the earth as something to be spat out and thrown away (ie left behind) ain’t gonna find to much common ground with an pro environment stance, but personally I don’t think such eschatologies have too much in common with a sound Biblical exegesis anyway.
Why not begin to re-evaluate this by reading Romans 8
?
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that[i] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Matt
I think it’s important to ask ourselves, how green is God? What does scripture suggest? Did he not call the earth and the plants and the animals good? Did he not say the land should share in the sabbath rest? Did he not prophecy this in Isaiah:
“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind … I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more … the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.”
Just as the living and the dead will be caught up in the resurrection climax, so shall the animals and the earth itself. The forces of death shall not have the last word, the Lord of life shall rule. The earth shall not be ‘left behind’ by God.
I think it is instructive to consider the story of an early environmental catastrophe, one which we find in Genesis. Consider Noah. Did God instructions to him cover his personal salvation only? Did God’s instructions to him cover the salvation of useful domestic animals only? Did God’s instructions extend to saving all species of this earth, irrespective of their usefulness to Adam? As I said back in January on http://mattstone.blogs.com don’t you find it ironic “that the green movement has embraced the symbols from Noah story with a lot more gusto than Christians in recent decades. Do you find it curious that the dove and the rainbow spoken of in Genesis chapter 8 and 9 grace the bow of the [Greenpeace] Rainbow Warrior at the same time many Christians are dismissive of environmental activism as somewhat pagan?” Think about it.
Sushil…very thought-provoking insights…I will ponder deeply and try read the articles.
Matt, did you read the linked the article (it is quite long) from #55? Just wondered what your take was. I found many points that resonated with me.
I also felt that some of it sounded quite extreme…and would say that it is precisely because of what we’re talking about on the most recent thread — identity confusion and resultant loss of true missional impulse. When you take God out of the picture, you get much of what Sushil describes. But we know that God has not abdicated or abandoned us.
I know you’re both busy, but I would be very interested in comments from CELTIC SON and BRAD here….
I saw a near-definition of irony the other day.
A hulking great 4 wheel drive vehicle with a “Time to Act on Climate Change is NOW” sticker.
What’s that about?
Hmmm….DENIAL!
Or, a remnant from a previous owner 