Optimistic about the future of the planet ?

I am enjoying reading Rosemary Radford Ruether. She writes:

"I am often asked if I am optimistic about the possibilities for change. The assumption behind this question seems to be that we have two ideational stances towards these crises: optimism or pessimism. But I am inclined to think that both these stances get us off the hook. If we are optimistic it suggests that change is inevitable and will happen in the natural course of things, and so we need not make much efforts ourselves.. Someone else will take care of it. If we are pessimistic change is impossible and therefore useless to try. In either case we have the luxury ... to question the present system without being responsible for it. What we need is neither optimism or pessimism but committed love. This means that we remain committed to a vision and to concrete communities of life no matter what the trends may be." (1)

A good thought - and a warning to us preachers who sway between cheap optimism or dark pessimism !

(1) P273 Gaia and God - an Ecofemist theology of Earth Healing, Harper Collins, 1992.

Hope for Creation

There is almost no doubt now that climate change, caused by humankind, is well underway. We are suffering because of it with more extreme weather - mostly rain storms. Others in less developed countries suffer much more, and drought is killing many millions of people each year.

This blog will explore the interface between climate change and the Christian faith. What can the Bible and theology offer us ? What resources can we draw on to help us find hope and act in hope ?

Like many I suspect, I wilt under this issue. It feels a bit like the 1980s when we believed that there was a possibilty of nuclear war. (there still is !) But we could blame cruise missiles on the USA and maintain a "holier than thou" sense. But I can't enjoy that sort of piety now. We are very much part of the problem. Climate change is well underway and with the various tipping point scenarios there is an increasing risk to life as we know it. But those of us who are Christians continue to believe in hope and a God who does not abandon. How do we live now ? Where is that hope ? I hope in this blog to have conversations with others who care about this issue and that we may encourage each other in hope.