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The
Environment
Welcome to the environment section of the website. Living in Aquitaine we can all appreciate the wonders of creation. We can watch the rhythm of the seasons, the new life coming forward each spring, the changing levels of the rivers and streams, the power of the weather and the bounty of the harvests in the autumn.
Environmental
issues have been coming to the fore both nationally and internationally
and the Church of England has been developing policies and organising a
campaign to reduce its carbon footprint.
This section of the website has been put together to provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas, to answer requests for information and generate debate. It has not been put together by experts in the field but by enthusiastic amateurs. Please make
contact with me either via the discussion forum or by email
(environment.jt@orange.fr)
if you have any contributions, ideas,
suggestions or
corrections. Judith
Thomason Environment Officer
The
Site
As well as
this introduction we have a Hot Topic of the Month.
This
month we are taking a look at the fundamentals
- reducing reusing and recycling. There
are links to other sites with more detailed information, environment
news and a discussion forum where you can share your thoughts. The Diiocesan Environment Newsletter is available to download here.
Why
should we take responsibility for the environment?
There is a sound biblical basis for Christians to care for the world.
The Genesis stories show the creation as inherently good. Humans are given dominion (stewardship) over it (Genesis 1.28) and are to care for it (Genesis 2.15). One result of the Fall, however, is enmity between humans and nature (Genesis 3.15). Later, the prophets dreamed of a time when humanity and the natural world would live in harmony with each other (Isaiah 11:6-9). In the New Testament Jesus often drew on nature to illustrate his teaching (Matthew 13), and St Paul sees redemption on a cosmic scale (Romans 8:18-25).
Today we
realize that ‘dominion’ has too often been
interpreted to
mean exploit, treat violently, use for human ends. We now
understand it to mean be responsible for, nurture, manage sensitively
and to recognize that there are limits to the extent to which we should
use and take from the natural world. We are increasingly aware of
inter-relationship with the natural world and our dependence on it.
Taking the long view, our redemption is not complete until it includes
that of the whole creation. This gives us a powerful motivation to heal
our broken relationships with the natural world. Is
the Church taking a lead?
Shrinking the Footprint is the Church of England’s national environmental campaign which was set up in 2006. The Church is committed to shrinking its footprint by reducing its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 becoming the 20% Church. (www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org)
In March the Archbishop of Canterbury used his Ebor Lecture in York Minster to spell out why respect for the environment is not an optional extra, particularly for Christians. He explained why getting our relationship with the rest of the created order into proper perspective is both a responsibility and a necessity. Failure could have disastrous consequences especially for some of the poorest and most vulnerable. “There is no way of manipulating our environment that is without cost or consequence … we are inextricably bound up with the destiny of our world.” (see full transcript )
More locally the diocese
of
In the
Chaplaincy we have appointed an Environment Officer and this is our
first local initiative. In
addition Madeleine Holmes will be attending the
Shrinking the Footprint Conference 2009 on 11th June and
will be giving us an update on her return.
Almighty God, Give us
reverence for all creation and respect for every person, That we may
mirror your likeness in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Collect 2nd
before Lent, Additional)
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