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.

 

 

 

 

       

   

  

  

 

 

 

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)

 

 

 

We shall shortly have information on the Archbishop of Canterbury's 7 year plan.

(work in progress!)

 

 

More locally the diocese of Europe has published its policy on the environment which includes a commitment to take environmental concerns fully into account in all church activities and also to ask individual members to consider their personal impact on the environment.  The DEO at the moment is Brian Morgan, based in Geneva.

 

 

 

Almighty God,

Give us reverence for all creation and respect for every person,

That we may mirror your likeness in Jesus Christ our Lord.