Transcript noah 2 - Green Christian

“…the ability of the planet’s eco-systems
to sustain future generations can no
longer be taken for granted.” (Dr.Walt
Reid, lead writer of Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment).
The trees of the Lord are well watered,
The cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
There the birds make their nests;
The stork has its home in the pine trees.
Ps 104:16-17
21 July 2015
WWF
21 July 2015
Where does our hope come from?
• We have the technology
• We are called to live hopefully and we can
choose to hope.
• Imagination – imagine alternative future. Pray
alternative future into being (Walter Wink).
• Limit our thinking
• Community
• Get angry
21 July 2015
Circle of influence
Circle of control
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It’s hard to feel hopeless in community!
Christian Ecology Link
The John Ray Initiative
21 July 2015
“Hope has two daughters: Anger and Courage”
(Augustine)
We lack a holy rage. The ability to rage when justice lies
prostrate on the streets and when the lie rages across the
face of the earth. A holy anger about things that are wrong
with the world. To rage against the ravaging of God’s earth
and the destruction of God’s world. To rage when little
children must die of hunger while the tables of the rich are
sagging with food………To restlessly seek that
recklessness that will challenge and to seek to change
human history until it conforms to the norms of the kingdom
of God.
Alan Boesak, 1984, taken from the book No extraordinary power by Helen Steven
21 July 2015
Where does our hope come from?
Discussion
1. Do you agree that we are called to live
hopefully and that we can choose to hope?
2. How can we imagine an alternative future?
3. Is it healthy to limit our thinking to the circle
of control and circle of influence?
4. Is it hard to be hopeful alone? Have you
been given hope in other communities in
the past?
5. Do you think it’s OK to get angry?
21 July 2015
Act – discussion
Using personal contribution to climate change results
Circle of control
1. Which section (1-5) has your largest impact?
2. Can you see one thing you can do that will bring that down
significantly?
3. Could you commit now to work on one of these 5 areas to
reduce your personal contribution to climate change by a
significant amount?
Circle of influence
1. What did we learn from section 5?
2. Effect our circle of influence. Can you decide to do something
that will influence the bigger picture such as become active
politically e.g. by joining Christian or secular environmental
organisation.
3. Or commit to pray – again more fun with others.
4. Or simply buy a good book and start the cycle again at “see”.
21 July 2015