Climate change and the Melbourne Diocese

[Valerie Ting]

Stimulating discussion, this! I agree that a Biblical ethics of creation care would be a wonderful thing for the church to be coming up with, so that we're not just trying to play catch-up to trendy political concerns but actually forging the way in the direction that will ultimately lead to the hope of the new creation while enabling us to be good stewards of this one. There probably exists a book on this topic, but a readable. helpful, accessible (it could be posted here) and gracious article/paper would be nice. Anyone want to write one?

[Jereth]

Thanks Steve for the encouragement!

Actually I have to say that, for me personally, this whole environmentalism issue is not something I'm all that passionate about one way or another. I haven't had the opportunity to put much thought or study into it. I've seen a few indications that the church is taking a questionable line (eg. those statements which imply that environmentalism is a "core" issue, and such), but so far it doesn't strike me that anything has been said or done that is harmful per se. In fact I am probably generally supportive of the church doing something responsible about the environment -- in a balanced and biblical way of course!

If I was having a bit of a "rant", it was about the big, obvious moral compromises that have been made on things like abortion and sexuality. Now if, as this indicates, the liberal-dominated Western mainline Church is doing its ethics and morality in a worldly way, then we need to be cautious about its approach to other issues as well (like the environment). So let's be vigilant and assess everything with care and discernment, and pray and work towards some major reform of the way that the church approaches ethical and moral issues.

I fully agree that our response must include articulating clear and robust Biblical theology on moral issues. I'm overjoyed that your church has tackled all these hard issues in the last month's sermon series (abortion, homosexuality, environment) and hope that other churches around Melbourne (including my own) will do the same. In the homegroup that I'm co-leading at my church, we will be looking at what the Bible teaches about abortion and homosexuality over the next 4 weeks. I'm very excited about this and am praying that we will all come to understand God's righteous character better, and the directions that he has given us in Scripture for our good.

Jereth

[Stephen Brown]

Hi hear Jereth,

I'm also very concerned about the way our church tackles ethical issues too.  I also see the contradiction when our church calls for justice for David Hicks (a good thing, he definitely needed it), is strongly against the sexualisation of young children (again, our Archbishop is to be supported on this), but then seems to drop the ball on more difficult ethical issues like Abortion and Human Sexuality.  

I totally understand the double standard when it comes to articulating a Hopeful and Truthful Christian Message on these more 'sensitive' ethical issues.  We often take the moral high ground on easier issues (more political correct issues) and then go missing on the hard ones which I think are most urgently in need of Christ's message of Repentance and Grace.  Abortion and Homosexuality in the end affect People who are made in the image of God.  If the Church has nothing to say (or is totally permissive) then it really has failed to understand how Jesus comes into our world to bring opportunity for repentance and new life that reflects his perfect image.

To be honest with you, I'm not all that worked up over the environment issue as well...but I do care very much about Christians who are led to believe that Jesus is not in control of his world and that we are the only ones who can SAVE it.  Who does the saving?  Jesus Christ.    

Now I'm having a 'rant'. Guilty but hopeful that the Gospel is the power of God for a world in desperate need...

[Jereth]

Stephen Brown wrote:

I'm also very concerned about the way our church tackles ethical issues too.  I also see the contradiction when our church calls for justice for David Hicks (a good thing, he definitely needed it), is strongly against the sexualisation of young children (again, our Archbishop is to be supported on this), but then seems to drop the ball on more difficult ethical issues like Abortion and Human Sexuality.  

Yes, I can hardly believe my eyes every time I turn to pages 4-5 of the December 2007 edition of TMA. On one side it reads "Pornification creating toxic society for children", on the other "Decriminalise abortion, say Anglican women".

Look right: "Let's save the poor little children".
Look left: "Let's destroy them!"
Look right: "Let's save the poor little children".
Look left: "Let's destroy them!"
etc. ...

It's almost as if the articles have been arranged like that as some kind of sick joke. Utterly baffling.

I totally understand the double standard when it comes to articulating a Hopeful and Truthful Christian Message on these more 'sensitive' ethical issues.  We often take the moral high ground on easier issues (more political correct issues) and then go missing on the hard ones which I think are most urgently in need of Christ's message of Repentance and Grace.  Abortion and Homosexuality in the end affect People who are made in the image of God.  If the Church has nothing to say (or is totally permissive) then it really has failed to understand how Jesus comes into our world to bring opportunity for repentance and new life that reflects his perfect image.

It seems the church is simply afraid of being counter cultural. This then begs the question: if the church just follows society on everything, of what relevance is Christianity? Why should we even bother? "If salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out."

[Hannah]

Hi Jereth,

I understand that you feel very strongly about what's going on in the Melbourne Diocese re: abortion at the moment, however, I do think that you need to be a bit more careful with your language.  

To paraphrase the Diocesan submission on abortion with the words "Let's destroy the little children" is clearly unfair, and (if I didn't know better) would appear to betray either a real misunderstanding of the content of the submission, or a willful desire to misrepresent it.  

I know you know this, but just a reminder that if you want to effectively reason with people who don't share your views, it's really important to represent their views accurately.

Cheers,
Hannah.

[Jereth]

Hi Hannah,

You're right, I was being facetious there. I should reiterate my point, tongue out of cheek this time.

I was very much bewildered and disappointed about those 2 TMA articles sitting side by side on those pages. On the one hand, a noble and godly desire to protect children against sexualisation was expressed on the right hand side. Small people are among the most vulnerable members of our society and are easily exploited by selfish and depraved adults, and thus we ought to take a moral stand on their behalf. The Archbishop ought to be commended for the strong, godly leadership he is taking on this matter.

Yet on the left hand side we see the Anglican church saying (paraphrase): "yes, abortion is an important moral issue, but small people have less moral significance and value compared to adults, and so if selfish adults (for whatever reason) want to eschew responsibility for the small people they have created, and would rather destroy them, then we're pretty much okay with that."

These 2 articles, side by side as they are, starkly reveal that the Anglican church has lost its moral compass -- i.e. Scripture -- and is instead allowing its moral direction to be set by our confused, broken society. And for this we ought to lament, tear our clothes, and pray "Lord, have mercy on us".

Jereth

[Pete Young]

Hi guys - seems we missed our chance to place a pebble in a dish and say sorry to the earth! More green posturing from our esteemed Diocese.

Melburnians are being called to say “sorry” for damage to the environment in a series of public services timed to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5.

Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Dr Philip Freier will join with the regional Bishops of the Anglican Church in Melbourne to lead services at St Paul’s Cathedral, to highlight our collective responsibility to care for the environment.

Each day from 2 – 5 June, special prayer services will be held by the bishops, to aid in “celebrating creation,” to say sorry for the “poor stewardship of the earth,” and to highlight the theme of World Environment Day, CO2 Kick the Habit. Themed “stations” will be set up around the Cathedral, and services will feature readings, conversation, song, and the opportunity to light a candle or place a pebble in water as an expression of connection with the earth.

“Increasingly, we are coming to realise that abuse of the environment is damaging not just the earth, but also ourselves as spiritual beings, whether we identify as members of faith communities or not,” Dr Freier said. “But it is all very well to talk about theological principles. We need to act on them, reflect on them and pray about the situation that confronts us.”

Where: St Paul’s Cathedral, Cnr Swantson and Flinders Streets, Melbourne
When: Prayer services 1-1:30pm Monday 2 June to Thursday 5 June, Interactive stations open from 12pm Monday and then all through the week during Cathedral opening hours (9am – 5pm).
Photographs and filming welcome

[Luke Isham]

Hmmm...

I wonder does the earth hear us?  Maybe we should be evangelising the fish in the Yarra, in a non-confrontational sort of way of course.  

Seriously it disappoints me to see money, time and publicity wasted in this way.  I wonder, with Christians being persecuted across the globe, suburbs of people in need of evangelism, abortion issues, people who lack water now, we have to focus on this as a Diocese.