This article based on research argues that obsessing about plastic pollution is a convenient distraction which allows us to think we are doing something about the environment when the elephant in the room – climate change – isn’t being dealt with seriously enough.
My letter this morning to the Prime Minister:
Dear Prime Minister
I urge you not to rush into bombing Syria. More killing and destruction must only be a last resort. There is no immediate threat to our nation from Assad. An attack on another sovereign nation not attacking us can only be justified morally or legally with a proper UN mandate. Otherwise we are opening the Pandora’s box of international chaos and possible world war. We are not learning the lessons of the disastrous failures of military action in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. All justified on grounds of moral necessity and all failed to achieve the long-term stated goals.
Please for the sake of long-term prospects do not rush into military action. Spend our money on diplomatic and other solutions. Build bridges back with Russia. Understand the needs of all players. Let the UK take the lead with diplomatic and humanitarian responses.
Yours sincerely
The Revd Canon David Hodgson
Rector of Wokingham
Last week I discovered the website of the Marcus Borg Foundation.
https://marcusjborg.org
It is committed to exploring a realistic and meaningful articulation of Christianity for the 21st Century, building upon the historical and theological research and teachings of Marcus Borg.
The towers of the town church at Wittenberg ,where Martin Luther was the parish priest in effect and preached often.
Today is acknowledged as the 500th anniversary of the beginning of what is known now as the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther , a priest, monk and university professor at Wittenberg in Saxony, Germany, concerned that true Christian teaching about salvation was being corrupted by the sale of indulgences by Church authorities, posted 95 theses for debate on the university noticeboard, the door of the church next to the castle (not pictured). From that simple act of academic freedom flowed a process of religious, political ,cultural and psychological transformation which changed the world for ever.
My efforts to write a daily blog during the season of Creation Time fell apart around Day 13. Other demands on my time took over. But I’ve rallied myself for the final day of this season, which is the feast of Saint Francis, patron saint of the natural world including animals, and also international World Animal Day, supported in the UK by the animal charity Naturewatch Foundation. It also happens to be the first day this year of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, or Booths, which is the equivalent of a harvest festival.
Later this morning at my local church primary school I’ll be telling the story of Saint Francis and the wolf of Gubbio. and we’ll be singing “Make me a channel of your peace” based on words attributed to Francis. Francis and the wolf of Gubbio is a great story. Yes it’s mythological, but that doesn’t stop it containing some very topical messages for today.
There are different possible messages of course depending on how you tell it! I’ll be avoiding some of the less helpful versions of the story I’ve found online. Some use the story to strike the fear of God into hapless listeners – obey God or else the wolf will gobble you up. This subverts the life and teaching of Francis which was to release people from fear and guilt. Others attempt a more rationalist use of the story, as theodicy – the theological attempt to justify the ways of God to humanity. In its more hard-core versions these tellings of the story explain the existence of violence, whilst not conforming to God’s will for the world, as nonetheless something God had to impose on the world to keep people in line. This is the kind of argument that justifies the application of pain, as in corporal punishment, as chastisement in discipline. Or justifies pushing benefit claimants to near-starvation to force them to try harder to avoid relying on the public purse. And then there are those versions which simply eviscerate any subtleties and mystery by portraying it as a simple story of how kind Francis was to animals and what a rapport he had with them.
What will I make of the story? It will be about the possibility of forgiveness and of making peace.
John Muir (1838 – 1914) American naturalist and wilderness conservationist is best known for his work to ensure Yosemite became a natural park. His vision and concern for preserving wilderness had a strong influence on President Roosevelt.
Although raised in Wisconsin and after travels in North America and the Caribbean as a young man he settled eventually in Caifornia. Muir founded the Sierra Club, now a powerful environmental organisation.
He believed that wilderness areas should be preserved unexploited, opposing even apparently sustainable use. He led campaigns to prevent various schemes to use or develop wilderness areas, in some cases at the cost of personal friendship.
Muir’s experience of mountains and wilderness was framed by him in terms of a strong spiritual connection. He regarded these areas as a special sacred gift of the Creator.
