It is clear that not enough is being done to tackle Global Warming, and with President Trump in the White House less progress with come from the USA. China is doing much, despite its still burning coal. Global temperatures have reached 1.3 degrees above pre-Industrial levels, though the averages are less (1.2 to 1.3 degrees). What is more serious is that nine “tipping points” have been passed already (see the note below). Weekly from Thursday evening March 13th, this year’s “Faith and Thought” series will explore these questions (you can join by Zoom- see the note below).
So what do we and our society value- wealth and economic growth or a sustainable planet? Sustainable growth from renewables is available if we make the adjustments- but against the fiercely defended vested interests of fossil fuel industries. We tolerate gradual warming until it is too late (like the “frog in boiling water”). Our humanity has need of a spirituality, not so much something “supernatural”, but where we get our true energy (“spirit”) from- perhaps best defined as love, as in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, very practical actions.
(Does President Trump love himself, or is he a narcissist, craving the adulation of the people, and prepared to take politically disastrous actions in order to acquire it?)
Our reading was John 12, verses 20 to 32, where Jesus describes the “grain of wheat” dying to produce a rich harvest as an image of what he is about to do in “the judgement of this world, now the ruler of this world will be driven out” (verse 31).
So who or what is “the ruler of this world”. Some would say “the devil”, but that hardly answers the question. In real terms its effect is perhaps the dominating egotism which makes individuals, communities and institutions cling to their own power rather than facing the challenge to work cooperatively. Part of this is the illusion that we “own” resources rather than act as stewards. Carolyn Dodds Pennock’s “On Savage Shores” tells of the total incomprehension of Spanish Conquistadores at the attitudes of the communities they encountered towards possessions, including “ownership” of land. Similar provisions exist in Fiji, where land is “traditionally” owned, and only leaseholds may be taken out by others (though this provision has led to conflict, and to the 1987 military coup (see the note below).
In contrast to this egotism which can dominate human life is the African concept of “ubuntu”, which can be translated as “I am because you/we are”, that humanity is a matter of inter-relationship, not primarily individuality. Putting this into practice is perhaps true “spirituality”, rather than questions nature of “reality” (God?).
[Some Eastern Orthodox mystical theology says that clearly defining or describing the “essence” of God is impossible- we can only truly speak of God’s “energies”, the impact on our lives and the life of the world. Sometimes called “apophatic” theology, or “the way of negation”, this approach contrasts with “western” theology’s concern to have everything defined].
Climate Tipping Points: https://earth.org/tipping-points-of-climate-change/#:~:text=The%20Intergovernmental%20Panel%20on%20Climate%20Change%20%28IPCC%29%20defines,with%20an%20understanding%20that%20the%20change%20is%20irreversible.%E2%80%9D
The Faith and Thought series in March and April: https://www.faithandthought.org/2025-lecture-series.html
On Savage Shores: https://www.waterstones.com/book/on-savage-shores/caroline-dodds-pennock/9781474616928
1987 Military coup in Fiji: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_Fijian_coups_d%27%C3%A9tat