A beautiful but broken world
Creation was made by Jesus, through Jesus and for Jesus (Colossians 1:16). That’s a stunning declaration of our planet’s worth. This is a world of awe-inspiring beauty, a world that God has created teeming with life – full of diversity and abundance and colour.
The Bible shows that God, people and the natural world are deeply interconnected. If one aspect of those relationships is broken then everything will be impacted (see, for example, Amos 8). We don’t have to look very far to see evidence of this: racial injustice, gender inequality and environmental breakdown.
The climate crisis is wreaking havoc in our world, putting millions of lives at risk. It’s intensifying global threats such as extreme weather events, sea-level rise and melting glaciers. The overwhelming scientific consensus is that this is a human-made problem, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, releasing heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide.
We are seeing the outworking of a global system built on greed and over consumption – one that is fundamentally at odds with God’s original intention for the world. We’re reaping what we’ve sown.
Climate change is a justice issue
Here are some links that will help explain the issue.
Why should Christians care about the environment?
https://www.tearfund.org/stories/2020/09/why-christians-should-care-about-climate-change
Evangelical Environmental Network
https://creationcare.org/who-we-are/mission.html
Creation Care
https://creationcare.org/who-we-are/beliefs.html
Why should Christians care for creation?
https://biologos.org/common-questions/why-should-christians-care-for-creation
A theology for environmental responsibility (Evangelical Alliance)
https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/a-compelling-theology-for-environmental-responsibility
Just Listening with John Stott | Part 3: On Caring for Creation
Here are some downloads that will help explain the issue.
Tearfund 247 Prayer How to pray COP26
A Biblical Theology of Creation Care
Creation Matters Small Group Studies