An Opportunity for Leadership
The title of this series is ‘Faith in a Changing Climate’. The word ‘climate’ in this context refers not just to global warming, but also to the fact that we are running into physical limitations in many other areas, particularly resource availability and biodiversity. The title also suggests that we need to consider the social ‘climate’. There is an increasing awareness that we are in trouble and that ‘someone, somewhere needs to do something’.
The goal of the materials at this site is to show how people of faith can provide badly-needed leadership in an Age of Limits. The story-line goes as follows,
300 years ago we learned how to exploit the energy contained in the fossil fuels ― coal, oil and natural gas. The abundant energy that these fuels provided is the foundation of modern industrial society. We have had three centuries of almost non-stop, some might say reckless, growth.
But now we are hitting physical limits. Our reserves of fossil fuels and other natural resources are dwindling; we have treated the atmosphere as an open sewer; we are destroying the natural world; and there are too many of us. Like the yeast in our parable, we are in a state of overshoot.
Our secular leaders have failed to provide the necessary leadership. In spite of all the reports published, conferences held, and social media discussions the situation continues to deteriorate. Specifically CO2 emissions have risen relentlessly. (The chart shows those emissions in gigatons per annum, starting in the year 1950.)
A decline in living standards is in the future. But politicians cannot speak honestly to the crisis. (Any politician who says, “Elect me and I will reduce your standard of living” soon becomes an ex-politician.) Neither can business leaders speak honestly. (Any CEO who says , “My plan is to reduce the size of the company” will soon be looking for alternative employment.)
The situation provides an opportunity for the faith community to provide the missing leadership. But before it can do so the faith community needs to develop a theology that fits these unique and rather scary times.
That theology will be based on two realities. The first reality is that the crises that we face are moral crises. The second reality is that sacrifice is called for.
In subsequent posts we provide some suggestions as to what form such a theology may take. The book is structured around the following three guidelines.
Understand Physical Realities.
Accept and Adapt.
Live Within Gaia.