Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Emerging church relationships and global responsibility
Now this post comes with a few provisos...
• I know I have just flown back from the US, and during the last two weeks I have taken 4 rather long haul flights, including two transatlantic ones
• I am not known for refusing a trip abroad due to concerns about the environment
• I myself am fully implicated in this post
I have been thinking about the play-off between experiencing what other people are saying/doing about church/culture/theology face to face in various places around the globe and the implicit air pollution and carbon output these face to face meetings bring. How are we to strike a balance? Is there a balance to be struck?
Moot already has good links with Church of the Apostles in Seattle and Transmission in New York, two church very far from here (some 4000 and 10000 miles away) and we have each visited each other a few times with a few people. But each time we see each other we are contributing to the demise of life on planet earth as we know it - we may not feel the effects of all this but our children and childrens children will.
I am also worried by conferences like this, I do not have anything against Solarize, I have met the organiser Spencer Burke and he is a fab guy, but it worries me to see conferences that fly people tens of thousands of miles to speak, as well as all the flights of the attendees - I mean come on, the Bahamas for a conferencefor 2 days?! And there are any number of similar conferences coming up next year.
I guess the bottom line is how do we cultivate relationships that stretch across seas and oceans without being complicit in the destruction of the planet? Can we, indeed should we expect to have the same type of relationships we have been used to if we take this responsibility seriously? I am not sure we can.
Part of moots rhythm of life is living a life that is sustainable and responsible towards the environment. But what does this mean for those of us who are used to, or have grown used to, this jet setting lifestyle? I am not at all convinced about carbon offsetting - seems like rich folks being pandered to to suit there eco sensibilities without it actually doing anything - see here for why.
I know if we don't book on flights or take those long journeys the planes will still fly - but that is not the point if Christians refuse to fight or go to war there will be still be wars as well it makes neither right nor desirable.
Some thoughts I have been having about future Blah... days are about harnassing technology (like video on ichat) to facilitate face to face exchanges and encounters but without all the nasty carbon. This way we could all hear from the Wink's, Fiorenza's, Bruegemmans etc... of this world without feeling guilty. But what about the ongoing relationships we have formed with people?
I don't have any real answers just questions, but I am beginning to think this may be the end of monsieur powells galavants until I have worked this issue through.
• I know I have just flown back from the US, and during the last two weeks I have taken 4 rather long haul flights, including two transatlantic ones
• I am not known for refusing a trip abroad due to concerns about the environment
• I myself am fully implicated in this post
I have been thinking about the play-off between experiencing what other people are saying/doing about church/culture/theology face to face in various places around the globe and the implicit air pollution and carbon output these face to face meetings bring. How are we to strike a balance? Is there a balance to be struck?
Moot already has good links with Church of the Apostles in Seattle and Transmission in New York, two church very far from here (some 4000 and 10000 miles away) and we have each visited each other a few times with a few people. But each time we see each other we are contributing to the demise of life on planet earth as we know it - we may not feel the effects of all this but our children and childrens children will.
I am also worried by conferences like this, I do not have anything against Solarize, I have met the organiser Spencer Burke and he is a fab guy, but it worries me to see conferences that fly people tens of thousands of miles to speak, as well as all the flights of the attendees - I mean come on, the Bahamas for a conferencefor 2 days?! And there are any number of similar conferences coming up next year.
I guess the bottom line is how do we cultivate relationships that stretch across seas and oceans without being complicit in the destruction of the planet? Can we, indeed should we expect to have the same type of relationships we have been used to if we take this responsibility seriously? I am not sure we can.
Part of moots rhythm of life is living a life that is sustainable and responsible towards the environment. But what does this mean for those of us who are used to, or have grown used to, this jet setting lifestyle? I am not at all convinced about carbon offsetting - seems like rich folks being pandered to to suit there eco sensibilities without it actually doing anything - see here for why.
I know if we don't book on flights or take those long journeys the planes will still fly - but that is not the point if Christians refuse to fight or go to war there will be still be wars as well it makes neither right nor desirable.
Some thoughts I have been having about future Blah... days are about harnassing technology (like video on ichat) to facilitate face to face exchanges and encounters but without all the nasty carbon. This way we could all hear from the Wink's, Fiorenza's, Bruegemmans etc... of this world without feeling guilty. But what about the ongoing relationships we have formed with people?
I don't have any real answers just questions, but I am beginning to think this may be the end of monsieur powells galavants until I have worked this issue through.
