The Anglican Diocese of Natal is celebrating 150 years since its first bishop, John Colenso, begun his ministry in the Diocese.  The Natal Diocesan Environment Committtee arranged for a tree to be planted as a way of marking this occasion.

The tree,  a Celtis Africana, was planted on 27 November in the grounds of the Anglican Cathedral in Pietermaritzburg by Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane.  He was assisted by bishops Rubin Phillip, Elijah Thwala and Funginkosi Mbhele. Members of the Environment Committee who participated too were Bellina Mangena, Joan Kerchhoff and Andrew Warmback.

A Rocha South Africa formally established

A Rocha South Africa has recently been formally accepted as part of the A Rocha International by the International Trustees.

In the August NECCSA Update we mentioned the start beginnings of A Rocha in South Africa:  “A Rocha is the Portuguese word for “The Rock”. ARI encourages national projects to foster partnerships between scientists, lay people, and community and conservation organisations to make the conservation of local biospheres become a reality to ordinary communities and local churches. The aim of encounter with Jesus Christ as sustainer and redeemer of Creation, in the challenges of real conservation projects, is the heart of the A Rocha vision.

A Rocha South Africa is a fledgling group of Christians from many backgrounds with a vision for involving the churches and local communities in creation care, sustainable development and environmental education.”

If you would like to know anything further about A Rocha’s work in South Africa please contact Allen Goddard, based in Pietermaritzburg, on halleljoy@sco.za.org. The A Rocha International website is: www.arocha.org.

Ons Christelike omgewingsverantwoordelikheid

The following article was submitted to NECCSA Update by Dr B.J. Marais, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Stellenbosch (bjmarais@sun.ac.za).  It  had been  sent to the Kerkbode.

Die basiese Christelike waarhede bly onveranderd deur die eeue, maar prakties benodig dit konstante kontekstualisering en kry dit verskillende  toepassings in gegewe situasies. As rentmeesters van God se skepping, konfronteer die 21ste eeu ons vir die eerste keer met die harde realiteit dat die toekoms van ons planeet aan ons toevertrou is.  Gesien in hierdie lig kry God se groot gebod nuwe betekenis, wat aan alle christene ‘n defnitiewe omgewingsverantwoordelikheid oplê. 

Die eerste gebod vereis onverdeelde toeweiding en liefde teenoor die skepper God.  Ons illustreer hierdie liefde daarin dat ons God se skepping met verwondering en respek hanteer.  As rentmeesters van Sy skepping moet ons die ongeëwenaarde omgewingsimpak van die afgelope eeu, en ons volgehoue aandeel daarin, in oënskou neem.

Die tweede gebod, wat aan die eerste gelykstaan, vereis dat ons ons naaste moet liefhê soos onsself.  Ons illustreer die liefde vir ons naaste daarin dat ons almal wie se lewe beinvloed word deur ons optrede of gebrek daaraan, in nederigheid hoër ag as onsself.  Dit plaas ons nalatenskap aan toekomstige geslagte en ons bereidwilligheid om hulle belange bo ons eie selfsugitge behoeftes te stel, onder die vergrootglas.

Vanuit ‘n Christelike perspektief, reflekteer ons omgewingsingesteldheid diepliggend ons liefde teenoor God en ons medemens.  Omgewingsbewustheid verteenwoordig dus nie ‘n terloopse kantlyn aantekening nie, maar in die moderne eeu reflekteer dit die hart van die evangelie.  Dit gaan nie in die eerste plek om bewaring nie, maar om ‘n nuwe ingesteldheid, ‘n kontekstualisering van ons geloof en ‘n holistiese Christelike perspektief. 

Die NG kerk prioritiseer tans interne verandering en eksterne maatskaplike uitdagings.  Ons Christelike omgewingsverantwoordelikheid word as ‘n non-essensiële luukse beskou.  Tog kan ons in die 21ste eeu nie langer ontken dat hierdie verantwoordelikheid in die sentrum van ‘n Christelike wêreld beskouing hoort nie.  As ons huidige aksies of gebrek daaraan deur volgende geslagte beoordeel word, sal ons net soos met apartheid nie mag sê:“Jammer, ons het nie die volle impak van ons besluite besef nie.” 

Bishop Geoff Davies on the move

Bishop Geoff Davies, vice-chairperson of NECCSA, will be moving to Cape Town at the beginning of the new  year to work with Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane in the post of Provincial Executive Officer for the Anglican Church in Southern Africa. 

Both Bishop Geoff and his wife, Kate, who heads up the Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Education Programme in their Diocese of Umzimvubu,  have made a significant contribution towards practically implementing a concern for the environment in the 16 years that they have worked in the diocese.   We wish them well in their move.

NECCSA website address:  www.neccsa.org.za where membership details can also be found. You are invited to accept ownership of this website in order to use it to share information on Christianity and earthkeeping practices.

You are welcome to distribute this NECCSA Update electronically to any other interested person. You are also welcome to send news to be included in the next NECCSA Update to emcemp@iafrica.com  by 21 January 2004. You may send such contributions in the language of your choice.

Distributed by A.E. Warmback 28/11/2003.