Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa
The book entitled The Church and Climate Change by Ernst Conradie was launched on Tuesday 4 November in Pietermaritzburg. It is published by Cluster Publications and is part of their new series "Signs of the Times," which aims to produce material "written in a reader-friendly non-academic style" that "will find a ready audience amongst persons wondering if the church today has anything to say about the issues which fill the media."
This book is the first book published in South Africa to deal with climate change from a theological perspective. It provides an overview of the debate and focuses on what actions the church can take. Chapters include a focus on consumerism, including consumerism within the church, and a chapter on "Confessing guilt in the context of climate change." Current debates are commented upon and theological concepts discussed in the light of climate change.
Prof Ernst Conradie teaches Systematic Theology and Ethics in the Department of Religion and Theology at the University of the Western Cape. He has been at the forefront of efforts to engage the church in environmental issues and is a co-founder of NECCSA.
The book sells for only R50 and is obtainable from Cluster Publications, cluster@essa.ac.za. Their website is http://www.clusterpublications.co.za2. A ROCHA LOOKING FOR NEW LEADER
A Rocha South Africa is looking for a person with leadership and fundraising skills who has the time and skills and who would be prepared to volunteer or raise their own salary. This position would be to prepare the way for the appointment of a qualified CEO. Our vision currently outstrips our resources, hence the need for a volunteer as an intermediate solution. If you concur with A Rocha's distinctives and commitments, have expertise in any of the areas outlined in our CEO job description – and time, energy and creativity to commit to caring for God's world – we would like to hear from you. Details can be found at http://www.arocha.org/int-en/index.html . Closing date 31 December 2008. Email Joan Houston who chairs the selection panel: houstonjoan@sai.co.za for all inquiries.
3. SEASON OF CREATION
The material for the Season was launched at St George's Cathedral, Capetown, on Sunday 31 August, at a creative and well attended service. Anglican Churches around the Anglican Church of Southern Africa were sent materials to use. While a booklet has been produced which contains this material, it may also be accessed at http://www.capetown.anglican.org/view.asp?pg=downloads. While the material was intended to be used from 1 September to 4 October it can be used at other times of the year. It would be good to hear news of churches that have used the material. For more information about the Season contact Revd Rachel Mash, mashr@ctdiocese.org.za. The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, wrote the following in his letter to the people of God – to the Laos in September.
This is my first spring in Cape Town, and, though the weather can change in moments from warm sunshine to chilly downpour, strong winds to complete calm, I am enjoying the tremendous privilege of living in Bishopscourt, where there is almost immeasurable beauty and diversity, in plant and animal and insect life, in and beyond our grounds.
This makes me very aware of the miracle of creation, and of its fragility. Just as we groan with the burdens of our humanity – longing to become our best selves, always falling short of what we aspire to – so too creation groans, for it bears the consequences of our skewed humanity, demonstrated in thoughtless waste, neglectful pollution, greedy consumption, economic injustices, and selfish abuse of resources (see Romans 8).
But we have a choice: to be part of the problem or to be part of the solution. God's eternal invitation of generous love calls us to walk the way of promise, of redemption, of fullness of life for humanity and for all of creation.
In adopting the `Season of Creation' we are affirming that we are choosing the option of flourishing humanity within flourishing creation! I hope that many of you will have the opportunity to use the excellent resource book, either now or at some later point (perhaps Lent – and I acknowledge that there have been problems with distribution). The Provincial Liturgical Committee and Synod of Bishops have approved the material produced by an inter-diocesan task team, which can be used for Sunday services and in discussion groups, around the six themes of: Biodiversity, Land, Water, Climate Change, Need not Greed, and Stewardship.
My prayer is that this may enhance our worship of God, deepen our comprehension of God as creator, and broaden our understanding of what it means to be stewards of creation.
The Anglican commitment `to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustain and renew the life of the earth' is nothing new. For almost a quarter of a century, this has been part of what the Communion considers its `Five Marks of Mission'. It was also an important theme at the Lambeth Conference.
Province, Dioceses and Parishes can honour God, and the glorious mystery of his creation, through prioritising environmental responsibility in all spheres of life and witness, for example, insisting that internationally, nationally, at provincial and local government level, we do better: on CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, on clean and sustainable energy production and consumption, and in legislation that promotes best practice – and penalises those who abuse our world. We can also ensure our churches are environmentally conscious, and press our places of work to act responsibly.
4. NEWS FROM THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
The following is taken from a statement issued on 25 August 2008:
Don't Stop at the Lights: Church plan for a year of action on tackling climate change
A new guide from the Church of England offers church leaders a template for a year-long programme of practical action to reduce their congregations' carbon footprints, as energy prices head upwards. The book, Don't Stop at the Lights, has already won praise from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London among others.
Don't Stop at the Lights, launched today by Church House Publishing, includes sermon ideas and extensive bible study notes drawing on ancient theological themes which aim to reconnect the church to the natural world and the roots of its faith. It inspires priests to make churches beacons in their community, offering case studies linked to the Church's year including:
Former Church of England environment adviser Claire Foster and David Shreeve, a current adviser to the Church and director of The Conservation Foundation, have written the book to help enable churches to take climate change seriously as a core Christian concern. It follows last year's successful pocket guide by the same authors and also produced by Church House Publishing, called How Many Lightbulbs does it take to Change a Christian? which will be published in the United States this Autumn.
Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, comments: "All Christians have an important role to play in developing their own environmental awareness and encouraging it in others. I am delighted that the Church of England now has this helpful guide, which will prove invaluable for those wanting to plan their own services and for all those looking to find a deeper theological understanding of our Christian concern for Creation."
The Rt Revd Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, adds: "This book offers us not just tips on energy saving but a reorientation. The intention is not to urge Christians to get measured for a hair shirt but to rediscover `how good and joyful a thing it is to dwell together in unity' with all that lives."
The 148-page guide includes a range of appendices including lists of useful contacts and websites, a model environmental policy for dioceses, and a `Shrinking the Footprint' audit for local churches.
The book's publications coincides with the launch of 'Time for God's Creation', an initiative encouraging churches to use the period between 1st September until 4th October as an opportunity to put the environment at the heart of their worship. The designation of this special period follows a resolution made at the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in 2007, attended by representatives of Europe's Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant churches, that these weeks "be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change."
Don't Stop at the Lights, priced £14.99 (ISBN 978-07151-4127-4), is available from Christian bookshops, or by mail order via the web at www.chpublishing.co.uk.
5. LABELLING OF GM FOOD
We have supported the labeling of GM foods, and so it was good news to hear that should be a requirement. The following is from a SAFeAGE press release of 17 September 2008:
CONSUMER RIGHTS RECOGNISED: GM FOODS WILL BE LABELLED IN SOUTH AFRICA
Cape Town: History was made yesterday when the Department of Trade and Industry handed down a ruling for mandatory labelling of genetically modified foods.
The decision came after a clause to this effect, which had been removed from the draft Consumer Protection Bill last year, was reinstated. National Co-ordinator of SAFeAGE, a consumer GMO watchdog that has been lobbying for two years to have this clause reinstated said, "The GMO Act does not protect consumers, it is rather a permitting system that welcomes untested, unlabelled and irresponsible genetic modification to run rife in our country. Consumers will finally have the right to choose once this Bill is implemented".
Parliament's Trade and Industry committee also withdrew a clause from the original Bill that rendered GMOs exempt from liability for damage caused by them. "Why should food that has been spliced with virus, anti-biotic resistant and herbicide genes be exempt from liability," questioned Treherne. "These foods should be subject to more stringent labelling, not exemption."
The Department of Trade and Industry's labelling laws have not gone unopposed. Both the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health have opposed mandatory labelling saying it would send out a confusing signal to consumers. However, spokesperson for the Safe Food Coalition, Andrew Taynton said that "the Department of Trade and Industry should be congratulated for this bold move. Current GM labelling laws in South Africa are so flawed that they do not label any of the GM foods currently on the market."
Mariam Mayet of the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) commented that "government has embarked upon the first step towards regulating agribusiness involved with GMOs. Not only have consumers been given a choice to reject GM foods, now, GM food can also be tracked from farm to fork in order to hold Monsanto and others liable when we discover that something has gone wrong."
Treherne was however concerned that the Department of Agriculture would still be responsible for determining the thresholds and technical requirements of these new regulations, saying, "We hope this does not undermine the excellent work done by Parliament and the Department of Trade and Industry on the Consumer Protection Bill.
6. CHURCH FOOD GARDEN
ANGLICAN PARISH OF UMKOMAAS AND SCOTTBURGH - IMPILO VEGETABLE PROJECT by Lorraine Goss-Ross
The garden is situated in Umkomaas on church property, is conveniently fenced and has a water tap – an extension of the church`s municipal supply. There are large mature trees, which attract many bird species and insects etc and also provide shade and leaf compost to this very special garden.
Anna Maria Gori and I decided to grow organic vegetables, herbs and flowers here as the plot was unused for many years - the soil is fertile – and as a response to the growing food crises. Last year`s Traditional Food Workshop was an added encouragement for me as well as receiving much positive input from our Rector Tracy!
Anna is an expert in Permaculture techniques with her own flourishing vegetable garden and we are very indebted to her for her very generous support in time and materials such as seeds, cuttings etc. She has spent many hours working with me and occasional helpers. The method is non-tillage, totally organic (except for municipal water) with no use of non-organic pesticides or fertilizers.
We started preparing the beds in December 07 when loads of cardboard - brought by parishioners - was laid over grass (and weeds) to suffocate it. This was in turn covered by layers of leaves, compost and soil and left for about three months before the actual planting started. In this way the nutrients are not lost and the soil ecosystem is not disturbed.
Aliens such as Bugweed and Castor Oil were eradicated and dense areas of bush cut down with the help of Rodney Fort. Surprisingly, no snakes were spotted!
A bigger and bigger area was claimed to plant up and we now have quite extensive beds as the photos will show. The visiting Vervet monkeys have posed a challenge and unless a tunnel or a caged area is built we will avoid planting what we know they will destroy! Tomatoes, carrots, beetroot, sweet potatoes and beans are unfortunately off our planting list for now.
We are watchful as far as not wasting water. In the future a tank or two collecting rain water from the church buildings roofs need to be installed. The garden is well mulched. We have long hosepipes which are such a pleasure to use compared to our start when we carried water to the garden!
Our compost heap which was started earlier in the year is looking (and smelling) wonderful and the compost will be used with care. We have plans to make a wormery as well.
During the year we have been picking greens and delivering them to Hospice for distribution on a weekly basis. We also sell (on a small-scale, purely optional donation system) and gift vegetables to any folk who are ill or needy. Our aim is to inspire as many folk as possible to start their own gardens and we would really welcome anyone who would like to come in and work in the garden and learn the principles of permaculture. SPAR in Umkomaas have offered to help us in that this garden is regarded as a community project. They will supply us with seeds, etc. SPAR is selling our excess Italian Parsley for us.
A small frog pond will be built near the large bed soon. Frogs eat the snails which are starting to really enjoy our products!
A children`s service was held on the Saturday evening of Holy Week in the garden this year. A tomb was built and three crosses erected. (see photos) In the near future we have plans to build a labyrinth and provide a place of meditation and prayer.
Our flowers graced the church on a few occasions during the year with the zinnias, marigolds, cosmos etc giving a vibrant show. On a purely monetary basis this garden is not competitive but holistically a very rewarding experience!!
7. MORE REFLECTIONS FROM LAMBETH
The following was published in the newsletter of the ST. ELIZABETH'S ENVIRONMENT GROUP, an Anglican Church in the Diocese of Natal. It is taken from material on the Lambeth Conference website:
LAMBETH CONFERENCE 2008: THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION CARES
It is pleasing that the top leadership of the Anglican Church takes creation and the environment seriously as evidenced at the recent Lambeth Conference, held during July in Canterbury. The large agenda included discussion and a motion on, what was considered a major theme, Climate Change and Human Security: Challenging an Environment of Injustice. The report observes that, as new scientific evidence emerges about the nature of the world's changing climate, it has become apparent that climate change is not just an environment problem, but also a pressing concern for human security. It argues that the Church has an important role to play in this process by helping to reshape the climate change agenda from a purely environmental matter to a moral and religious issue.
Professor Chris Rapley, Director of the Science Museum in London and expert on climate change, outlined some indisputable evidence: the earth is a complex object with no manual, no spares and is finite. Its currently unhealthy state is being driven by human behaviour and the need for fossil fuels that has happened within the last 200 years. The UN International Panel on Climate change wrote in 2007 that `Warming of the climate system is unequivocal'. The effects of climate change can be seen in one off extreme events, which impact areas such as flooding in low lying coastal communities, as well as gradual changes.
The 'Tree Mother of Africa', Nobel Prize winner Wangarai Maathai described, via video, her passion for replacing lost trees of Kenya. Through trees the people can have all that is needed for food, fuel and trade, and after 35 years they are now achieving this. But some people still won't listen. Maathai believes that what the bishops say will be taken seriously so they must understand and do something, such as plant a tree.
The Rt Revd George Browning, Bishop of Canberra in Australia, spoke with passion and enthusiasm about the imperative of moral leadership right now. Have the bishops got the energy? Is this not our core business? This is actually the old religion, not a new one, since the whole created order is either blessed or diminished by us. We have no option but to take up the cause of the environment, not because of what the world says, but because it is inherent in our faith. Caring for the whole of God's environment is theologically our core business. Progress internationally will have to come from some moral persuasion. The arguments of economics and politics will not deliver – it is not being heavily driven by any government in the world.
Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church said that it is the poorest of this world who suffer the most from climate change already and will continue to suffer in the future. These included the native people in Alaska and the Arctic Circle losing land to melting permafrost and in Sub-Saharan Africa to increasing desertification. The Bishop of Lebombo, Mozambique, The Rt Revd Dinis Sengulane, spoke of the effect of rising temperatures increasing malaria in his country, where a child dies every 30 seconds and where the cashew nut, a primary food source and cash crop, has declined. Droughts and floods have increased and 'the typical Anglican' is a black woman carrying the precious resource of 20 litres of water on her head for her family.
Notes: