As I write, the 29th ‘Conference of the Parties’ (the UN climate change conference), has just concluded in Baku, Azerbaijan, marred by the let-down of a global finance deal that falls far short of expectations. An international convention focussing on biodiversity took place at the end of October, and another COP to combat desertification will be held in early December. As the news that comes out of these meetings can be disappointing - often a lot of talk but little effective action - it feels like good moment to recapture some climate hope by reviewing the visit of author and scholar Loren Wilkinson to HTCD back in September.
Loren, a professor at Regent College in Canada, has spent decades not only thinking about the connections between faith and the natural world, but also living out the understanding he has gained. He and his wife Mary Ruth joined us to talk about his latest work, ‘Circles and the Cross’, which Loren describes as a ‘journey of exploration’.
For over an hour, Loren shared his reflections and learnings through images, video, sculpture, poetry and scripture. He explained that the book has been written for both Christians and non-Christians, for people on the edge who are searching for a centre; for anyone contemplating the overarching question of what it means to be human. It also delves deeply into the big topics of how we treat the earth and how we treat each other, and how these are connected.
Particularly meaningful is the title of the book, inspired by a pilgrimage Loren and Mary Ruth participated in many years ago, for which they helped carry a wooden Celtic cross across Scotland. Loren described the Celtic cross as an image of our relationship with creation: the circle is creation and the cross is an event – the self-emptying love of God. The love of God is bigger than creation, shown in the way the cross is bigger than the circle.
As well as inspiring us with the depth and breadth of his reflections, Loren also encouraged us never to stop paying attention to the world around us, to live aware that we are in a miracle; and to remember what a privilege it is to work at our God-given task of the care and restoration of creation. He suggested that alongside the well-known environmental principles of reduce, reuse and recycle, we should add rejoice – prioritising joy in our response to climate challenges helps us to find hope and keep at bay the despair that sometimes threatens to overwhelm us when we read the headlines.
The evening was bookended with live music, written and performed by Charis Swinney. Her song ‘Beautiful World’, specially composed for the event, perfectly complimented the insights Loren shared and echoed his conclusion that because God is ultimately sovereign over creation, we can find and affirm hope despite the climate crisis we are facing.
“I’m still here and I’m breathing…It’s a beautiful world…And we owe it all to our God”
Loren’s presentation was recorded and can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_eMo1nSoe0
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