The discussion about climate change and its implication for our faith and for our churches continues. Our colleague, Rev. Rolilta Machila, is currently doing a small research project on what people in our member churches think about climate change. Many young people have responded to this survey. Here is a short report from Rolita:
“In trying to respond theologically to the daily challenges in people’s lives, the LWF Department for Theology and Studies evoked a process of carrying out a survey to get information to the grassroots people who are affected by climate change.
It is amazing how we as part of creation have often separated ourselves and seen nature as a separate entity. Many youths in the communion have shared their experiences and what they feel about climate change.
There is a common realization that we spend much of our time both individually and corporately, protecting ourselves against the knowledge dawning on us of all harm humanity has brought into existence. Humankind cannot bear to see the destruction and horror that it brings into the world, cannot bear to accept the responsibility for the injuries it has afflicted on others. Our offenses, infidelities, greed, lust, and violence ripple through families and communities, affecting people up to the third and fourth generation.
In our quest of seeking out happiness and self-fulfillment away from God, we develop into a kind of spiritual hurricane with the hope of dwelling within the eye of the storm. The quick fixes, “personal choices” and alleged “rights” bring about the false security one usually experiences whilst in the eye of the storm, holding on to false hope of totally isolating themselves from the destruction and chaos of the storm swirling about them.
The effects of our sin bring about a spiritual blindness and through fear, we learn and try to justify and accept the horror of immoral and unethical means of protecting the integrity of our selfish pride, comfort and safety.
Most times, humankind believes in making personal decisions and yet unaware that our evil deeds have become a new source of destruction, causing harmful scandal and suffering for the generations to come and we allow injustices going on, saying and doing nothing- out of fear and indifference, and for that we will be held accountable- James 4: 17
During the earlier days, there would have been an outpouring of sympathy and convoys of relief to the hard stricken areas, but this no longer happens. People are now preoccupied with their own survival and have no alternative but to turn their back on the tragedies of others. However, it is deeming on human mind that we belong to the same common place and we are working out our own destiny. Thus, it is now time to act responsibly in order to secure a future for the coming generations.”
