In light of our conversation after the Al Gore documentary, I thought I would give you some conclusions we can draw on in terms of responding to the global warming crisis that is so clearly evident in the documentary.
1. As students of the Bible, we need to pay attention to this problem because it indicates a very important issue regarding our world - it is in the control of leaders who are abusing both humanity and the earth for their own gain. In keeping with what we read from Revelation 18, the world powers will suffer the consequences of their arrogance, rapacious appetite, and lack of attention and care for the creation that God has given.
2. We can be influenced by the same evil that is driving world powers to continue their behaviour that is hurting creation - in some ways we may already be influenced in light of a survey of our past behaviour.
3. In reference to Revelation 21:1-6 and the desire for God to restore and renew creation - freeing it from evil influences - we can hope in that God will not let the earth self-destruct.
4. As people of the future - as Paul the Apostle encourages in his letters - we should behave toward the world as if it already is the renewed/new heaven and earth. We then should live in peace toward it and others, in harmony toward it and others, and in humbleness toward it knowing that humility honours God's ownership of our world. It is his world that he has given to us!
As we discussed, this has implications for our Evangelism:
1. If we don't take care of the world, there will be no humans to evangelize. I think this was embedded in Mitch's comment that people matter!
2. We should live like the material world matters as much as the spiritual world and avoid the gnostic claims of a lesser material world and therefore a poor theology of creation. [Thanks Nathan for bringing our attention to this]
3. Living "incarnationally" is to honour life around us. This is consistent with Jesus' behaviour while on earth and so should be consistent with ours. [several of you alluded to this in class]
4. Practical things we can do that honour creation - like taking transit rather than driving, recycling as much as we can, minimizing waste and learning how to harmonize better with our environment is an act of obedience toward God.
5. Be prepared to minister to millions of displaced people as effects of global warming continue.
I welcome your comments of other points that surfaced that I might have missed.
