JourneyOnline
IT ISN’T listed in the traditional lists of Christian virtues but in formulating a contemporary list a strong biblical and theological case could be made for living sustainably.
The developed world’s greed (one of the seven deadly sins) is placing the planet in peril through massive over consumption by the rich.
The gap between rich and poor is increasing, species are disappearing due to habitat decimation, the world’s climate is
changing … we know all this.
God’s command to humans to be stewards of the earth is coming into new prominence.
Decisions as basic as what to eat (less meat? fewer food miles?), how we travel (ouch, I fl y a lot), what we wear, how we use water and energy; and renewed attention to the diff erence between needing and wanting, have become discipleship
questions.
Since our family has started paying attention to this we have gone solar, installed a water tank, tried to reduce car use, simplified our lives generally, planted vegies and changed our diet.
I find the phrase ‘reducing our footprint’ a useful one to guide me as I seek better to love God and my neighbour, understanding that ‘neighbour’ includes my neighbours not yet born as well as our non-human neighbours, other creatures of God with whom we share life on this beautiful yet fragile earth.
Photo : Rev Alistair Macrae
