The recent COP26 climate conference in Glasgow has dominated our screens over the last few weeks and all manner of opinions, warnings and conclusions have been expressed. However, one truth that as Christians we should never seek to diminish, is that creation care is a central biblical mandate that compels us to imbibe its importance within our whole beings: not just practically and emotionally, but also intellectually. The ongoing process of renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2) remains critically important; our actions too, or lack of, reflect our theology and what we truly believe, not just what we might say.
At ForMission College we are increasingly turning our attention to this foundational mandate; the first one given to humans in the garden of Eden. We are seeking to re-evaluate what we do, teach, think and profess as we work through our freshly written environmental policy and consider how we might ‘green’ our curriculum, not through forced or artificial means, but through a rigorous and wise process of wrestling with the challenges of our time.
The fifth mark of mission[1] often gets ‘short shrift’ once the customary priorities of proclamation, service and teaching have been promoted. However, stewarding our world, alongside mark four (working for justice) should be increasingly fruitful avenues of witness and evangelistic strategy to a confused, insecure and increasingly disenchanted and fearful world.
We don’t know what tomorrow will bring in any great detail, although the picture revealed to us in Revelation 21-22 provides the fulfilment of hope that is no mere sentimental dream, but a reality that we long for and that as the children of God we become co-labourers in bringing to fruition (Romans 8:18-25).
Historically, many have sought to dismiss theology as superfluous debate, but the key features of our programmes at ForMission are, we believe, able to stand up to both academic and real-life rigour and experience. Our commitment to meaningful application of all of God’s truths compels us to then ensure that the realities and challenges of our contexts, be they local, national or global could, and should, be worked through the lenses of stewardship and sustainability.
COP26 has moved the urgency of tackling the climate crisis another notch or two. But grave challenges remain, and love of neighbour requires us to cherish and work increasingly for the common good of God’s wonderful creation. At ForMission we are now on a journey of rediscovery as we work through what being missional means in 2021. This means that our commitment to God rests on our commitment to one another and to all of creation; to help equip our students to do just that, is now an increasing priority.
Andy Kingston-Smith, Postgraduate Programme Director
[1] https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/MTAG%20The%205%20Marks%20Of%20Mission.pdf