Today’s entry begins a periodic series of observations about the certain fact that the changes in the world’s climate will affect all of us, old and young alike. Because this blog tilts in the direction of spiritually centered older adults, the series will lean into the basic question: As God’s people, what can we think or do about these matters? Today an introduction….
It seems fitting to begin an ongoing set of observations about climate change during this particular Advent season. Two underlying events:
• The Federal government’s recent release of the 4th National Climate Change Assessment, (www.nca2018.globalchange.gov) and
• This year’s compelling Advent themes.
In both cases, we are invited to consider the end times, the prospect that life as we know it may be winding down. This sobering truth has always been part of Scripture and is also now part of verifiable science. Confronted with both the premises of theology and the conclusions of scientific research, we could hobble toward a default attitude of fear and despair. At first glance, that emotional reaction seems warranted.
But in both cases, that’s hardly the place to settle or the place from which to base life decisions. In other words, there’s more to Advent and the NCA No. 4 than fearful reactivity.
In this series I’ve come to the decision to send words to you because word-smithing can be helpful. It seems best to frame this collection of occasional thoughts as “conversations”—one way to cut through word-clutter in order to communicate in an emotionally honest way.
A few practical matters:
• These entries won’t become the sole content for this blog series. Other full-of-years thoughts will still find their way into our shared hopes.
• Spam filters can react to what I write by diverting these entries to the trash heaps that keep some thoughts shunted off to the side.
• This web site allows for you to add your comments to my own. Possible?
• Much of what I write will be based on what I first proposed in one of my previous books, It’s Not Too Late: A Field Guide to Hope.
These entries may be hard to read and react to. (They may also be hard to write!) Many of us have not stood at this emotional crossroads before. Advent themes have always circled around in our spiritual cores, but this time around seems different. In all the entries to follow, please hear/read my continuing hope: That you and I can find continuing purpose and meaning—fullness of years—as we serve God.
(Coming next: Climate Conversation 2: Starting with facts)
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