Climate breakdown is here: temperatures are spiking, sea levels are climbing, and extreme weather is shaking up the globe. Yet CO2 emissions keep rising. The dream of a smooth shift to a green world? Dead. Civilisation is teetering on the edge, crushed by mounting pressures while trapped in a political and economic system that's in denial, banking on endless growth and tech miracles to save us. The real issue? Human nature—consumption, greed, short-term thinking, and selfishness. But maybe it’s not all of us; maybe it’s the elites fuelled by power, privilege, want, and wealth failing to imagine a different future.
This harsh reality shows that the relative stability we're clinging to now is just a calm before the storm. The tide is coming in fast; business as usual is building for a future that’s vanishing. We need to pivot from just mitigating to hardcore adapting. We have to look ahead and start constructing for the storm that’s brewing and preparing for what follows.
So, what can we do? What could the local church leader do to build for what is to come, to lean into potential collapse, and build into what is beyond? For the church, it’s time for some cruciform adaptation—living out the radical, sacrificial way of the cross. This means humility, sacrifice, and a fierce commitment to justice and creation care. The church must lead by example, creating communities that are sustainable, equitable, and resilient in the face of chaos.
Cruciform adaptation means embracing non-violence in an increasingly violent world. As resources dwindle and tensions spike, the church must be a beacon of peace, pushing for conflict resolution and reconciliation grounded in love. This isn’t just about avoiding harm; it’s a powerful testament to the radical teachings of Christ.
It’s also about building resilient, loving communities. These are places where people support each other, tackling challenges together. Here, lament and hope coexist—acknowledging the pain of climate change while fostering joy and a vision for a better future.
And let's talk about welcoming those hit hardest by climate disasters, including refugees. The church needs to be a sanctuary, offering resources and compassion to those displaced by environmental chaos. This is about living out the biblical call to love the stranger and care for the vulnerable, turning the church into a lighthouse of hope.
Cruciform adaptation also flips the script on wealth. It’s about valuing collective resources over individual accumulation. This means fostering community-based sharing and stewardship, making sure everyone’s needs are met. Rejecting materialism and embracing generosity, the church can show a sustainable, just way of living.
Finally, cruciform adaptation means living out the Beatitudes. Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are a radical blueprint—prioritising meekness, mercy, peacemaking, and righteousness. By embodying these principles, the church offers a countercultural stance, clashing with the dominant values of consumerism and selfishness.
The missional imperative of the church is rooted in Jesus’ own kingdom ministry, which he carried out in the shadow of impending collapse due to Roman oppression and the looming destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus wept over the city, saying, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:42). He foretold the city’s fall, yet his mission was undeterred, proclaiming the kingdom of God amidst the turmoil (Matthew 4:17). This same urgency and hope must drive the church today. In Jesus' death and resurrection, Christians hold to the view that the darkest day is not the final day. The cross shows us that suffering and death are real, but the resurrection assures us that they do not have the last word.
Swales 2024
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