Speaking as one

It doesn’t hurt when groups get together. Three of the major Christian groups recently delivered a joint statement.

On September 1, Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and Archbishop Justin Welby released “A Joint Message for the Protection of Creation.” This is the first time that a joint statement has been released by the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion.

And recently more than 200 of the world's leading medical and health journals issued an unusual joint statement calling climate change the biggest threat to public health, not the pandemic. You can read that article here.

In a world where so often we see groups competing with one another, it is good to see plenty of evidence that some things are important to say together.

The statement hopes to urge climate action ahead of the United Nations climate conference, COP26, in early November. For more, read articles from The Episcopal Church, NPR, and EarthBeat

Gratitude

These closing words from Robin Walls Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass seem appropriate for this Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend

“The moral covenant of reciprocity calls us to honor our responsibility for all we have been given, for all that we have taken. It’s our turn now, long overdue. Let us hold a giveaway for Mother Earth, spread our blankets out for her and pile them high with gifts of her own making. Imagine the books, the paintings, the poems, the clever machines, the compassionate acts, the transcendent ideas, the perfect tools. The fierce defense of all that has been given. Gifts of mind, hands, heart, voice, and vision all offered up on behalf of the earth. Whatever our gift, we are called to give it and to dance for the renewal of the world.

       In return for the privilege of breath.”

There were prophets. . .

Decades ago we enjoyed the satirical Tom Lehrer and responded to his songs as funny and relevant. We missed the seriousness of the content because he was so engaging. "Always predict the worst and you'll be hailed as a prophet." a friend told him He was born in 1928 which puts more birthdays into the 90s - and after retiring from performing, he went back to teach mathematics. But now both environmental and faith based groups have to deal with the following outcomes of one of his best known songs:

Air pollution
Freshwater pollution
Land and soil pollution
Marine and coastal pollution
Chemical pollution
Waste pollution
Online data pollution

We were quick to accept the reality of the words even then. But it didn’t move us toward action. Satire is just one of the art forms that points to realities and the changes we must make. The current messages on climate change are often deadly serious and lead to denial or despair. I wonder if we can still respond to Lehrer - and not just laugh but do something about it. But it’s not quite as funny as it was in the past. Jonathan Swift, the writer of Gulliver’s Travels, would agree.

Human Energy

I’ve been reading selections from Teilhard de Chardin - mystic and paleontoloigst who coined the term “Noosphere” to characterize the growth of collective human consciousness. He might have been surprised, but also pleased, that the name inspired a whole series of videos to help us understand it better. You can find out more about the Human Energy project here.

As the site says, the new initiative is intended to act as a bridge. I think it downplays the mystic side of Teilhard - perhaps to enroll more interest from those focused on science and technology - but it can be understood from that perspective as well.

This Third Story of the Universe offers a meaningful way to understand this moment in the history of our species. This new cosmic story contrasts with rigid interpretations of religions and myths (the First Story) as well as current versions of science that eliminate meaning and purpose from the universe (the Second Story).

Here is one of them that introduces the idea: You can then proceed to all the others. They are well worth watching and contemplating.

Profiles in Courage

Like all Canadians, I rejoiced in the return of the two Michaels amid all the news of depressing news of the hospitalizations and deaths of so many Canadians who don’t understand the value of vaccinations. I grew up in the middle of a polio epidemic which left some classmates unable to ever walk again. But for once there was real news.

No sooner than a couple of hours after watching Meng Wanzhou, the financial officer of Huawei depart, we heard the newly elected Prime Minister make an announcement of their imminent return to Canada after 1019 days of captivity.

I really didn’t know either of these men - but seeing the length of their incarceration every day in the front page of my newspaper kept them in focus. One of them was a year behind my youngest son in his high school. The latter noted that Michael Kovrig was serious even then. The stories of his walking 7000 steps every day in a small cell and keeping busy with reading anything possible, in spite of almost no visits or contacts with the outside world was inspiring. Many of us complained about a restricted life during the pandemic. The story of his wife, previously separated, but now doing everything possible to secure his release, was an added inspiration - and a pleasure to share her obvious joy.

Freedom to reject vaccinations - claimed as a violation of human rights - doesn’t seem the highest form of courage. Having faith that imprisonment as retaliation will ultimately end is a more inspiring example.