Book Description

For at least four decades it has been the contention of environmental science that the biosphere faces a crisis. The growing consensus is that this crisis is not simply a reflection of the well documented cycle of natural variation, but that its intensity is escalated by post industrial human activity. This situation presents the Christian community, with a moral dilemma. Can the Christian community tolerate activity which threatens human and non-human life with a more fragile, less equitable and less sustainable future? The answer must be "no". Christian belief and action is predicated on love of God and love of neighbour. Contemporary love of neighbour must act to transform a global community where current advantage and power is disproportionately exercised by a minority and disadvantage is experienced, or predicted to fall, upon the majority poor, generations yet unborn and upon the natural environment. Responding to social or moral issues, Anglicans have been traditionally encouraged to seek direction from scripture which calls for the triumph of common good over self interest as an expression of the human calling under God. Sabbath is a biblical framework for global common good and a reliable basis upon which the human vocation in the 21st century can be renewed. This thesis argues that sabbath, with roots in the primeval creation narrative, reveals the manner of God's engagement with the created order. Further, it argues that the manner in which humanity is to respond to God in the context of the environmental crisis, is to include the whole created order, future as well as present, in the category of neighbour deserving of love care and equity.