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Sunday 11 February 2007
Led by: Revd Margot Hodson
The address: Sir John Houghton
Organist: Anthony Hancock
Choir Director: Organ Scholar, Oliver Hancock
MUSIC
Suddenly, from behind the rim of the Moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery. It takes more than a moment to fully realize this is Earth . . . home.
MUSIC ENDS
Revd Margot Hodson
Good morning. Those were the words of astronaut, Edgar Mitchell, when he first saw the Earth from space. As we begin our service this morning it's that view of the whole of God's creation that can inspire us.
Last week, the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report was released, giving sobering evidence of the serious situation faced not only by humanity, but by the whole of our world's biodiversity. It was produced by hundreds of the world's best climate scientists including some from Oxford University, and also including our preacher this morning.
A Christian response to this serious situation, needs to consider the earth not only as humanity's protective home, but as the home to all of God's creation for which God has made mankind responsible. The Christian tradition takes a holistic view - it sees the earth, perhaps like Mitchell did, as if from space. Our preacher, Sir John Houghton, organised an historic conference here in Oxford in 2002, for scientists, church leaders and policy makers, to convince them of the need to take action in light of the evidence of Climate Change, and we'll be hearing how that conference has helped move the debate forward in the USA later.
Sir John, himself, was a student at Jesus College. Coming up on a Welsh scholarship; he went on to become Professor of Atmospheric Physics and later head of the Met office and Co-Chair of the Scientific Panel of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Jesus is a modern and multicultural college, that values its Christian foundation and has a strong tradition in science. Many of our choir this morning, which is open to everyone in College, are also scientists.
And so we begin our service with a call to worship led by Amy Hudson, a fourth year chemistry student.
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Music: "All creatures of our God and king"
Revd Margot Hodson
The Hebrew Scriptures, common to both Jews and Christians, provide a compelling message, that following God involves caring for his world. From the start, the book of Genesis makes it clear that the special place humans have within creation involves a particular responsibility for the world. Science flows from this, as John Houghton will briefly explain after our first extract from scripture:
Reading: (Tom Baker)
Verses from Genesis one and two.
God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to
work it and take care of it.
Sir John Houghton
It is commonly believed that science and religion are opposed to each other. But that is quite wrong. Since God is the Creator, science is the way we find out how God's creation works. It is, in fact, God's science and science can help in our worship of God for his great creation.
Early on in the Bible we are told to take care of God's creation. We are also told that humans are made in the image of God - that means we can be creative too. Science and technology, for instance as in the report of the UN climate change panel, are vital to the exercise of our stewardship of the Earth.
Revd Margot Hodson
The Jubilate puts the work of human beings in caring for creation in harmony with the life of earth itself. The land is 'joyful' as we 'serve the Lord with gladness'.
Choir:Jubilate in B flat (Charles Villiers Stanford)
Revd Margot Hodson
The book of Isaiah is best known for inspiring passages that speak of the Messiah, but it also contains an environmental message. Isaiah brings a stark warning that when human relationships with God break down, there is also a breakdown of relationships with one another. The outcome of this human conflict and competition is terrible damage to the earth.
Reading: (Frankie Hildik Smith)
Isaiah Chapter 24 beginning at Verse 4:
The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan.
Sir John Houghton
Isaiah presents a story of environmental destruction. In our time, climate change is beginning to provide similar bad news. In the summer of 2003, a completely unprecedented heat wave in central Europe killed at least 20,000 people. It is that sort of event that backs up the statement that climate change is a weapon of mass destruction. As the world warms, by 2050 it is expected that will be a normal summer in Europe.
Each year 25 thousand million tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere by the burning of coal, oil and gas. This acts like a blanket over the earth's surface - leading to the global warming and climate change we are all talking about. Pumping more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere means that this century the climate on average will change faster than for at least 10,000 years. It will be impossible for many ecosystems and humans to adapt to such rapid change.
We all know about the threat to polar bears. But millions of the world's smaller species are also at risk of extinction because of climate change.
As the world warms, the hydrological cycle will increase in intensity. That means more floods and more droughts. They are the worst disasters the world knows, causing more deaths, misery and economic loss than any other disasters. Recent years have seen very damaging ones in Africa, Asia, Australia and America - and even in Europe and the UK. Careful scientific projections indicate the risk of such events will increase by factors of 5 or even more by the year 2050. Extreme droughts that now last for months will tend to last for years - all extremely bad news for many in the world's poorer countries. Hundreds of millions of environmental refugees will be looking for new homes. But where?
The big impacts on people will come from sea level rise. Coping with half a metre or more of sea level rise will be a big and expensive problem for many in the Fens of East Anglia, but in Bangladesh, 10 million people who live and farm below the one metre contour will be displaced. So will many more millions in other large river deltas, in low lying islands in the world's oceans and in many other places. In our increasingly crowded world where do these people go?
The reality of these likely impacts brings a stark moral imperative. Over the last century or more, much of our wealth in the rich world has come through cheap energy from coal, oil and gas - without our realizing the damage to the climate that is only now beginning to show up. It is those in the poorer parts of the world who will suffer a disproportionate share of this damage. It is they also that are now looking for their share of cheap energy for their development.
Care for the poor is a large and recurring theme in the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments. The moral imperative for us to act is inescapable.
Revd Margot Hodson
As we turn to the New Testament, our next hymn reminds us that the World belongs to Christ and that his concern is for the poor. A new verse written specially for this service by John Bell chimes with our Isaiah reading: we can also deny justice to the earth.
Music:Christ is the World in which we move (John Bell, Iona Community)
Soloist: Sophie Pitman
Irish Harp: Lynn Finnegan
Revd Margot Hodson
Luke's Gospel shows a particular concern for the poor. In the parable of the rich fool Christ challenges us with the stupidity of greed in the face of our certain mortality.
Reading: (Tom Baker)
A reading from Luke Chapter 12 beginning at verse 16:
Jesus told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Sir John Houghton
Given the inescapable imperative to act, what action can we take? There are lots of things we can and must do but what we need most to learn is to share with the poorer parts of the world much more of our wealth, resources and skills. If we don't we will be rich fools.
His land produced far more crops than he needed. So he built bigger barns to store his grain and his goods and looked forward to a life of ease and luxury. But his life was cut short and he could not take his goods with him.
We are like the rich fool. Greed is dominant in our wealthy western world. Economic growth is top of the political agenda. Our use of resources is unsustainable. We are becoming increasingly aware of the real threat of climate change but are in no hurry to do what is necessary to halt it.
In the next section of Luke 12, Jesus instructed his disciples not to worry so much about material goods but to sell their possessions and give to the poor. That way brings treasure in heaven that does not get exhausted.
Sharing is something we all do. We share within our families, we share in our local communities And through our social programmes we share on a national scale. But internationally we are very bad at sharing. Yes, we give aid to poor countries. But if we take account of the benefits to us from trade with poorer countries, adding aid and trade together tips the scales overwhelmingly in our favour. The net flow of money is from the poor to the rich. Loving our neighbour as well as loving God demands a lot more sharing.
So how do we share regarding climate change? In the developed world our emissions of carbon dioxide are on average about 5 times larger per person that in the developing world - a very unequal situation. First, we must work harder and more urgently to reduce our emissions. We must also assist developing countries as they work to provide carbon free energy. Money, technology and skills that we can provide can help to make this happen.
Will it cost a great deal for us to do this? Nick Stern's recent Review demonstrates a cost to the world's nations that is small - less than 1% of GDP on average. What is most important is that our attitudes and priorities change. Less on material goods and gain, much more on caring for the Earth and the poor. As Jesus constantly emphasized, that in any case is the way to a more fulfilled life. We need to take heed of Jesus' words in Luke 12 v 28. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.
Revd Margot Hodson
The heart of the Christian message is hope. If humanity turns back to God, we'll find ourselves called to be reconciled to our neighbour. In this century of environmental challenge, this human reconciliation will be reflected in a change in our attitude toward the natural world. Coming to Jesus Christ is the starting point for a revolution of our thoughts and actions.
Choir:God be in my head (John Rutter)
Revd Margot Hodson
When Sir John Houghton was an undergraduate at Jesus, he was leader of the College Christian Union. The current leaders, Lydia Potts and Tim Conry, both chemists, will lead our prayers
Tim:
Creator God, We thank you for the wonderful creation that we have around us to enjoy every day. We pray that your intricately designed world will always be a reminder to us of your eternal power. Thank you that you have given us minds to discover more about so many different aspects of your universe. As we see your very nature revealed in all that's around us may we be full of praise to you Lord God.
Lydia:
Redeemer God, all creation groans and the people of the world struggle with war, starvation and disease. Forgive us for our selfish use of the world's resources; for the damage we have caused our neighbours and the earth. We thank you that you love all you have created and though Jesus Christ hold out your promise of forgiveness and eternal life to all who turn to you. We place your world into your hands, knowing that only you have the power to heal and restore.
Tim:
Lord of the nations, we pray for political and industrial leaders that you will give them discernment and courage to make decisions for a fairer and more sustainable world. We pray for scientists and engineers that you will support them in their research, and enable them to provide the necessary knowledge and resources to tackle the challenges that we face.
Lydia:
Lord your Holy Spirit moved across the waters at the creation of the world. We pray that you will move again to renew and sustain the precious life of our planet.
We will end our prayers with the prayer that Jesus taught us:
Lord's Prayer
Choir:How beautiful upon the mountains (John Stainer)
Revd Margot Hodson
The choir have just sung' How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good news by Sir John Stainer. Can Christians be once again the privileged bringers of good news?
Richard Cizik, Vice President of the National Association of Evangelicals in the USA, came to the 2002 conference in Oxford I mentioned earlier, at the invitation of (Sir) John Houghton, where he was - for the first time - impressed by the scientific evidence for Climate change and the need for the churches to embrace this issue Richard now reflects on the impact of that encounter on himself and his work with the American Churches.
Richard Cizik, Vice President of the National Association of Evangelicals
Hymn:I the Lord of Sea and Sky (Daniel L Schutte, New Dawn Music)
Revd Margot Hodson
As we look to the future we find that Christ himself holds the key to the salvation of our planet. In Colossians, St Paul provides a cosmic understanding of Jesus as the one who holds all things together. This derives from his utter conviction of Christ's divinity. As his Church, our call is to radically respond to his command to love one another and love the world that he has created. Christians should be leaders and servants in this task because it is Christ's World that needs of our loving action.
Reading: (Frankie Hildik Smith)
A reading from Colossians Chapter 1, beginning at verse 15:
Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Sir John Houghton
I am often asked if I am optimistic for the future. I reply Yes for three reasons. First, as I chaired the UN's scientific panel from 1988-2002, I experienced the commitment of the world's scientists from a wide range of backgrounds to understanding climate change and tackling it responsibly. Secondly I know the necessary technology is available. Thirdly, I believe God is committed to his creation. The passage from Colossians we have just heard, tells us that in Jesus all things hold together. This commitment by God, means that we don't have to work on our own. God is there to help us with it. In the Genesis creation story God walked with Adam in the garden in the late afternoon. I imagine they talked about the garden and how well Adam was coping with it. Jesus also talked to his disciples about the partnership that comes through his continued presence with us. I can personally pay tribute to the strength that God provides as people pray. There is a tremendous challenge to churches and to the Christian community to provide the leadership for which the world is waiting - in service, in sharing, in caring for the whole of His world.
Hymn:Guide me O thou Great Redeemer
Revd Margot Hodson
Jesus said:
You did not choose me, but I chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last.
Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
This is my command: Love each other
May the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
All Amen
Final Voluntary: Toccata on "Lasst uns Erfreuen" - Nicholas Choveaux
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