Watch the talks from the Creation Care Conference
A major gathering of 100 delegates across several of Ireland’s Churches met at the Dromantine Centre, Newry, on 8 April to consider their role and way forward in response to the current environmental crisis.
The Irish Churches Creation Care Conference was organised by divestment campaigner Stephen Trew and sponsored by the Church of Ireland’s Church and Society Commission with the aims of deepening understanding of the theology of creation care and developing missional opportunities to put this in practice locally.
You can now watch the talks from the conference on YouTube at this link.
The conference was opened by Canon Andrew Orr, Chair of Eco–Congregation Ireland, who remarked that it was “up to us as Churches to take real, practical action” to reduce carbon emissions, increase biodiversity, expand our mission and connect communities i.e. through a shared interest in environmental issues.
Distinguished climate scientist Professor Katharine Heyhoe brought a motivational introduction by Zoom, noting that – if global problems could be likened to a series of buckets – climate change is not just another one but the hole in each of them, and that “it quite literally affects every single other thing at the top of our priority lists.” People “have the values that they need to care” with most of us being worried about global warming but not knowing what to do about it. Prof Heyhoe quoted 1 Timothy 1.7 – “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” – to speak of our ability to act out of love and make good decisions, using our voices to advocate for others and seeking solutions.
An exploration of the goodness, glory and goal of creation then followed with Dr Chris Wright taking the audience on a journey through Scripture and drawing out God’s relationship with all that he has made. “A good creation reveals a good God through his handiwork,” Dr Wright said as he highlighted the intrinsic value of creation; Old Testament passages reflected God’s care of wilderness land which had no obvious economic value.
Workshops
Workshops focused on transforming Churches and communities through creation care (led by Dr Ruth Valerio from Tearfund), the international mission aspect of climate change (with Christian Aid’s Bob Kikuyu), youth and climate grief (with Church of England ordinand Hannah Malcolm and Northern Irish campaigner and writer Rosalind Skillen), and developing a climate action plan (with architect and former Trócaire CEO Justin Kilcullen).
The potential next steps for Churches were discussed by a panel of senior Church representatives: Presbyterian Moderator Dr David Bruce; Methodist President Dr Sahr Yambasu; Archbishop John McDowell; and Bishop Martin Hayes, the Irish Episcopal Conference’s co–ordinator for Laudato si’ – Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care for ‘our common home’.
In closing remarks, Archbishop McDowell noted that the Covid–19 pandemic had increased public understanding of and respect for science and Churches were following the science in acting against climate change. Prayer, he continued, is bringing the presence of God into situations and a change in culture – achieved through our own efforts and by prayer – is always miraculous. The Archbishop closed the conference with an intercession from the Book of Common Prayer on Creation in Christ: “Almighty God, maker of all good things: Father, Lord of all creation, in Christ you have shown us the purpose of your providence, and call us to be responsible in the world. May we delight in your purpose and work to bring all things to their true end; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”