Responding to Climate Change in the Pacific A practical theological response Rev Dr Seforosa Carroll UnitingWorld Manager, Church Partnerships, Pacific Wednesday April 27 th 2016
The Context The Pacific is among a number of countries in the world on the forefront of climate change. For those in Tuvalu, Kiribati, Marshall Islands time is already running out for them. Their future is uncertain and they are destined to lose their home, it is a matter of when. Within the last two years Tonga, Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa have experienced destructive category 4 and 5 cyclones. The effects of El Nino are currently being experienced in the highlands of PNG, parts of Vanuatu and Fiji. Many continue to die of hunger due to famine. It is expected that 4.37 million people in the Pacific are likely to be affected and at risk from drought. These cited examples are only a handful of destructive climate disasters with many more promised to come. Climate change impact now characterises life in the Pacific. http://www.unocha.org/el-nino-pacific
The Context It is perhaps too easy for us to say to a Tuvuluan or I- Kiribati or a person from a severely climate impacted country to consider relocation. In response to this a Tuvulaun young man has said People are saying relocate to another country, if you have been affected by climate change, move elsewhere. But wherever we go climate change will always catch up with us. Climate change is everyone s problem and everyone s responsibility some more than others. Climate change requires an ongoing concerted international response to address this very real threat to our earth and its human and non-human inhabitants.
The Context Climate Change exacerbates poverty and gender inequality. The poor are particularly vulnerable to climate change. In this instance women are doubly marginal, as they make up 70% of the worlds poor. The poor are affected and further disadvantaged by climate changes such as disruption to rainfall and seasonal weather patterns which affect traditional agricultural and fishing cycles as it incapacitates the poor s ability to grow and harvest food, fish and collect reliable drinking water. Large-scale climate disruption due to disasters further disturbs agricultural and other seasonal cycles that the poor depend upon. Good community development relies on communities having some stability in which to develop their systems, processes and resources that give improved life opportunities.
The Context Women naturally bear the full brunt of climate change as they are the caregivers and nurturers of these communities and are predominantly responsible for the household or community management of food production, water supply and energy for heating and cooking. As climate change impact increases, these tasks become more difficult.
Additional Challengers Fossil fuels Excessive mining Excessive logging These exacerbate vulnerability to climate change
The Task Manifold Internal work within the Pacific to do with theology and the recovery of their indigenous epistemologies External advocacy and climate justice in Australia and particularly among polluters. Church partners have asked the UCA to advocate on their behalf Reframing or naming the environmental problem?
The Task
Some challenges in theological thinking and practise Separation between human beings and creation dualistic thinking Salvation and redemption has been personalised/individualised. The communal/corporate, interrelated, interconnected nature of both has been lost. Human beings have dominion on creation (the creation story)
Some challenges in theological thinking and practise God will save us we just need to faithfully wait God is punishing us because of our sin/churches often full after a natural disaster Home/heaven is spiritualised as a paradisical afterlife we are passive recipients in the here and now.
A life affirming theological response To take seriously the notion of the earth as our home/god s home God s household and to engage in homemaking practises. Oikos the ancient Greek word for house or home forms the basis of three modern words: economy, ecumenical and ecology These three concepts point to the interconnections between the church, God s creation and economic justice (Oikos Study Group, 2006, p. 23). They are interrelated. Each word has a connection to dwelling or house, inhabiting and managing.
Economy, Ecumenic, Ecology Economics providing for the household s materials and service materials and managing the household well. (Divine Economy and shared abundance) Ecumenic: treating the inhabitants of the household as a single family, human and non-human other. Ecology: knowledge of the interdependence upon which the life of the household depends. Oikonomos: steward, trustee, caretaker of the creation Larry Rasmussen
A life affirming theological response Salvific McFague: salvation as the flourishing of God s household Redemptive to set about reconciling, healing and managing our resources so that earth can be home Eschatological we are in a sense always homeward bound To think and practise in terms of Stewardship (oikoinomia) rather than dominion or ownership To see ourselves as being in relationship with/interconnected and interrelated rather than separated from the earth. Engage in homemaking practises practises that enable the creation of home.
Oikeiosis & Homemaking Practises Home and homecoming is in the journeying that is home. Ernst Conradie describes this journeying as oikeiosis (Conradie, 2005, p. 6), which can be translated as the making of a home. Writing with an ecological purpose in mind, it is Conradie s conviction that we humans are not yet at home on the earth. He coined the word oikeiosis to describe the journey towards reconciliation with ourselves and our place in the larger scheme of things. That larger scheme of things is God s oikonomia. Here home is not so much about a goal or arrival at a destination; home is in the actual journeying or movement itself in and through which we ourselves are changed. In a very broad sense home is about how we choose to faithfully live out our Christian discipleship and also how we respectfully manage our relationships with others and place in the here and now. What we do here and now matters!
Practical Response 2015 UnitingWorld appeal Broad/Regional Pacific strategy Can God fix climate change? Helping Pacific churches wrestle with a spiritual crisis. 1. Addressing theologies that paralyse and deny the reality of climate change Rethinking theologies of creation, salvation, stewardship, home in the Pacific context
Relocation/Resett lement Pastoral responses Helping Pacific leaders support their communities pastorally spiritual, emotional, psychological Navigating the Tides project (collaboration with PCC) 5 workshops in 5 countries
Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu Climate Change Desk & Project Officer (initially for 12 months) Vision Tuvluans engaging confidently with the reality of climate change Project Activities EKT theological position on climate change Theological workshop on climate change and how theology can be integrated into Christian Education resources and exploring public theology Post implementation of the Nav Tides workshop
Climate justice/advocac y Standing in solidarity with our partners and enabling Pacific voices to be heard in Australia and beyond
Diaspora Engagement Climate change awareness raising and education among Pacific diaspora communities People s Climate March in Sydney- November 2015 over 1000 Pis. This marked the beginning of mobilising our people for advocacy and political action. We recognise that our decisions and subsequent actions (or lack of) have implications on and for vulnerable others, many of whom are our families and friends. Theological reflection and discipleship