The Wonders of creation

My approach to the serious environmental situation that the world is currently facing comes from both my science and my faith and so the evening on 17th May will cover aspects of both. The environmental crisis is serious as we face fast advancing climate change, loss of many species of plants and animals (biodiversity), pollution from excess plastic and rising sea levels. Forests are vital for a sustainable future as they control and protect the climate as well as housing many biological species. The Amazon rainforest is home to a third of all biological species in the world and its deforestation is a serious contributor to climate change. After many years exploring the Amazon rainforest I have watched while 25 percent of the forest has been destroyed for unsustainable cattle pasture, soybean fields and timber extraction, and the native peoples evacuated from their lands, so I will address the seriousness of the environmental crisis. I will speak a bit about the destruction of the forest, but will also show some pictures of the wonders of interactions between the plants and the animals of the forest as the natural environment speaks to us for itself.

How is all his connected to my Christian faith?

I believe that my work has been helping to understand more about the working of God's creation. It is not just the environment, but it is creation that I study and that I am striving to help. As a Christian travelling around on the Amazon mission field I have many opportunities to interact with missionaries and churches in Amazonia. I have found that here are so many ways in which a Christian layman can witness for Jesus and also for the care of His creation. As Saint Paul says in Romans 8:22 "The whole creation is groaning."

However, this will not be a lecture of doom and gloom as my hope comes from my faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible tells us that " For in Him (Christ) all things in heaven and on earth were created"....and "all things have been created through him and for him" (Colossians 1: 16). If creation was by and for jesus Christ then we as Christians must help to protect it. And so my lecture will also address some of the reasons from the Bible that Christians who believe in a creator God need to be involved in creation care. This should help Emmanuel progress towards its pathway to become an EcoChurch. We can't all be involved in protecting the Amazon rainforest in the way that I have, but we can all do our little bit to protect God's creation and to live in a more sustainable way wherever we live both as individuals and as a church community. I hope that you will come to the evening

ready to listen and to discuss these important issues.