The Role Of Faith in Reducing Waste By Simon Penney

Promise Consulting8 Chapel Lane

EbleySTROUD

GloucestershireGL5 4TD

T: 07976 310 984E: simon@promiseconsulting.org.uk

W: www.promiseconsulting.org.uk

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JOHN RAY INITIATIVE – END OF LIFE CONFERENCE11 February 2006

Over view

•How shall we describe the Kingdom of God ?•Facts and Figures•Why is our approach not working?•What else can we do?•Who is in Charge?•The real Problem•Should it make a Difference?•How to Respond – Theology•Another look at the Kingdom of God•The Role of Faith – A summary•Questions

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Should we describe

the Kingdom of God

like this?

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Facts and Figures

FIGURES•We generate enough waste to fill the Royal Albert Hall every 2 hrs•Increasing globally up to 7% pa •Global total MSW estimated to be1.84 billion tonnes•By 2008 the global total MSW will be 2.4 billion tonnes•Many other waste streams

IMPACTS•Global – contribution to climate change, •Regional/Local – landfill gas, leachate, amenity, transport•Wasted material resources and associated economic impacts•Environmental injustices, to poorer sections of societies.

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Why is our approach not working?

•Increasing wastes specific legislation•Increasing public awareness of the need for change•Development of national and international waste strategies•Increasing recycling rates•Better design processes, new techniques and methods•Attempts to decouple waste generation from economic growth•Research•Improving Technology

But waste generation continues to grow

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What Else Can We Do?

“Since the roots of our troubles are so largely religious, the remedy must also be essentially religious,

whether we call it that or not”Professor Lynn White

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Who is in Charge?

What are the powers and principalities of our time?

Paul says in Ephesians that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. What controls us?

Revelation 13 uses symbolism which might be helpful.Beast 1 represents the military might of empireBeast 2 represents economic and commercial muscle

The notion in the Bible is that these powers reconfigure themselves throughout the ages….so what are they in our time and what has it got to do with our subject?

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It is possible that one of the principalities of our time is our belief or “faith” in the market and humanity to solve all problems? This is now a global faith.

It seems however that for waste, the market is the problem.Waste generation is intimately linked to economic growth

Such growth is based on CONSUMERISM, the notion that enough is NEVER enough. Is this part of the beast of our time demanding sacrifice and honour?

The last remaining check on this, at least in the west is fast failing,Namely FAITH (in providence) and its associated contentment with enough.

Who is in Charge?

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The Real Problem

Therefore, perhaps our underlying problems are moral in nature. Which in turn causes the environmental, social and other problems we see.

If this is the case……… The solution must include changing where we place our Faith. FAITH in providence has been in the business of changing how we behave for centuries.

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If this is the case how should our behaviour change?

•Choices as individuals•Our public policy

It is important to note here that what we are doing so far is important, but that there is a role for faith (or whatever we call it) in challenging the forces that are creating the problem?

Is there a specifically Christian response -how do we wage war against the beasts?

Should it make a Difference?

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How to Respond - Theology

We have a responsibility to Steward the planets material resources – Gen 1v28Enough sometimes should be enough, we are ultimately accountableFor the way we use material resources. We also have a responsibilityTo reduce negative environmental impacts, wastes generation is aKey cause of such impacts.

Concern for our neighbours - Time/Space - Rom 13 v9-10 NIVWe have neighbours both in terms of space and time. We have responsibilities to love our neighbours, that does not mean foulingTheir nests and squandering their resources. In this highly interconnected world, we are also looking after ourselves bylooking after our neighbours

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Paying back what has been stolen - Lev 6v14 NIV

Whilst stolen might be too strong a word for some, many of the materials we have are obtained at unfair prices, within an economic system that favours the rich.

The least we can do is start to put this right. Particularly in the global south, waste materials developed initially in the west cause untold misery. We have a moral obligation to put this right.

Should we subsidise environmental technology in the global south?

This should be a component of overseas aid giving, both publicly and within the church.

How to Respond - Theology

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Individual, Planetary and Cosmic Renewal -Rom 8 v 19-21 NIVAccording to the Bible the creation is waiting in eager expectation for the Sons of God to be revealed….why? It seems that God’s plan for individual, planetary and cosmic renewal is some how bound up together. I wonder what the creation thinks so far?

The Environment as God’s Presence - Rev 22 v 5 NIVThe Bible starts to suggest that there will come a time, where God’s Presence will be so great, that it will almost be like we are living within his presence. Currently we live in our environment, how would wastes management look if we saw the environment as a sign, if not the actual manifestation of God’s presence?

How to Respond - Theology

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There is the need to re-examine our economies, personal and public. Can an economy based on growth and consumerism be biblical, sustainable or just, or is it simply bowing our knee to the power and principality of our time?Jesus - “total transformation of our attitudes and styles of life” (Bosch)

The Challenge

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Is this more what The kingdom of

God Should look like?©2006 Promise Consulting

•Helps us to define the problem •Adds to our understanding of how to tackle the root cause•Helps to develop some principles for dealing with it as people of faith•Helps to inform us how to encourage people with no faith•Provides us with clear choices•Inspires and motivates us•Helps to define the goal that we are aiming at•Offers us hope that it is a goal that can be reached,•Provides a way back to a partnership between people, planet and Providence

The Role Of Faith in Countering Waste Generation

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Questions

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