A church in Preston is hosting a regional Sustainability Forum, bringing together experts from several disciplines to stimulate thinking and policy across the North-west, and re-kindle a debate of national importance. ‘Evidence continues to grow about the need to immediately address fundamental sustainability questions,’ said Rev Chris Halliwell, Diocesan Rural and Environmental Officer.
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Audio (mp3) and Powerpoint slides are available on the main Water conference page.
We heard from Tearfund speakers Frank Greaves and Sue Yardley about the serious nature of water crises, particularly in the developing world. Barbara Brighouse (Christian Engineers in Development) then explained the work of CED at two sites in Tanzania- bringing water and sanitation to needy communities. After an excellent lunch we then heard John Bimson (Trinity College, Bristol) on the theology of water – lots to think about. The five seminars in the afternoon gave us such a choice that it was difficult to know where to go! Excellent day, and we are already planning the next one. Audio (mp3) and Powerpoint slides are available on the main Water conference page.
9th/10th May 2012 at High Leigh Conference Centre. Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. More details and booking information are available. We also have a Facebook Event page
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CEL’s 30th anniversary conference near Bristol on Saturday 10th March was an excellent day, with talks from Jonathon Porritt and Tim Gorringe, and responses from Paul Bodenham and Ellen Teague. In the afternoon the modern church hall was transformed by various partitions, and seminars were given by Edward Echlin, Jonathan Essex, Mark Letcher, Chris Sunderland, Jeremy Williams, and Tim Gorringe. The location was commendably only a few yards from Bristol Parkway railway station.
Hope in an age of environmental crisis. A gathering for communicators What relevance does the Christian message of hope have in our world that seems increasingly hopeless? It is noticeable that the Christian scene has changed, from the Tearfund/ A Rocha UK/ JRI/ SJI tours of 2008/9 entitled, ‘Hope for Planet Earth’, to a recent (2011) Faraday Institute conference entitled, ‘Sustainability in Crisis’. A key turning point for the environmental movement in general was the Copenhagen Summit, which delivered so little, despite all the focus leading up to it. A grim and sober realism now seems appropriate, rather than a sense of, ‘if we all pull together we can do it’. What role, therefore, does a Christian theology of hope play in this? Is there any hope, humanly speaking, or are we beyond that? What role should a message of Christian hope play in our ecological message to churches/Christians? Are we just encouraging a ‘pie in the sky’ theology by peddling hope where there is none? Can a message of hope actually become de-motivating when the reality seems so different? It is this cluster of questions that we see as representing what we are calling, ‘the hope gap’. This is the focus of the present meeting. With top level input from Prof. Richard Bauckham, Andy Atkins (CEO, Friends of the Earth), and Dr Martin Hodson. Organisers: Rev. Margot Hodson (The John Ray Initiative) and Ruth Valerio (A Rocha UK).
THE CHRISTIAN CENSUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE in conjunction with York St. John University and York Minster presents: Mission Earth… A Christian response to climate change. Participants including: Diocese of Middlesbrough, CAFOD, Christian Ecology Link, Diocese of York, Eco Congregations, John Ray Initiative, Quaker Living Witness, Northern Baptist Association, Operation Noah, York Hull Methodists, Tearfund, and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Martin and Margot Hodson will be representing JRI. The event will happen on Saturday 21st April. The morning will be in York Minster (10-11.30am) with Archbishop John Sentamu, Bishop Terence Drainey, and The Reverend Stephen Burgess + speakers from leading scientific and development organisations. Lunch and the afternoon workshops will take place at York St. John University (12-4pm). There is FREE ENTRY but booking is required for the afternoon. For more information and to book tickets, go to: