Newsletter no. 5 (June 2000)

Dear Friend,
Some of the main priorities for JRI are to spread the message of environmental sustainability: by providing information through the JRI website, publishing briefing papers, building a team of JRI Associates, speaking at national and local events, and setting up workshops and seminars.

Resources Directory for the Web.
If you want to find out about an environmental issue, find a creation-aware bible study or material for class teaching or inspiration from how Christians around the world have been practically caring for creation, where would you go? JRI has begun to build a one-stop-shop service on the web, to select and review appropriate and authoritative resources. At www.jri.org.uk/hub/index.htm a draft can be viewed. Each sub-topic such as Solar Power, Deuteronomy, Church heating or Poetry requires a reviewer with appropriate expertise. Non-experts can also help build the gateway; this is explained in detail online. Please contact us if you can help.

Theological Education.
John McKeown was in Oxford from 8th-10th February for the Global Consultation on Distance Theological Education at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. JRI aims to supply an ecological dimension for established core theology courses, mainly through web-based supplements. We intend to pursue a pilot project in collaboration with the Open Theological College’s 2nd year course on Deuteronomy, which contains a unit touching on the themes of ‘Land’ and ethics.

Two new JRI Briefing Papers.
No.2 "Global Pollution and Climate Change" and No.3 "Creation’s Destiny in Jesus Christ" were published this April. Papers near completion are on biodiversity, two on aspects of genetic engineering, and two on theological topics.

Reith Lectures and a JRI response.
This year’s BBC Reith Lectures explored 6 aspects of sustainable development. The last talk, by the Prince of Wales, created considerable interest and debate as it explicitly referred to the Creator, and to ‘a sense of the sacred in our natural world’. JRI has drafted a pamphlet which picks up the themes and extends the biblical dimension, and aims to publish it later this summer to coincide with a BBC book.

Building the JRI Associates team.
The Anglican Chaplaincy at Bradford University and College provided a real feeling of community for the fifth JRI Introductory Seminar on 13th May. Participants explored practical issues in business ethics and energy saving. We are grateful to Rev Andii Bowsher, the Anglican Chaplain, for his help.

JRI at national and local events.
JRI directors Sir John Houghton, Dr John Sale and Prof Colin Russell have given talks on the Christian imperative of care for creation at various events, with the JRI display and literature table in support.

GWEINI (a joint venture by CARE and the Evang-elical Alliance) held a conference in Cardiff on 17th March to provide input to the Welsh Assembly’s consultation on Sustainable Development. The keynote speaker was Sir John Houghton.

Word Alive (Spring Harvest) in Skegness included a talk on 17th April to about 300 people, and a late night session attracted another 30. An audio tape of the talk is available from Spring Harvest tapes: ICC, Silverdale Rd, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN20 7AB.

Easter People held over the weekend 28th/29th April at Bournemouth is an annual Christian event. Sir John Houghton was a panelist for an evening ‘Chat Show’ and also gave a talk on the following day.

Christian Resources Exhibition 16th-19th May. The ‘Going for Green’ Eco-Congregations project kindly carried JRI literature on their stall at this major event.

Pentecost 2000 events were held around the country and JRI directors gave talks at two of these. In Gloucestershire: JRI was at Cheltenham race-course on 10th June. Dr John Sale spoke on "The Christian Imperative of Caring for Creation" and the JRI stand was in the local ‘Community Exhibition’. In Buckinghamshire Professor Colin Russell spoke about a Christian approach to Environmental issues.

Stewardship event, 15-17 Sept 2000.
Canon Barry Thompson has invited a JRI consultation on Stewardship at St. George’s House, Windsor Castle on 15-17 September 2000. Speakers will include Prof Calvin DeWitt, Prof Robin Attfield (University of Cardiff), Prof Jim Lovelock FRS, and Dr Murray Rae (King’s College London). Invitations have been sent out. We plan to publish the proceedings.

Church of England conference 25th May.
Social Responsibility officers, and others, from many English dioceses met to consider how parishes can put the Lambeth statements into action. An inspiring address was given by the Bishop of London. JRI and other complementary groups had display stands and gave short presentations.
JRI collaborates with other groups, and for readers who might not be aware of them we have described three of them below:

A Rocha (Christians in Conservation) emphases include community, ornithology and wetlands. It runs field study centres in Portugal and Lebanon, and growing projects in Kenya, France and Canada. A Rocha UK plans a centre at Southall in London.

CEL (Christian Ecology Link) encourages churches toward practical creation care through its Millennium Certificate scheme. A flyer for the CEL conference this October is enclosed.

Eco-Congregations - has completed a pilot study with 22 churches encouraging practical corporate action. It is one of the projects of ‘Going for Green’.

CGCHE Environment Week, 3-7 April.
JRI is based at Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education. In the main campus foyer through Environment Week was a multimedia display on ‘The Seven Days of Creation’ by the Chaplaincy and a local church. Dr Peter Scott of the Theology department spoke about ‘Social Ecology’ and Prof Gordon Wenham gave the first ‘Annual Chaplaincy Lecture’, exploring biblical teaching on land, water, plants and animals.

CGCHE chaplaincy assistant Sue Kirkbride (left) with designer Chantal Freeman and one of the multimedia objects in the ‘Seven Days’ exhibition..

New member of Management Board.
Mr Paul Houghton, a Lecturer at Newbury College, has become the new JRI Treasurer. We are grateful to the outgoing treasurer, Mr Peter Clark, for all his help in the foundation and development of JRI.

Financial support for JRI.
We are grateful for donations received over recent months. JRI continues to need financial support to take its work forward. A gift aid form is enclosed.

With best wishes,

John Houghton
Chairman, The John Ray Initiative

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	Newsletter no. 5 (June 2000) Dear Friend, Some of the main priorities for JRI are to spread the message of environmental sustainability: by providing information through the JRI website, publishing briefing papers, building a team of JRI Associates, speaking at national and local events, and setting up workshops and seminars. Resources Directory for the Web. If you want to find out about an environmental issue, find a creation-aware bible study or material for class teaching or inspiration from how Christians around the world have been practically caring for creation, where would you go? JRI has begun to build a one-stop-shop service on the web, to select and review appropriate and authoritative resources. At www.jri.org.uk/hub/index.htm a draft can be viewed. Each sub-topic such as Solar Power, Deuteronomy, Church heating or Poetry requires a reviewer with appropriate expertise. Non-experts can also help build the gateway; this is explained in detail online. Please contact us if you can help. Theological Education. John McKeown was in Oxford from 8th-10th February for the Global Consultation on Distance Theological Education at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. JRI aims to supply an ecological dimension for established core theology courses, mainly through web-based supplements. We intend to pursue a pilot project in collaboration with the Open Theological College’s 2nd year course on Deuteronomy, which contains a unit touching on the themes of ‘Land’ and ethics. Two new JRI Briefing Papers. No.2 "Global Pollution and Climate Change" and No.3 "Creation’s Destiny in Jesus Christ" were published this April. Papers near completion are on biodiversity, two on aspects of genetic engineering, and two on theological topics. Reith Lectures and a JRI response. This year’s BBC Reith Lectures explored 6 aspects of sustainable development. The last talk, by the Prince of Wales, created considerable interest and debate as it explicitly referred to the Creator, and to ‘a sense of the sacred in our natural world’. JRI has drafted a pamphlet which picks up the themes and extends the biblical dimension, and aims to publish it later this summer to coincide with a BBC book. Building the JRI Associates team. The Anglican Chaplaincy at Bradford University and College provided a real feeling of community for the fifth JRI Introductory Seminar on 13th May. Participants explored practical issues in business ethics and energy saving. We are grateful to Rev Andii Bowsher, the Anglican Chaplain, for his help. JRI at national and local events. JRI directors Sir John Houghton, Dr John Sale and Prof Colin Russell have given talks on the Christian imperative of care for creation at various events, with the JRI display and literature table in support. GWEINI (a joint venture by CARE and the Evang-elical Alliance) held a conference in Cardiff on 17th March to provide input to the Welsh Assembly’s consultation on Sustainable Development. The keynote speaker was Sir John Houghton. Word Alive (Spring Harvest) in Skegness included a talk on 17th April to about 300 people, and a late night session attracted another 30. An audio tape of the talk is available from Spring Harvest tapes: ICC, Silverdale Rd, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN20 7AB. Easter People held over the weekend 28th/29th April at Bournemouth is an annual Christian event. Sir John Houghton was a panelist for an evening ‘Chat Show’ and also gave a talk on the following day. Christian Resources Exhibition 16th-19th May. The ‘Going for Green’ Eco-Congregations project kindly carried JRI literature on their stall at this major event. Pentecost 2000 events were held around the country and JRI directors gave talks at two of these. In Gloucestershire: JRI was at Cheltenham race-course on 10th June. Dr John Sale spoke on "The Christian Imperative of Caring for Creation" and the JRI stand was in the local ‘Community Exhibition’. In Buckinghamshire Professor Colin Russell spoke about a Christian approach to Environmental issues. Stewardship event, 15-17 Sept 2000. Canon Barry Thompson has invited a JRI consultation on Stewardship at St. George’s House, Windsor Castle on 15-17 September 2000. Speakers will include Prof Calvin DeWitt, Prof Robin Attfield (University of Cardiff), Prof Jim Lovelock FRS, and Dr Murray Rae (King’s College London). Invitations have been sent out. We plan to publish the proceedings. Church of England conference 25th May. Social Responsibility officers, and others, from many English dioceses met to consider how parishes can put the Lambeth statements into action. An inspiring address was given by the Bishop of London. JRI and other complementary groups had display stands and gave short presentations. JRI collaborates with other groups, and for readers who might not be aware of them we have described three of them below: A Rocha (Christians in Conservation) emphases include community, ornithology and wetlands. It runs field study centres in Portugal and Lebanon, and growing projects in Kenya, France and Canada. A Rocha UK plans a centre at Southall in London. CEL (Christian Ecology Link) encourages churches toward practical creation care through its Millennium Certificate scheme. A flyer for the CEL conference this October is enclosed. Eco-Congregations - has completed a pilot study with 22 churches encouraging practical corporate action. It is one of the projects of ‘Going for Green’. CGCHE Environment Week, 3-7 April. JRI is based at Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education. In the main campus foyer through Environment Week was a multimedia display on ‘The Seven Days of Creation’ by the Chaplaincy and a local church. Dr Peter Scott of the Theology department spoke about ‘Social Ecology’ and Prof Gordon Wenham gave the first ‘Annual Chaplaincy Lecture’, exploring biblical teaching on land, water, plants and animals. CGCHE chaplaincy assistant Sue Kirkbride (left) with designer Chantal Freeman and one of the multimedia objects in the ‘Seven Days’ exhibition.. New member of Management Board. Mr Paul Houghton, a Lecturer at Newbury College, has become the new JRI Treasurer. We are grateful to the outgoing treasurer, Mr Peter Clark, for all his help in the foundation and development of JRI. Financial support for JRI. We are grateful for donations received over recent months. JRI continues to need financial support to take its work forward. A gift aid form is enclosed. With best wishes, John Houghton Chairman, The John Ray Initiative \| Home \| Pagetop \|
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