12 Nov Thurs Lunchtime Cheltenham prayers – Jonathan Porritt & COP31
Cheltenham Local Green Christian Group / Cheltenham Laudato Si’ Circle organise a Christian Climate Prayer on alternate Thursday lunchtimes. This Thursday 12 Nov, and four days into Climate COP31, the invited guest leader for the prayers was Green Christian patron, Jonathan Porritt.
Matin Davis, convener for the group ,wrote this report for those who had been unable to attend:
An unusually bracing ClimatePrayer, with Jonathon Porritt giving us what one regular afterwards described as a ‘truly inspirational’ lead.
Jonathon began by reflecting that it was Day 4 of COP31, and lamenting that the UN Conference of Parties process was ‘corrupted’ by the requirement for votes to be unanimous: just one petrostate can thus block the real progress that’s needed. (Jonathon’s blogpost of Wednesday, to be found here, goes into this in more detail.)
There were few headlines for the World Meteorological Organisation’s very up to date State of the Climate update, warning of the rising imbalance of Earth’s energy – so we are accumulating heat at an accelerating rate. Most is absorbed in the oceans: ocean heat intensifies tropical and subtropical storms, accelerates sea-ice loss in the polar regions, and – together with melting land ice – drives sea-level rise. What’s so sinister, Jonathon points out, is that this baked-in warming is projected to continue for hundreds to thousands of years.
He was encouraged by those of the younger generation – Greta Thunberg still standing out – continuing to speak truth to power. (See here for details of his latest book, written in conjunction with young people.) And he paid tribute to those older Christian activists like Mark Coleman and Sue Parfitt who laid their bodies on the line, whether as climate protestors or to call out our collusion with those in power continuing to wreak genocide in the Middle East. ‘Activism is love made visible,’ as Sue insists.
He praised Christian Climate Action’s recent success in getting the National Trust to change their banking away from ‘the wretched’ Barclays, mired by fossil fuel investment.
But this apart, where is the Church Militant when we need it? Using faith as a foundation for what we do, to step into those uncomfortable places and make a difference.
In the US there’s a feel of ‘end times’ with extreme forms of Christianity in the ascendance, as personified by the Secretary of War’s call for a Holy War against Islam. We should give thanks for last week’s Mid Term results: James Talarico stood in Texas on ‘the politics of kindness’, and won – David against the Goliath backing of Elon Musk’s millions. ‘Time to start flipping tables,’ the new Senator said, quoting the Gospel accounts of Jesus in the Temple.
Jonathon ended by quoting John Muir: ‘The earth is a divine incarnation. Everything is spirit incarnated in flesh.’ All matter is ‘simply portions of God’, ‘of the God essence’. This is why we continue to pray, and to act as we are able.
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For one participant, Julia, this year brought Jonathon’s message home to those who experienced the extreme weather – like St Thomas, putting his hand into the wound in Christ’s side, and believing. Blessed are those who don’t see for themselves, and yet still believe. And act on that belief, instead of worshipping the Golden Calf.
For another, Emma, speaking from the Philippines, even after her community’s recent four days with no electricity, she could give thanks for the privilege she has and those gifts of Creation she enjoys, inspired by the prayers of St Francis.
Thank you, Jonathon, and may your prophetic work continue
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Fortnightly Thursday ONLINE: climate prayer by zoom– 1pm-1.30pm – run by Cheltenham Green Christian local group – and Cheltenham Laudato Si’ Circle usually with guest prayer leaders. – Open to all: Ask for the link
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