Synod 2
The environment policy was presented this afternoon and it generated a fair bit of debate. It contains considerable detail some ok and some in my opinion based on poor and inaccurate assumptions. But my real beef was less with the detail and more with two principles.
First the policy seems to focus on the environment as an end in itself. The idea of stewardship is not explicit and very loose. But as a Christian Church what we will be held accountable for is not the final condition of the world but our stewardship of the resources we have been given to look after.
Second, reporting on compliance with a detailed environmental policy strikes me as a diversion and distraction from our core business of proclaiming the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have enough trouble getting people involved in 'core' activities.
That is not to say we should ignore our responsibilities in this respect. But rather than legislating , stewardship including of our natural resources, should be a consequential result of the Lordship of Christ. And practical pointers in stewardship in this area can be helpful.
In the end while the report was received, the pointy end of requirement to report annually on environmental performance was defeated soundly. And I got tp make my maiden synod speech.
