At the heart of John’s teaching as reported by Luke in today’s Gospel reading is a serious challenge to his hearers to change their lifestyle; John the Baptist calls for ‘action, putting aside personal agendas in the interest of the wider community’ (ROOTS AAA, p. 27). One key application of that challenge in 2012 is action to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

This week's news 

Because the story was swamped by stories such as the tragic hoax calls to a hospital, conflict in Egypt and the death of Sir Patrick Moore, an under-reported piece of news last weekend was that international climate change talks in Doha reached a conclusion. 

Views of that conclusion differ but some countries have agreed to extend their commitment to the Kyoto Protocol and there has been some agreement that third world countries will be compensated  for the damage which the industrialised world has done to them by its carbon emissions. 

But there is much ink yet to be spilled before a new climate treaty will be drafted and agreed; island states are deeply critical of the low level of compensation offered; and some of the biggest countries have reservations. Nevertheless, unlike the last international conference on this subject, this meeting did not collapse in acrimony. Some agreement may be seen as a sign of hope in Advent.

Reflection

John demands change, argues the writer in ROOTS AAA for today. Climate change is happening and the challenge to all nations, north and south, is to change: change in particular in the way we burn fossil fuels. We have become dependent on transport most of which burns fossil fuels. Many of us heat our homes using fossil fuels. Renewable fuels such as biodiesel and the use of solar cells can help. But the science clearly warns us that unless we change our lifestyles too we will face irreversible changes in our climate with unpredictable consequences.

It may be that changes in weather are a warning to us akin to the warnings from John the Baptist. Be careful not to suggest that recent shifts in weather (such as excess rainfall in much of Britain this year or Hurricane Sandy) are firm evidence of irreversible climate change; changes in weather may be normal random variation. But there is clear and strong evidence that our climate is changing long term.

Against that background, ask yourself and ask your congregation:

• What would John the Baptist say about our profligate use of fossil fuels? 
• Are we acting with the mercy and justice John promoted?
• Is climate change the day of judgement for this generation?
• What can we each do to alter our lives to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and/or use more renewables?
• What can our church do to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and/or use more renewables?

Prayer

Help us, creator God, to take John’s message seriously in our modern context.
In particular, give us wisdom to discern what we each could and should each do,
what our church could and should do,
what our government could and should do,
and what the international community could and should do in the light of increasing evidence of the impact of climate change.
Amen.

Or add to the prayers of intercession on ROOTS AAA, page 28:
We pray for those engaged in international negotiations on climate change
and that we might respond ourselves.

Questions

In the light of the questions at Reflection above, discuss issues such as: 

• Did you use fossil fuels to travel to church (or to this group) today? If you came by car, did you share it with others or come alone?
• Have you considered solar panels on your home and on your church?
• How do you react to proposals to build of new wind turbines?

Action

Turn off some lights, even perhaps some Christmas lights, and/or turn down the heating. 

Decide to share transport to church next week.

Explore longer term ways in which you as individuals, churches and other groups to which you belong could reduce their dependence on fossil fuels (e.g. by organising yourselves so that you can use public transport more).

Young People

On a completely different tack, use the resources provided by Christian Aid to explore the ways in which Advent hope can be seen even in the midst of the Israel-Palestine conflict in the work of Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI).

Dudley Coates is a local preacher in the Bridport and Dorchester Methodist Circuit and a former Vice President of the Methodist Conference.

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