the Church: Dr. Cherian Samuel

Dr. Cherian Samuel, McLean, Virginia

Introduction.

This essay explores the relationship between Sustainable Development—covering economic, social and environmental sustainability aspects—and the Mission of the Church. The discussion is anchored in the divine mandate to humanity as stewards of creation and its implications for sustainability. The essay is divided into two sections. The first section outlines issues related to Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Mission of the Church. The second section explores the relationship between Sustainable Development and the Mission of the Church, and concludes the essay.

Sustainable Development.

The 1987 Brundtland Reportviii defined sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The Report characterized sustainable development as a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are made consistent with future as well as present needs. Sustainable development requires meeting the basic needs of all and extending to all the opportunity to satisfy their aspirations for a better life. Sustainable development was subsequently adopted as an overarching objective by Governments at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, more commonly known as the “Earth Summit”.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developmentix — adopted by all UN Member States in September 2015— provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) x, an urgent call for action by all countries, recognizing that ending poverty and other deprivations must go along with strategies to improve health and education, reduce inequality and promote economic growth, while tackling the challenge of climate change to preserve the planetxi .

Climate Change.

Among the 17 SDGs, Goal#13 on Climate Change is perhaps the most urgent, given the existential threat posed to the planet and humanity. There is a symbiotic relationship between Sustainable Development and Climate Change. On the one hand, Climate Change influences key natural and human living conditions and therefore Sustainable Development. On the other hand, society’s priorities on Sustainable Development influence both the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions that are causing Climate Change and the vulnerability. As a result, the adverse impacts of Climate Change are undermining the ability of countries to attain Sustainable Development. Poor and developing countries, particularly the least developed countries (LDCs), are among those most adversely affected and least able to cope with climate change related shocks to social, economic and natural systems. Increases in global temperature, sea level rise, ocean acidification and other climate change impacts are seriously affecting coastal areas and low-lying coastal countries, including many LDCs and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

According to the World Bankxii, no country today is immune from the impacts of climate change. There is an unmistakable link between climate change and its impact on human wellbeing and poverty. If unchecked, climate change will push 132 million people into poverty over the next 10 years, nullifying hard-won development gains. Annually, natural disasters cost about $18 billion in lowand middle-income countries through damages to power generation and transport infrastructure alone. They also trigger wider disruptions for households and firms costing at least $390 billion a year. Climate change could also drive 216 million people to migrate within their own countries by 2050, with hotspots of internal migration emerging as soon as 2030, spreading and intensifying thereafter.

The international political response to Climate Change started at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, where the ‘Rio Convention’ included the adoption of the UN Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC)xiii. In December 2015, the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) convened in Paris, France, and adopted the Paris Agreement, a universal agreement which aims to keep a global temperature rise for this century well below 2 degrees Celsius, with the goal of driving efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial revolution levelsxiv. While climate change mitigationxv is the solution to address the climate change challenge, adaptationxvi is an immediate and win–win action to increase resilience and reduce climate-related impacts and risksxvii .

Following the recently concluded (November 2021) 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, UK, a consensus has emerged regarding key actions for tackling Climate Changexviii, relating to adaptation, mitigation, and financexix. Regarding adaptation, a work program has been established to define the global goal on adaptation, which will identify collective needs and solutions to the climate crisis already affecting many countries. On mitigation, the persistent gap in emissions was identified and the Parties collectively agreed to reduce the gap and ensure that the world continues to advance during the present decade, so that the rise in the average temperature is limited to 1.5 degrees. Regarding finance, there was consensus on the need for increased support to developing countries, with a call to at least double the finance for adaptation, as well as fulfill the pledge of providing $100 billion annually from developed to developing countries. A process for defining the new global goal on finance was also launched. Finally, after six years of negotiations, pending items that prevented the full implementation of the Paris Agreement on carbon markets and transparency were approved.

Sustainability and Evaluation.

The ex-post evaluation framework for private sector projects supported by Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)xx are anchored in sustainability considerations as well. For example, in the case of both the International Finance Corporation (IFC)xxi and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)xxii —members of the World Bank Group—the stakeholder framework is used for assessing the development impact of supported projects ex-postxxiii, underpinned by the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of supported projectsxxiv . Within the stakeholder framework, sustainability of private sector projects is fundamental, based on the recognition that failed businesses do not make positive contributions to the economy and society.

Mission of the Church.

The mission of the Church is to proclaim and share the “Gospel”xxv message, the good news regarding the reconciliation between holy God and sinful humanity through Jesus, as He commanded through the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20, Mark 16: 15-16, Acts 1:8). As Apostle Paul proclaimed to the Corinthian believers, God has reconciled humanity to Himself through Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 18, 19). Jesus bore the guilt and punishment for the sin of humanity on the cross, thereby imputing righteousness to believers.

As elaborated in the Gospels, reconciliation was the very purpose of Jesus coming to earth: to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10); to save people from sins (Matthew 1:21). Prophet Isaiah prophesied the fact of the Messiah being wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our inequities, and the chastisement for our peace being upon Him—700 years before Jesus was born—and dying on the cross for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). Therefore, it is God who reaches out, initiates, and saves fallen humanity, who had become the enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Without God’s sovereign intervention, no sinner could ever be saved (John 6:65).

History of Creation.

As recorded in the Bible, God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), by His word and with the breath of His mouth (Psalm 33:6). The first two chapters of the Book of Genesis provides a beautiful chronological account of creation, signifying the greatness and majesty of the LORD: (i) Day 1—Day and Night (1: 2-5); (ii) Day 2—Heavens. Oceans (1:6-9); (ii) Day 3—Land, Vegetation (1:10-13); (iv) Day 4—Sun, Moon, Stars (1:14-19); (v) Day 5—Sea creatures. Birds (1:20-23); (vi) Day 6—Land animals, Humanity (1:24-31); and (vii) Day 7—Rest (2:2-3). Unlike the rest of creation, God created Humanity in His own image, male and female (1:27), out of the dust of the ground, albeit into a living being with the breath of life (2:7). Overall, God was pleased with His creation, characterizing it as “very good” (1:31). Likewise, in Psalm 8, King David presents a magnificent portrait of the glory of the LORD in creation and the wonder of humanity’s position in the cosmos (Psalm 8:1-9).

Stewardship Mandate.

A defining feature of Creation was God granting humanity dominion over all created things (Genesis 1:26, Psalm 8:6-8). With the LORD God as the fountainhead of all things, the “dominion” role of humanity is best understood as a “stewardship” role, taking care of God’s creation. As noted in Richter (2020) xxvi, at the creation of humanity in the image of God on the sixth day, humanity was granted stewardship—appointed as God’s custodians, as loyal representatives—over a complex and magnificent universe, as the embodiment of God’s sovereignty on earth. The stewardship mandate granted to humanity also provides the biblical basis for

Sustainable Development. The stewardship mandate may also be elucidated in economic, social and environmental terms, similar to the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainability.

King David provides a powerful illustration of humanity’s stewardship mandate, while blessing the LORD before the assembly of Israel, as they made generous and willing offerings, with a loyal heart, to build the temple for the LORD God (1 Chronicles 29:9-20). David stated unequivocally that everything comes from the LORD; that their offerings to God was only what they had received from Him; and emphasized their own unworthiness in being able to give generously (1 Chronicles 29:14-16).

The stewardship mandate also comes with accountability for humanityxxvii, given the associated responsibility of representing God in the world. Humanity can exercise dominion only under the delegated authority of God, where all authority rests (Romans 13:1-5). As caretakers of the earth and created in the image of God, humanity has to bring the material world into the service of God and its own good as God’s blessing on humanity. Bible also teaches that as stewards, humanity must shepherd and care for the governed (Titus 1:7-8).

Rest. In addition, God’s provision for rest—including sabbath rest—supplements the biblical basis for sustainable development. Beginning with creation (Genesis 2:2-3), rest is a repeated, desirable theme in the Bible. God rested on the seventh day, setting the standard and pattern for humanity to follow. God also built into humanity the need for sleep, like the rest of creationxxviii .

God established a pattern of regular rest through the ten commandments, when He made resting on the Sabbath a requirement of the Law for all God’s people, their servants and the animals (Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Upon entering the Promised land, the children of Israel were also commanded to give a sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD in the seventh year, without any sowing or reaping (Leviticus 25:1-17). As Christians, our ultimate rest is in Jesus, who invites all who are weary and burdened to come to Him and cast their cares on Him (Matthew 11:28; 1 Peter 5:7). Just as Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve humanity from labor, Jesus has come to save humanity from the futile effort to achieve salvation by works.

Economic Stewardship.

Walter Brueggemann—the pre-eminent Old Testament theologian—has suggested that the cancellation of debts mandated for the children of Israel every seven years and in the Jubilee year—the sabbatical 50th year after seven cycles of seven years (49 years)–is the most explicit teaching on economic stewardship in the Biblexxix (Leviticus 25:8-17, Deuteronomy 15:1-18). The regulation protects the wellbeing of the land from unrestrained predation, as well as those who become impoverished and indebted. The Bible teaches Christians to help the poor and the afflicted, the orphans and widows, and people unable to support themselves (Isaiah 1:17; James 1:27).

Social Stewardship.

Bible teaches that God is a God of justice (Deuteronomy 32:4), with concern and care shown to the poor and afflicted (Deuteronomy 10:18). Israel was commanded to care for the fatherless, the widow and the sojourner, people who were not able to fend for themselves or had no support system. In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus speaks about caring for the least (Matthew 25:40), underpinned by the second of the greatest commandments, love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Jesus also showed deep compassion for the poor, the sick, the dispossessed, and the outcasts of society (Matthew 11:5), albeit with a focus on spiritual needsxxx .

Environmental Stewardship. As discussed earlier, the Bible states clearly that the earth and everything in it belongs to God, with God granting humanity a stewardship over role at Creation. Stewardship implies caretaking—intelligently managing God-given resources—in order to preserve and protect. A good example of environmental stewardship comes from the Old Testament, where God commands the fields and vineyards to be sown and harvested for six years, then left fallow for the seventh year in order to replenish the soil’s nutrients, both to rest the land and ensure continued provision for His people in the future (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7).

Given our collective carbon emissions as humanity, Climate Change presents an unprecedented ethical problem to Christians, impinging on Jesus’s foundational command to Love One Another, across time and space. Humanity is called to care for the neighbors of the future and the present. The relationship between the ethical considerations of climate change—the knowledge that our actions directly or indirectly cause harm to others— and the practice of the Christian faith has been challenging.

SDGs and the Church.

At its core, SDGs reflect the interrelatedness of creation and the interdependence of human needs. By His grace, the Church has been invited to be a part of God’s work for humanity, even as perfect justice and perfect peace remains a vision for the future. Faith demands the people of God to be ambassadors for change, striving for justice and peace in the world, with the SDGs serving as progress markers.

Almost all of the 17 SDGs are connected to the work of the Church and related organizations at some level, with a direct connection to five SDGsxxxi: (i) SDG 3 - Good health and wellbeing; Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (“I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26); (ii) SDG 4 - Quality education; Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (“How much better to get wisdom than gold.” Proverbs 16:16); (iii) SDG 5 - Gender equality; Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (“There is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28); (iv) SDG 10 - Reduced inequalities; Reduce inequality within and among countries (“… do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor …” Zechariah 7:10); and (v) SDG 16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions; Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels (“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:19)

Sustainability and the Mission of the Church.

Based on the considerations outlined in this essay, sustainable development—based on economic, social and environmental sustainability—is fully consistent with the Church’s mission to share the good news of the Gospel in the world. The stewardship mandate—economic, social and environmental stewardship—granted to humanity at Creation provides the biblical basis for sustainable development and the related SDGs.

Meeting the physical and spiritual needs of humanity has been central to the mission of the Church from the very beginning. The Early Church shared all they had (Acts 2:4445, Acts 4:32-37), taking special care of widows (Acts 6:1-7), and working together to meet specific needs. For example, when the church in Jerusalem was suffering persecution and a famine, the church in Antioch sent relief (Acts 11:29–30). Likewise, local churches have been a tremendous blessing to communities during the peak of the recent COVID-19 pandemicxxxii. There are also ongoing initiatives to identify and serve most urgent spiritual and physical needs globallyxxxiii .

Conclusions.

Sustainable development—based on economic, social and environmental sustainability aspects—is fully consistent with the mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples. Stewardship mandate—covering economic, social and environmental stewardship—granted to humanity at Creation by the LORD provides the biblical basis for sustainable development. Ultimately, stewardship is humanity’s obedient submission to God’s sovereignty. Lastly, Climate change presents an existential threat to humanity, as well as a fundamental challenge to Jesus’s radical Love One Another command to Christians. Sustainability considerations are also central to the ex-post development impact assessments of private sector projects that reduce poverty, meet people’s needs and contribute to the Church’s mission. He became poor so that we may become rich because of His grace. When we live in a market-oriented culture we often forget about the Christ. Christmas should be an experience of emptying ourselves. The birth of Jesus Christ was a painful experience for Joseph and Mary. But they listened and obeyed God so that their agony became our joy. Unless and until we experience the pain and agony of others we cannot celebrate the joy of Christmas in its true meaning.

Christmas must be an embodiment of the sacrifice and obedience to God. Our celebrations should reflect the pain and sufferings of others, then only it would become a real celebration. God is the master carpenter who created the whole world. Are we still searching the Christ in the manger or the crucified Christ on the cross? His birth and death should challenge the way we live and should enable us to transform ourselves, and the life of others around us. The resurrected Christ’s presence in our lives should enable us to face the various challenges of the world.

In Fort Worth, a city on the west of Dallas, the City owned buses carry an advertisement by an atheist group, which reads – “Millions of Americans are good without God.” We should be blamed if millions of Americans are good without Jesus since they did not see the resurrected Christ in the lives of the so-called Christians. Becoming annoyed by the advertisement on the city buses, the Christians placed a counter advertisement, which reads like this – “Millions of people are good with God.” Is it just for being good for us that we are Christians? No, we should be able to be good for the people around us. They should see Jesus through our lives and taste that He is good.

It is comfortable to move with the crowd, but it is difficult to move with God. Christians need to move to the other side of the world in order to be with God. A true believer should live the Gospel and not of the materialistic world. Christianity should be a way of life. It is not about wearing a cross but cross should be our way of life. Christ should be revealed through our lives. Time magazine had portrayed Mother Teresa as the most beautiful women in the world. It is not her outer beauty, but her inner beauty that Time magazine has recognized.

The message of Gospel should enable us to glorify God through our lives. The Gospel should enable us to be with God and to walk with God. Jesus wants us to have a personal encounter with Him in our daily lives. We need to step out of the nets that prevent us from being with God. When we encounter Jesus, His glory will be revealed through our lives. Our faith should outflow our emotions to have real encounter with Him. (Continued on Page 49)