Do you agree that “Talk of climate change detracts from spirituality at St. John’s”?
That was the second question on the anonymous Earth-Day Survey distributed at the morning services on Sunday April 22. Out of 48 responses handed in, 4 (8%) said they agreed and 14 (29%) were neutral. Interestingly, most of these same people agree or strongly agree that climate change is a problem. One person indicated that they spent so much time on climate change activities during the week, they preferred to have some distance from it at church.
Sometimes I find myself sympathizing with that view, wanting to have a day of respite from ubiquitous reminders of our rampant consumption and its consequences. But on other days, I feel weary from worrying how slow our governments and businesses are to change. Surely by now we should see them hustling to replace travel with teleconferences and rushing out new policies and products for fuel saving. During those moments of flagging spirit, I look forward to reconnecting with members of the Care-for-Creation group at St. John’s.
For me, there are two types of spirituality at play. One is uplifting awe (‘reverent wonder tinged with fear inspired by the sublime’ – Webster) and one is uplifting collegiality and community. The second helps me manage the tinge of fear when it swells to a splash of anxiety or a deluge of depression. If I were to give them names, the first would be ‘solitary spirituality’ and the second ‘social spirituality.’
Each individual seems to have their own ideal mix of solitary and social spirituality, and the two are not always harmonious. This idea came to me during Lent at the Care-for-Creation group’s three evening discussions on responses to climate change:
Some of us expressed the feeling that we need each other’s social support and praise to keep our spirits high and help the momentum grow. However, Peggy Wilmot wisely cautioned us that our mutual cheerleading might slip into undue social pressure if we are not tactful and sensitive. We need to recognize, praise and thank each other for taking new steps to reduce our ecological footprints. But we must avoid engendering feelings of guilt among others who are not yet ready for such steps.
With these thoughts in mind, the Care-for-Creation group is now meeting on the first Sunday of each month at a table in the Church Hall during coffee hour after the 9:15 or joint service. If you are concerned or simply curious, do come and sit with us for a few minutes to chat or just listen. Whatever is your ideal mix of solitary and social spirituality, you will probably begin wanting a tinge more of the social in the coming years, as the climate is increasingly tinged with warmth.