Week Five

Part 5: Recycling boxes

Conversation Starter

Can you think of an example of something being recycled (or repurposed, reimagined or reclaimed perhaps) in the Bible?

Read 1 Corinthians 12: 12-26

As a church, as a human race, as a planet — we need to be more mindful that we are part of one big system. Have we been guilty of cutting off our hands and feet (see verse 21)?

In our church, in our politics, in our economies where have we been neglecting to value and include people? And given that our theme this week links to the environment, let’s also think especially of the circumstances where our economic choices have had an impact on the security and livelihood of others.

Read 1 Corinthians 12: 27-31

Our strength (as a church, human race, planet) comes from being a complex system. We’re not all the same, we each have different gifts that work together.

’Monoculture’ is a term from agriculture to talk about growing one crop in one place exclusively, with potentially detrimental effects over time to the ground and the larger ecosystem.

Can you think of examples of monoculture in our society and our churches where we have focused too much on cultivating one thing at the expense of others?

Read Luke 4: 14-30

This sequence contains what is sometimes referred to as the ‘Jesus Manifesto’ or the ‘Nazareth Manifesto’.

How does this manifesto inform how we think about ecology, sustainability, and climate justice?