26th June
Love
“Ultimately, love is the reason we do one thing and not another. What we love determines how we act.” (P139) Those this does beg the question, what do we love? The answer might be money, power or self.
As an alternative, Davison suggest we might “see love as the criterion by which are actions are judged.” (P140) Do our actions express a God-like love?
Davison then explores an often overlooked issue – “What difference does my contribution make?”
One answer is that even that small difference is worth doing if it is the right or just thing – think of the parable of the widow’s mite. (P141)
Another is that we are in this together. (P142) My small contribution is part of our communal action and therefore part of a bigger whole. It is as communities that we best give and receive love, and as communities that we will best make the changes we need to make to safeguard our common future.
And again Davison reminds us of the core focus of the book (1), restraint. Love will always help us exercise restraint, and as regards our future, love will help us exercise restraint in the net zero lifestyles that we must embrace.
- Promise the Earth: a safe climate in good faith by Julian Allwood and Andrew Davison. https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/religion/religious-ethics/promise-earth-safe-climate-good-faith
The Green Tau 