Onward and Upward Forever?

Looking back over the history of our nation and our faith, sometimes unexamined optimism has been co-opted by forces that turned out to have a destructive effect. The idea that people are perfectible, that growth is ever-onward, that we should expect a healthy business or institution to keep expanding forever … these ideas turned out to have environmental costs in a world of limited resources and unanticipated consequences. As we prepare for the September 20 climate strike, let’s explore some of the theological and historical roots that contributed to climate crisis, and let’s imagine new paradigms for sustainable spiritual growth and community care.