Holy Cross Church,
Wilcot
Wilcot
Is the world’s existence a matter of Chance?
Haven’t scientists disproved the theory of creation by showing the universe began with a Big Bang and we all then evolved? Well, even if you believe that, it says nothing about why we exist. Are we just random molecules thrown together that happen to be able to think and breathe? The evidence of our own complex bodies suggests they were designed to feel emotion, nurture others, appreciate beauty and a million other things. So who or what designed us? And what about the incredible way in which nature works so precisely to provide the right amount of oxygen for mammals to breathe? When you look into it, it’s hard to believe it all happened by chance.
What does the Christian Faith teach about the World’s Future?
The words ‘Armageddon’ and ‘Judgement Day’ entered our vocabulary from the Christian idea that at some point we’ll all be asked to account for our actions. This idea is common to several religions, but Christians are different: they happily admit they’re not good enough. A list of all the good things they’d ever done would be tiny compared to a list of their bad deeds. Our only hope is that God can find some way to forgive us. Thankfully, he has. For the Christian, the future is assured, but only by the grace of a God who inexplicably loves us enough to keep his promises.
Do Christians really care about this World?
If Christians believe in life after death, why should they care about the planet we live on? Well, partly because God asked us to take good care of the world he created. And partly because Christians are concerned we are all jeopardising the future for our children and grandchildren. Precious natural
resources are disappearing, global warming means more extreme weather conditions, and animal and plant species are becoming extinct. Christians are often at the forefront of attempts to conserve nature, recycle our resources, compost green waste and find alternative energy sources.
What does the Christian say about the way goods are traded around the World?
Imagine you work in Ghana. You’ve sweated for months to plant, grow and harvest your rice. You take it to your local market, knowing the profit you make will determine whether your family eats next year. You sell nothing, because your neighbours are buying cheap rice imported from a western country that subsidises its farmers. Millions of farmers in developing countries are losing their livelihoods like this because the rules governing trade between countries aren’t fair. Trade justice would help poorer countries protect their businesses from cheap imports. Christians are at the forefront of campaigns – such as Make Poverty History – calling for this.
What does the Christian Faith have to say about the Poverty in the World?
Of the six billion people in our world, 1.6 billion of them earn less than 70p per day. Every eight seconds somewhere in the world, a child dies from diarrhoea. Yet the 200 richest people in the world between them own as much as the poorest 2.5 billion. As Christians, we know there is enough food, water and property in this world to go round. We believe that it’s not fair that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The Bible has more to say about this than virtually anything else. Christians campaign, lobby, pray and act to try to make the world a fairer place.
about the World