The truth can set you free

I like Easter. It makes us think of new life, and new possibilities and fresh starts. It’s like a hyper charged ‘Spring’ if you like! It is also a very big deal. Either one of the greatest deceptions in history, or something truly awesome almost terrifying has taken place. Death has been reversed, and is no longer the ‘final say.’ This ‘resurrection’ debate is almost entirely a matter of faith, what is possible and what in this world bears the stamp of meaning.

I hope that as we celebrate the season of Easter you will be able to ponder the extra-ordinary meaning of it all. Sharing a quiet communion on Maundy Thursday or a People’s Passion on Good Friday, will I trust deepen our ability to wonder and marvel at God’s love for us all, which I for one, believe lies behind it all.

Alongside Easter there are quite a few other matters that are ‘quite big deals.’ The B word and the C word. (Brexit and Climate Change.) I have been struck just how polarised our responses to these areas have become, and I am uncomfortable. It seems that we are almost into Resurrection type debates. It all depends on what you believe to be true. Jesus (the man, or maybe the one who rose from the dead…you choose!) is recorded as having said, ‘then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’ But what is the truth?  Are we really making the atmosphere warmer, is this really going to be a disaster? My answer to both of those questions is a big yes, but if yours is no, then we are going to argue as if we are discussing alternative realities.

On Brexit our understandings of what are the important points in the debate mean that most of what passes for debate is actually a dialogue of the deaf. These realities saddens me as I think both issues are important not simply personally but also for our neighbours near and far around the world, and down our street. Yet as we become more and more polarised, we seem to live in a world where alternative ‘truths’ seem to co-exist. It is tricky because the ‘Pastor’ in my heart says, compromise, and yet, using the example of my belief in the resurrection, the ‘Preacher’ in me knows you can’t really compromise. It’s either true or it isn’t.  I realise with Brexit for instance discovering what is true is difficult, some argue that it is all about how well off we will be whether in or out of the EU. For others the issue is not wealth but freedom, and national self-determination. I think all I can add to this debate is the insight that unless we understand what is motivating the ‘other’ person, we will get nowhere in our understanding. These different motivations result in different ‘truths.’  Ultimately someone or some group (Parliament or People) will have to decide which motivation must be honoured and taken forward.

Right that’s BREXIT sorted…. As IFFF!!!!! Climate change on the other hand is different. Or at least it is different to me. Because I believe the motivations that lie behind us denying climate change or indeed choosing, as most of us do, to do too little about it, are ‘unworthy’ motivations. (I realise I am making a value judgement here: PS we all do this most of the time!! J) Our motivation against acting, is often that it’s too hard, and will make us have to give up some of our lifestyle comforts. The motivation behind denial, is in my view, almost entirely economic: our vested interests will be compromised so we must deny this ‘scientific’ truth and thus excuse ourselves from acting accordingly. There are times when such motivations may be acceptable, when the consequences for us or for others may be described as moderate. However when the consequences run as deep as they seem to do in the Climate Change debate, then surely it is time to wake up. I think as Christians we simply need to wake up to the TRUTH, it is happening. And while you may expect that I, a man of ‘faith’ may argue: ‘Oh well God will sort it.’ I’m not so sure. In my reading of both history and the Bible God very rarely stops the consequences of our foolishness. On the positive side, I do believe that when we face up to our foolishness, and are honest, God does seem to strengthen us to make the changes we need to make. Climate Change is serious, it’s something that all of us should be concerned about, and willing to make fairly radical changes to our lifestyle about. For instance going veggie for 4 days a week, will probably save about .6 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year! I’m hoping this year that as a church community we can begin to learn from some of the people and groups that have begun to make these changes.

So yes I believe as Jesus said, the truth can set us free. But only if we accept the truth and act on it.  

Happy Easter, happy spring, happy Brexit day. (I suspect it won’t have happened yet.) But also let us be resolved to make each day a ‘Happy World day,’ as we choose to face the truth that our lifestyles are unsustainable and so resolve to do something about it.

Stephen Newell