Our species has evolved on this planet supported nutritive conditions, and abundant resources. Homo sapiens working together in communities have been able to create cultures that can remember the lessons that we have learned and apply those lessons to finding solutions. Within those cultures we have erected institutions, complex sets of human relations that continue over time that facillate needed social functions in the areas of governance, production, finance, medicine, education, security, and religion. But, it is those very institutions that concentrate our collective power that have endanger us today.
In the last three centuries, beginning in a few countries in the so called industrial revolution, and now embracing the whole world in a global economy based on domination over both people and nature by corporations we are depleting the resources of our planet; most critically its deep, rich agricultural soils, it groundwater stored during from the time of the ice ages and its biodiversity.
If we continue along this road the world's economic and social structures will collapse. The leaders of the key institutions of the major nations of this earth appear to be under the illusion that no fundamental change in direction is required, that we can find technological solutions that will allow the corporations to continue business as usual.
In the past grass roots movements have discovered ways to make changes in the direction of major institutions. We think of the rise of organized labor, the consumer rights movement, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, and the environmental movement of the past. While we have seen more and more grass roots movement toward more sustainable economics and agriculture, there is much more to do.
In the words of the Earth Charter (2000)
We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.
Because of the urgency of this task, I will be developing sermons and themes during the coming year on the Great Turning, the effort to make the turn away from catastrophe and toward earth community.
This was my column for the coming month in Throop Unitarian Universalist Church's newsletter Tidings.
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