As Christians we know that God has gifted humanity with a beautiful and abundant world, and yet, despite all our progress, the fruits of that abundance have not been shared. Hundreds of millions of people have been excluded and exploited. At the same time, we have pushed the natural world beyond its limits.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic means that for the first time in decades, progress to end poverty is being reversed.
Even before COVID-19, the deepening climate crisis was making poverty and hunger worse, and threatening to displace millions of people from their homes.
The pandemic and the increasing impacts of climate change are compounding and exposing what has been evident for too long. A reflection of our own brokenness, the structures of our society and economy fail to serve God’s purpose for all people and all of creation to flourish.
In the bible, the people of God were commanded to consecrate each fiftieth year as a Jubilee year. It was a God-inspired vision of reset, embedded in the way of life for God’s redeemed and liberated people, to restore the social, economic and ecological balance to harmony.
In Luke 4, when Jesus announces and outlines the public purpose of his ministry, he calls upon this vision of Jubilee and proclaims that in him, the Christ, God’s promise of ultimate reset - freedom and restoration for all creation - is fulfilled.
As our leaders make decisions that will shape the world we live in for decades to come, we have a unique opportunity to step out - as people of faith - with a Jubilee vision of reset. There is profound hope in the opportunity this moment presents. The pandemic is showing us what we are capable of when the need is clear.
By raising our voices in prayer and action, we can shine God’s light and be a powerful voice, calling for change that expresses God’s justice and desire for all creation to flourish.
Together, we can show God’s love in action to help our most vulnerable neighbours and reset towards a more just, compassionate and sustainable society.
Here are three ways we can encourage Australia’s leaders to provide the vital support and action that is needed to help our most vulnerable neighbours recover from the pandemic and reset towards a more just, compassionate and sustainable society.
The pandemic and increasing impacts of climate change are compounding what has been broken for too long. All creation is crying out.
As our leaders make decisions that will shape the world we live in for decades to come, now is the time for people of faith to step out with a vision of God’s justice, freedom and restoration - so that all creation can flourish.
