Revd Sam Norton on the idolatry of BAU growth

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 17 Feb 2010, 11:43

I have a friend Revd Sam Norton in West Mersea in Essex who is an anglican vicar, and he brings together the Christian perspective and the 'limits-to-growth' perspective in a lot of his writing and speaking.

Last week he gave a talk at the Christian Ecology conference in Scarborough, which is now available online:
http://elizaphaniantns.blogspot.com/201 ... notes.html

The general summary of his argument is that our civilisation's adherence to the growth mantra is actually pure idolatry - a breach of the first commandment to have no gods before God. Ie civilisation has made economic growth its god. In ancient times, such idolatry always led to a humbling destruction - the Jews carried off to Babylon in exile for example. Sam foresees the same fate for our civilisation unless we change our values and the way we live.

Obviously if you're not a Christian you'll have to take all this religious language metaphorically, but I think Sam's talk is excellent and anything that promotes the idea of the earth as a gift to be stewarded rather than a resource to be exploited should be welcomed whether one believes in God or not.

Also, Sam is a very nice guy, and I'm proud to count him a friend. He's an inspiration to me, even if he is from Essex

(He was also in the papers last week for being a 'trendy vicar' who likes Leonard Cohen more than his traditionalist choir, but that's another story)

goslow · Post by **goslow** » 17 Feb 2010, 12:32

hi tess, sounds very interesting but I can't make the links work in either firefox or ie.

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 17 Feb 2010, 12:49

goslow wrote:hi tess, sounds very interesting but I can't make the links work in either firefox or ie.

Works fine in firefox on my mac. Not tried on one of those old-fashioned pc things.

Edit: tried my pc - seems to work there too. Maybe it's you!

goslow · Post by **goslow** » 17 Feb 2010, 14:04

googled and found this other blog of his that works better for me

http://elizaphanian.blogspot.com/

goslow · Post by **goslow** » 17 Feb 2010, 14:10

Yup, I have this electric field around me that wrecks computers. Now I have tried accessing this I expect the whole blogosphere to come crashing down

the_lyniezian · Post by **the_lyniezian** » 17 Feb 2010, 14:50

As I was going to comment on the blog, but could not:

'I fear I can only read the notes, due to lack of audio drivers for my machine. But there seems to be some good stuff in here. We most certainly as Christians need to get out of the habit of "going along with the world" on values such as blatant free-marketeerism, imperialism and other worldly values, and regain a measure of the spiritual significance of the need to change, whilst not forgetting creation and society.

I might disagree with the wrath of God being purely based on our inability to deal with creation apart from God- as God is just there must be some active discipline or punishment for sin, not merely passive justice (otherwise e.g. the state authorities must not mete out sentences for crimes, only letting the criminal "stew in his own juice"?) That is part of it however. Pat Robertson's specific mention of Haiti seems to run contrary to Jesus teaching, also.

Also seems to be little mention of the Second Coming as decisive in the redemption of all things.

But maybe the gentleman doth protest too much? (as regards myself?)'

Furthermore I do entirely agree with the idolatry bit.

For anyone critical of Christianity as relating to the issues we discuss here, a good starting point.

revdode · Post by **revdode** » 17 Feb 2010, 20:07

the_lyniezian wrote:For anyone critical of Christianity as relating to the issues we discuss here, a good starting point.

I have no issue with Christianity but on this with most religions it seems irrelevant for every Rev Sam Norton I'm sre we could find a hundred who claim the same faith but use it to justify taking what they can get.

Generally the religious perspective is interesting but even when I agree in principle with the direction I always hesitate to stand beside someone who may later want to bend my reality later to fit a warped religious perspective.

Norfolk In Chance · Post by **Norfolk In Chance** » 18 Feb 2010, 10:17

even if he is from Essex

I grew up on Mersea Island. When I lived there, the causeway that connects the mainland would flood by tides every now and then. It seems to be flooded every time I visit now..