 Image generated by AI On October 1st 2024 the world will be celebrating International Climate Change Seniors Day with thousands of projects and events to mark the occasion. Sooo, perhaps the parish church with its small groups, an abundance of elders and a traditional commitment to honor life and seek justice makes it an ideal leadership hub for climate crisis action. Someone I know said she had six more years to fight the climate crisis as her doctor estimates her longevity to be 89 years! This remark hit home to me and gives me a renewed respect for the passage of time.
Leadership rises up in every generation and, certainly, there are exemplary youth ecojustice activists around the world providing inspirational leadership. But it seems to me that, at this time, the elders are in the vanguard – David Suzuki, Jane Goodall, David Attenborough, to name just a few of the well-knowns, and all the “unknowns” who live a sustainable lifestyle and have worked for decades to share it. We oldies care deeply for our children and grandchildren as well as the many fellow species we will leave behind. Since we are no longer climbing the social and professional ladders, we can allow ourselves more time to read and reflect. Many crisis observers agree that the most important thing we can do right now is talk about this urgent topic in small community groups. To expand our awareness of the “what” and explore the “how,” these conversations need to begin with what we have in common rather than the ways we differ. The “what” is easier to imagine from walking to church to repurposing church buildings. Now we all need to look at the “how,” not only the specific and vital changes in liturgy, programs and practices, but the “how” of encouraging others to accept essential changes. This requires a shift in mind-set / world view which begins with recognizing that humans are animals among many other animals (rapidly disappearing) and it takes all of us to keep this planet in balance. Some of us believe that digging up the church parking lot to plant vegetables and worshipping out of doors all year round are excellent ideas, but picture the vestry meeting when those and other “radical” moves are proposed! There is much research being done with non-human animals in the last several years to determine their intelligence and empathy. The following scientific experiment could be a model for a well functioning church community! Virginia Morell, in her book, Animal Wise describes a research project carried out by biologist and ant specialist, Nigel Franks in Bristol, England. Franks and his team of researchers brought an entire colony of Rock Ants (200) into his laboratory where the ants settled into a glass and cardboard habitat. The team then took on the laborious task of gently dabbing each individual punctuation mark-sized ant with a unique multicolored pattern to enable them to identify each ant as they observed them. The ants were also videoed during the experiment for further observation. The research team built another ant habitat about 18 inches away from the current one. Then the team destroyed the current habitat, harming no ants, and settled in to observe the ant’s response to their disaster. These ants have a queen whose only job is to procreate, but they have no designated leader. However, a few ants sprang into action (parish council?) leaving the colony at the old site, while they looked for a new home. They found the one the team had created for them. After inspecting and okaying it they returned to the colony where they chose a few others to follow them back to the new site to learn the way. If the followers got lost or confused, the leaders stopped and waited until the followers caught up. This teaching procedure continued until a certain number had learned the route at which time these leaders pulled the rest of the congregation onto their backs and all journeyed to the new habitat and moved in. Unlike humans, ants, in a crisis, do not fret, argue or deny – they just get on with it! That said, we human beings desperately need to slow down to let our imaginations flow, but at the same time the climate situation demands that we hurry up! We can do both if enough of us, like the ants, can share the same mind-set and say, “yes” to change. We need the energy and idealism of the young and the expertise of the middle aged, but let’s turn first to the elders for their love of the life they have lived and the wisdom that comes from it. Sally Armour Wotton is a performing artist and an adjunct professor at Trinity College, School of Divinity, University of Toronto
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