The May Macleod Lecture was delivered on 13 September by Professor Ernst Conradie from the University of Western Cape, South Africa. Dr Conradie is a pioneer among theologians addressing how the Christian faith can engage the threat of climate change and activate us to transform the future.
Dr Conradie’s address, “In God we trust? Revisiting God’s providence amidst the shift from the Holocene to the Anthropocene” was offered to an enthusiastic gathering of people at the Centre for Ministry and by Zoom. Listeners were shaken by the reality of climate change yet given hope by Conradie’s probing into the question of how God is with us and moving us.
We are pilgrims with the planet. The destinies of Earth and its creatures and humanity are intertwined and held are within the realm of God’s providence. Yet we must act!
A two-day conference held at UTC to coincide with Conradie’s visit and the lecture was also a great success. Theologians, biblical scholars, activists, and students were involved from many denominations, institutions, and continents. They resolved to meet again in 2025.
Dr Peter Walker is Principal of the United Theological College and teaches in the areas of systematic and historical theology.
