From the RT. Rev. Dr. S. Tilewa Johnson
(Bishop of The Gambia and Dean of the Province of West Africa)

My dear Sisters and Brothers in the Incarnate Christ,
 
 
In the beginning, scripture tells us,

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” ...(Genesis 1: 31)

In this, we hear of the world, and the inhabitants of the world, created by God.  God is good – all good.  It is not in God’s nature to create anything that is bad or evil.  The evil we know in the world of today has come from elsewhere.

God is also a God of love.  St. John goes as far as to say, “God is love” (1 John 4: 8).  God is not just one who loves.  God is love.

At this time of year we celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation – or Christmas.  We celebrate the time when God took the form of a human being – Jesus – to live among us here on earth.  Jesus is God incarnate; so – Jesus is also love incarnate.

Sadly, God’s creation did not remain as it was when created.  The ‘finale’ (or ‘peak’) of God’s creation, as we know it, was the time when human beings began to live on this earth.  We were made in the image of God.  What an awesome notion!  You and I, and all those whom we know (and do not know) are made in the image of God.  However, it is very clear that some people reflect the nature of God more than others.  It is not that some people have a greater share of God’s Spirit in them, than in others.  It is more the case that some are more willing to submit to God’s will, and allow the Spirit to guide who they are and what they do.

Throughout the ages, God has been known by a variety of names, depending on the aspect of God’s nature that is being emphasised.  For example, ‘Jehovah Jireh’ talks of God as ‘provider’.  Jesus also has a variety of names to describe his nature.  At this time of year we talk of “Immanuel”, which means “God with us”.  In the Gospel according to John, chapter 1, Jesus is referred to as “the Word”.

“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1: 1 – 3)

Jesus reveals to us the nature of God.  In the same way, in the beginning, the creation of God revealed the nature of God – who is all good.

We cannot deny that God’s original creation has been marred.  This has happened because of sin.  In God’s great love – and respect – for the human beings that He created, God gave us the gift of free will.  We have not been good stewards of this great gift – in the same way as we have not been good stewards of God’s creation.  The result has been environmental degradation, war and poverty.

In our own day and age we cannot avoid the information that we are presented with on a regular basis – regarding environmental degradation, global warming, climate change, and so on.  We are presented with statistics such as – 900 million tons of pollution that causes global warming is released into the atmosphere daily!  Such statistics are shocking, and certainly demand a response of positive action – by governments, and by individuals.  We might feel rather helpless.  What can I do?  Well, we can all do something.  We can seek to inform ourselves of what actions are harmful to the environment, and what actions are helpful in promoting a sustainable environment.  We can be conscious of our actions.  Do we use fuel saving stoves?  What fuel do we use?  Have we ever planted a tree?  Are we conscious of how much water we use?  Do we produce any of our own food?  Do we mainly purchase locally produced food?

Activists advocate a “green” lifestyle – one in which we are conscious of how our lifestyle affects the environment.  We are called to a lifestyle that respects our God-given planet – the earth, and all that lives on it.  Maybe this is a good starting point – respect.  Respect for our neighbour; respect for our environment; and respect for ourselves.  We are called to respect life.  Our “green” lifestyle very much reflects life.  We certainly know this in sub-Saharan Africa.  In this part of the world, where water can be scarce and the sun hot, we know the value of “green”.  Green means food for ourselves and our livestock – which is life.

We should naturally expect our leaders and governments to take action in addressing problems of decay in our environment.  However, each one of us should also be pro-active.  An African advocate for remaining close to the land and striving for sustainable development is to be found in the person of Professor Wangari Maathai – Nobel Peace Prize laureate.  She spearheads the Green Belt Movement in Kenya.  She says, “the women of the Green Belt Movement have learned about the causes and the symptoms of environmental degradation.  They have begun to appreciate that they, rather than their government, ought to be custodians of the environment” (Mathai 1994)[1] 

In other words, they are fully accepting their responsibility as stewards of creation.  We can find inspiration and renewal in this.

Jesus came to the world as God’s new creation; and to proclaim the Kingdom of God, where God’s will reigns.  God could see the problems in the world, caused by the sin of humankind.  God took the initiative in coming to our world, to live among us as the man Jesus, and to guide us back into the way of the Kingdom.  If God cares enough about His world and His people to do this – and not only this – surely we must respond by following this lead.  Jesus not only came to live among us, but was willing to give his life for the salvation of us and our world.

This Christmas, can we commit our selves to a raised consciousness of how we treat our neighbour and our environment?  Can we cultivate a culture of respect for all life around us?  If everyone could do this, what a world we would live in.

It is my prayer that your Christmas will be filled with joy and peace.

On behalf of all Anglican Christians in The Gambia, Senegal and the Islands of Cape Verde, I wish you a very Happy Christmas.

Your friend and Bishop
+Tilewa