Have a look at this.
Lots of things resonated with me, especially “One of the things that make peak oil/peak energy so difficult to comprehend is the inability of most people to visualize a radically different existence” which resonated with my sense of Prophetic Imagination, and “Mr. Mayor, we do not imagine that we can take away the suffering of your people,” I said. “That would be presumptuous on our part. But what we can do is look together at two main ways we respond to collective suffering. The suffering of a people can bring forth from them new strengths and solidarity. Or it can breed isolation and conflict, turning them against each other. There is always a choice” which resonates with what I understand the theological task to be.
A Canticle for Liebowitz, by Walter Miller. There’s a good Wikipedia page here if you want to discover a bit more about it.
I loved this. Hadn’t read any sf for ages – must be at least six months – so it was great to plug back in. Lots of stimulating images, and, of course, it fitted so nicely with my ‘After Virtue’ interests. Lots of things will stay with me, but perhaps the final debate about euthanasia most of all. Very challenging, but I was grateful that the religious perspective wasn’t implicitly ridiculed, in the way that much sf would do.
As well as the more ephemeral media tart appearances, I had the pleasure of being interviewed on a rather more serious basis at the weekend, by Paul Kingsnorth for a book that he is writing. If you read this article you’ll understand why we were able to reach common ground fairly quickly. (At least, I think we did!)
I’ve just ordered his book from Amazon. I’ll let you know how I get on with it.
Not really. Just wanted to say that, narcissist that I am, I watched my two minutes of fame on ITV and BBC tonight. On the whole I’m quite pleased, particularly with the ITV one, as it mentioned the roots of my perspective at the end, ie the context of Peak Oil and what it means for those who plan to ship apples from one side of the world to the other. Our future is local!
On the whole I’ve been quite impressed with the journalists, both TV and print, despite the experience of being ‘used’ to further their own story line. They have mostly been very direct and honest with me. Plus which, it turns out that the BBC camera man was an old friend of my father’s (and the Daily Mail photographer and I had some mutual friends). Small world.
“Well, considering the rapidly growing demand for fuel from nations like China and India, not to mention the world’s oil production is expected to peak in the next five years and then sharply plummet, I think it’s pretty clear we’re looking at an exponential rise in global conflicts along with an energy crisis of unfathomable proportions – so yes, I’d say, a hybrid’s an excellent idea.”
Jack Bristow, Alias, Series Four, Episode 10: “The Index”
I have been thinking about the Eisenhower comment on the military-industrial complex rather a lot recently, for obvious reasons.
The Daily Mail article is published today, but it isn’t on-line (pages 26 and 27 of the paper). Big picture of me superimposed upon a Tesco store…
This was an interesting and enlightening experience. The interview was extensive – over an hour – and the photography took almost as long. Out of that interview, however, there is almost no direct quotation, and, indeed, some elements ‘created’. So, for the record…
The article runs two things together. First, a sermon where I suggested to the congregation that they should not shop at Tesco, if it opens on the island, mainly on fair trade grounds. Second, my Learning Church talk on Peak Oil, which suggests that the Tesco model will break down, and that we will have to use much more local food supplies.
I’m a little disappointed. I had hoped that – because I went into quite some depth about Peak Oil with the interviewer – that at least that phrase would be mentioned, but no such luck. They didn’t mention the blog either! On the whole, though, I don’t think I can complain too much.
Thing is, it has really made me ponder about my vocation and where I am supposed to be going with this. I said to a colleague the other day that it was forcing me to engage with the issues rather than just think about them (contemplate them, in my previously understood sense) – this will force me to ‘walk the walk’ much more than I have so far. Which seems a good reason for thinking that God is involved.
I just have this memory seared into me of wanting to go into a political career and being told by God in no uncertain terms that it wasn’t right – and ever since I have been allergic to anything smacking of direct political involvement.
Yet – it’s not “political” so much as – I trust – “prophetic”, in the best sense. At least, that’s where I think I’m headed. As I quoted in my ‘Prophecy and Peak Oil’ post: “The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture” (Brueggemann). I am beginning to believe that this is a central part of what I am called to do. There seems to be an integrity about the choice, however cautious I am about it.
In any case, I’m pretty sure that if I go off the path of my vocation, the good Lord will let me know.
Discussed at The Oil Drum, the best Peak Oil site on the web.
If you don’t know what Peak Oil is, have a look here for a good introduction and overview. Or just type ‘Peak Oil’ into Google….
Mentioned in the first paragraph no less (and at the end).
Update: I have also now been asked by the BBC and Sky to take part in TV audience discussions; the Essex County Standard are running a follow-on piece, for which they sent a photographer(!), and BBC Radio Essex want to do an interview. (Update: went out at 8:10am Thursday 23 February. My Mum had a nice birthday surprise, hearing her son on the radio :o)
I think this might add up to more than fifteen minutes. I wonder what that is going to do to my karma and how I’m going to have to make up the difference.
Update 3: quoted in East Anglian Daily Times article here.
Update 4: interviewed by the Daily Mail today – longest interview yet, it’ll be interesting to see what actually makes it in. I can’t help thinking that this is getting a bit bizarre….
Update 5: apparently the Daily Mail article is going in tomorrow – I’ll link to it here if possible – but today I’ve also had to turn down BBC TV who wanted me to do something for a programme to go out on Saturday. Odd, odd, odd. Who cares what a rural vicar thinks?