If you think about Christianity at all, you will probably know that the Bible is the book most Christians turn to for comfort and ethical teachings. You may know that the Bible is read out loud in church on Sundays; that it was written centuries agoand very difficult to understand. Even people who have been going to church all their life may find parts of it challenging. It used to be said it is the top bestseller, yet rarely read. Andstill, many of its stories have become part of the western world’s culture and heritage. Many phrases which we take as part of the English language originate in the Bible and the many characters you find there are part of our common heritage.
We use the name ‘Jeremiah’ to describe a person who is pessimistic about the present and foresees a calamitous future; a prophet of doom. But who was Jeremiah? Did you know he was a 6th century BCE mystic in the Jewish and Christian religions, a Hebrew prophet who said that Jerusalem would be defeated and the people thrown out of their own land. The Book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament of the Bible contains his prophecies.
His message was full of doom and defeat in the face of an invasion from other countries. He had many opponents, politicians and other prophets who denounced him for his pessimism; why not, they said, be more positive and get behind the nation – make Israel great again, instead of always running it down. But for Jeremiah it was better to see the world as it is; not through rose-tinted glasses. In the face of disaster, despite his prediction, he was still hopeful and invested in the land; but he was also realistic in his judgements and urged people to act before it was too late.
Today, we face global emergencies and yet politicians are always declaring that everything is good, look on the bright side, they say. Ignore the doomsayers, the scientists. Now more than ever, we need people to call for action. I believe that the Church can be such a voice and join today’s campaigners for a greener world.