Define Your Terms - Part 1

In my previous post, Sustainable Community Development - the beginning, I outlined the themes that I want to study over the next year and how and why I came to be interested in them. Having introduced my subject, the key next step in any good piece of research is to define one's terms. That is (loosely) what this post is about - defining "Sustainable" and comparing how the world defines this term with how it might be defined biblically.

The Definition of Sustainable

Unless you've been moving in certain specialist circles, you may be forgiven for thinking that Sustainable Development is a fairly new idea (I certainly assumed so at first). Sustainable development as a term has, in fact, been around since the early 60s, though it could be argued that the actual concept is far older than that. There are many definitions out there but the one I have decided to work with is one of the most concise and also by far the most commonly quoted. It is taken from the Brundtland Report:

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Most of us would probably subscribe to the wisdom of such an aim. Our conscience tells us that it is unfair and immoral to live a lifestyle that leaves our children and grandchildren without adequate resources to not only survive but to achieve quality of life.

One of the Metanoia aims is to weigh everything against scripture and allow our presuppositions to be challenged. So I've endeavoured to do this with the concept of sustainability as it has come to be widely understood.

My own reflections on this are admittedly limited and not exhaustively researched, but I submit them here for discussion and debate. It is clear from scripture that we are to consider the needs of others as well as our own. More specifically, Jesus said:

...do unto others what you would have them do to you... (Matthew 7v12)

I think this supports the notion we should not "compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs." Futhermore, I would argue that the bible encourages long term thinking. Proverbs 13v22 says:

A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children...

I think it's quite clear that the bible supports and upholds the desire to enable future generations to prosper. However, it seems to me that the bible goes further than Brundtland's definition of sustainable development. The biblical view is that, more than just aiming to not "compromise" future generations, we should endeavor to leave an inheritance for them. The emphasis is on the positive - to bless them, rather than on the negative - to not compromise.

The Three Pillars

One further aspect of sustainability theory that it is important to mention and analyse is the concept of the 'three pillars of sustainability.'

Most definitions go on to divide sustainability into three sub-categories; economic, social and environmental sustainability. It is generally accepted that these three aspects need to be addressed and held in balance if development is to be truly sustainable.

To my mind, it has been necessary to highlight these three aspects because western culture and thinking, particularly within economics and government, has had a tendency to disconnect them. Generally, businesses and governments have focussed heavily on financial growth. Often this has been to the detriment of the environment and social stability. The drive for sustainable development has sought to redress that balance by naming and defining the two undervalued aspects of growth and development; social and environmental sustainability. Most proponents of sustainable development acknowledge that there is significant overlap between the three areas. I would argue that ultimately, the three categories are so interconnected as to simply be a contiuum. Therefore, these titles are only useful as long as they serve to restore a holistic approach, such that we recognise that development which is not environmentally sustainable can be neither economically sustainable nor socially sustainable and vice versa.

When thus defined, I believe this aspect of sustainability theory can be shown to have elements of biblical truth to it. The bible shows us that God takes a holistic view of things. There are many examples of this, but the one that springs to mind is Colossians 1:

16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (...) 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (emphases mine)

This excerpt shows us that the reconciliation that Jesus brings is not just a reconciliation for our souls, that we would get into heaven. Through Christ, God wants to reconcile all things to himself. In her teaching series on The Old Testament Template, Landa Cope challenges her audience to try and "list the things that could be excluded from 'all things'." It's worthwhile reflecting on that for a moment. For instance, how does God want to reconcile gardening to himself? What about boxing? Or acid rain? The human immune system? School dinners? The fishing industry? black holes...?

God wants every aspect of his creation and of human society to be reconciled and redeemed. So as we seek to develop, we must ensure that we do so in a holistic way. Our development must acknowledge the value of all things in God's creation, the physical world and the social order.

The reason I am so passionate about sustainable development is that I believe it taps into the heart of God. But I don't want to buy into it on the world's terms. I want to have my mind renewed to understand it from his perspective and to be able to help communities develop sustainably in the way that God defines sustainable.

"But what about development?" I hear you cry. Can development ever be sustainable? The world is searching for answers to this. I read more and more comments and articles which express doubt and disbelief that growth and development can ever be sustainable in a 'closed system' with finite resource. As Christians, we need to be absolutely sure that we know God's truth about this. The stance we take and the worldview we and our societies adopt on this issue has massive implications for driving forward economic and social policy over the coming years. So in the next post, I'll throw in my two-penneth on the matter and, hopefully, open up a can of worms...