We may think that we live in a very rational, scientific age, but even in the supposedly secular West a good number of people—and a growing number of young people—regard themselves as “spiritual”. What do we mean when we say that? What does the Bible have to say about life in the Spirit? Possibly not what you’re expecting.

Last week we talked about how the biblical story might frame the climate crisis—the effects of which we are experiencing in a heat wave this week. It's just one of many things that we may be feeling anxious about. So we must ask whether the biblical story gives us grounds to proclaim good news. What hope do we have in this age of anxieties?

We hosted a screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing film in church last Tuesday. It presents in stark terms the threats posed to humanity by climate change. We showed the film for a reason. Surely a global crisis of such magnitude must be of concern to the God who created the heavens and the earth? We look this week at how the Bible helps us to approach the topic.

It feels as though the world is in a state of constant flux. Many of the old assumptions we made about what it means to be human seem to be breaking down—being male and female, being family, raising children, being a nation, having meaningful work to do. We have taken control of our own destiny, but do we know where we are going? So it’s a good time to ask: What does the Bible tell us about what it means to be human?

Andrew Perriman, Westbourne Grove Church

It is claimed that people in the modernised world see on average 5,000 adverts every day. Some would say double that. Why is that happening? What sort of pressure—mental, emotional, economic—does it put us under? Is there a biblical perspective on the problem of rampant consumerism? Let’s see.

Andrew Perriman, Westbourne Grove Church