REVIEWS

TIME TO ACT 

A Christian Climate Action 

Edited by: Jeremy Williams 

Published by: SPCK 

Price: £9.99

Climate change has become the issue of our age. Whilst for decades it has been discussed, it is now firmly on the agenda of many people, Christian and non-Christian alike, particularly as change is impacting some of the poorest people in the world.

In endeavouring to state the case for urgent change, this is essentially a resource book which has been developed to demonstrate the moral and religious case for joining the movement against climate change by Christian Climate Action, a community of Christians committed to prayerful action and witness.

Editor, Jeremy Williams is a Christian campaigner who has worked with Extinction Rebellion, but also many other charities, and has pulled together contributions from many members of CCA, including Ruth Valerio (Global Advocacy and Influence Director at Tearfund) and Ruth Jarman, the founding member of CCA.

This book traces the journey of Christian climate activism and offers practical advice. It is divided into three parts: head, heart and hands, covering theological reflection, emotion and practicalities and in a foreword Williams expresses the hope that the book will act as a ‘bridge’ to encourage others to join the movement and understand the importance and need for long-term and meaningful change (notwithstanding current challenges) in 21st century lives.

Endorsements for the work have come from Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, the head of Christian Aid who has written: ‘The climate crisis is the biggest issue facing humanity today and it is unjust that those least responsible for causing it are facing its full effects. The scale of the emergency facing our world demands a just response from every one of us.’ A positive endorsement for the book has also come from Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.

HOME IS WHERE 

The Journey of A Missionary Child 

Written by: Margaret Newbigin Beetham 

Published by: Darton, Longman and Todd 

Price: £12.99

The name of Lesslie Newbigin and his wife Helen are familiar to readers of this magazine. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, but ordained as a Church of Scotland minister by the presbytery of Edinburgh in the 1930s, he spent much of his life as a missionary in India, serving with the Church of South India and the United Reform Church, becoming one of the Church of South India’s first bishops. Although he died in 1998, his legacy as a theologian and missiologist has not been forgotten – along with his missionary roots in the Church of Scotland.

This book, however, is not a portrait of the renowned 20th century missionary, by his daughter, but rather a touching and at times, moving, account of life as the child of missionaries – one minute dwelling happily side by side with friends in the warmth, colour and safety of India, followed by departure for a staid boarding school in a rainy and windswept Britain, where she was charged to look after her younger sister. Perhaps the most stark and revealing moment comes when her mother is asked when she will return and is told ‘five years’, meaning the end of education. This was not callous, but rather an expectation and a burden carried by missionary families of the mid-twentieth century: that their children would simply return to the UK for education and leave their parents to continue with their work. The author was perhaps fortunate in having an aunt and a grandmother who could be visited during holidays and provide some family comfort and support. This is a story of sacrifice, but also of the profound lifelong bond of care formed with her younger sister, and additionally a portrait of a family existing continents apart at a time when communication took weeks (unimaginable in the world of today where there can be instant contact with friends and family on the opposite side of the world). The bond formed with her sister (who died in 2005) lasted until the end, with the author caring for her and their shared experience as missionary children strengthened their relationship.

This is a fascinating insight into the lives of missionaries in a different culture from the perspective of children, but also reflecting on the impact of having to sacrifice precious time with parents for schooling and education.

Lynne McNeil

This article appears in the May 2020 Issue of Life and Work

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