a rocha lecture

A Rocha is an international Christian nature conservation organisation working in 18 countries. The name A Rocha means “The Rock” in Portuguese as the first initiative was a field study centre in Portugal.

This year BGST is helding its annual lecture on contemporary issues in association with A Rocha, entitled “Why Creation is Writing for the Christians.” The details are as follow:

Why Creation is Waiting for the Christians
An Annual Lecture on Contemporary Issues by the Biblical Graduate School of Theology
in association with A Rocha

DATE: Friday, 10 July 2009
TIME: 8:00 – 9:30pm
SPEAKER: Peter Harris, Founder/Director of A Rocha
With Q&A PANEL:
Dr George Capaque (DTC), Dr Quek Swee Hwa (BGST) and Dr Paul Woods (SBC)
VENUE: Zion BP Church (Bishan) 4 Bishan St 13
ADMISSION: Free
REGISTER ONLINE: Click here

Christian thinking and action has only recently begun to follow the biblical calling to care for God’s creation. However, now that this calling has been taken up all over the world, many opportunities for demonstrating the relevance of the Christian gospel to the challenge of sustainability have begun to emerge. At the same time, it has also become clear that something more than environmental education will be needed to halt the rapid degradation of habitats and their species. So at this time of challenge, how can the Christian church respond to the challenges, to God our Creator, and Jesus the Lord of Creation?

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In addition to the lecture, A Rocha will also held a seminar on Saturday.

Climate Change, Health & Faith:
The challenge to the healthcare community
An A Rocha seminar

DATE: Saturday, 11 July 2009
TIME: 2:30 – 6:30pm
SPEAKERS: Dr Graham McAll, MA, MB, FRCSEd, MRCGP
and Peter Harris, Founder/Director of A Rocha
VENUE: The Botany Centre, Function Hall (Level 1), Singapore Botanic Gardens
ADMISSION: Free
REGISTER ONLINE: Click here

Dr McAll will introduce the current understanding of anthropogenic climate change and how it is thought to affect human health. He aims to encourage those in healthcare to see themselves as uniquely placed to respond to these issues, and encourage the responsibility to care for the earth with hope, remembering the vocation’s respected place in the community. Using examples of good practice, with contributions from discussion, he will discuss how environmental initiatives may be supported in mitigation, adaptation, education and research.

BIODIVERSITY MATTERS – By Peter Harris
It has now become clear globally that something more than environmental education will be needed to halt the rapid degradation of habitats and their species. Considerable resources have been applied to the challenges of researching the global situation so we now understand quite well just how serious the threat to biodiversity really is. Yet relatively little attention has been given to the drivers of our environmental condition. In order to make progress towards some of the changes we all recognise are needed, the values and choices of human society are being understood as far more significant than previously realised. In our discussion we will examine those choices, and with particular reference to the faith community, consider how they could represent a sign of hope against an increasingly discouraging background.