CEL CONFERENCE
Heaven and Earth:
Christianity, Food and Land Use
SATURDAY 13th OCTOBER 2001
Ryton Organic Gardens, Ryton-on-Dunsmore,
Coventry
10.30 am to 4.30 pm.
CONFERENCE OPENED BY
Lord Beaumont of Whitley
Green Party Spokesman
SPEAKERS
Rt Rev John Oliver
Bishop of Hereford.
Jackie Gear
Executive Director of
HDRA
Dr Edward Echlin
Theologian ... Organic
Gardener
CHAIRMAN
Alan Gear
Chief Executive of HDRA
CONFERENCE
DETAILS
The Conference is being held at the
headquarters of the Henry Doubleday Research
Association (HDRA), the UK. s leading organic gardening organisation,
which researches and promotes organic gardening, farming and food.
Ryton Organic Gardens are located five miles south east of Coventry off
the A45, on the outskirts of the village of Wolston. We are arranging transport
between Coventry railway station and Ryton Gardens. Travel details will be sent
with confirmation of your booking.
With foot and mouth, and a crisis in the way our food is produced, how
should Christians respond? Christian Ecology Link
(CEL) is calling for radical reforms in response to the farming crisis and has
developed the LOAF principles to describe its priorities for food:
Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly, Fairly traded.
£15 cost includes Conference fee, lunch and admittance to the Ryton organic
display gardens. The Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA), based at
Ryton, is Britain's leading organic gardening organisation. See overleaf to
book a place at the Conference and to choose workshops.
Booking is essential as
space is limited.
WORKSHOPS
Farming the Soil
John Neal (Chairman,
Christian Rural Concern)
Farming in Crisis
Dr Peter Carruthers
(Chairman, Agricultural Christian Fellowship)
Self-Sufficiency
John Seymour (Author,
The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency)
Genetic Engineering, Threat or Benefit for
the Countryside?
Rev Malcolm Carroll
(Worker on social issues for a Church of England diocese & Greenpeace
supporter)
Composting and Healthy Soil
(HDRA staff)
The Church Commissioners and Church of
England Farmland
(An expert representative of the Church Commissioners)
WORKSHOPS
The Workshops will run twice in the afternoon. Please indicate your
preferences below on the Booking Form.
Farming the Soil : John Neal farms 100 acres, half
of which is placed in the 20 year MAFF Habitat environmental scheme. The
remaining land carries a small flock of sheep and arable crops farmed extensively. John
is Chairman of Christian Rural Concern (CRuC). With Joy Gadsby he
will ask what is demanded of the soil in modern intensive agriculture; see
God's creativity in the soil's variety and ecosystems; and
discuss farming for healthy soil through organic, extensive and mixed farming
practices.
Farming in Crisis: Dr Peter Carruthers is Chairman of the Agricultural Christian Fellowship and Executive
Director of the John Ray Initiative. He also works for the Research Branch of
the Countryside Agency and serves on the committees of the Farm Crisis Network
and the Agriculture and Theology Project.
Self-Sufficiency: John Seymour is
author of many books, including the world-wide best seller, The Complete
Book of Self Sufficiency. With his daughter Jane he will explore a
partially self-sufficient lifestyle.
. Genetic Engineering, Threat or Benefit for
the Countryside?. :
Rev Malcolm Carroll is a Baptist minister working in social responsibility for the Church of
England in the Midlands. He is also a volunteer warden on a local nature
reserve. He was one of the defendants in the Greenpeace GM crops trial.
. Composting and Healthy Soil. : A member of the HDRA staff will lead a workshop in the organic display
gardens.
The Church Commissioners and Church of England
Farmland.
Our current food system, from farm
to fork, is increasingly questioned. A representative of the Church
Commissioners will make a short presentation on their role and the many
challenges and issues facing the Church of England as a major landowner. This
will be followed by questions and open discussion.
DRAFT PROGRAMME
10.00am Registration and Coffee.
10.30
am Conference opened by
Lord Beaumont of Whitley
(Green
Party Spokesman in the House of Lords).
10.40
am Prayer, followed by three talks and
discussion chaired by Alan Gear.
. Sleepwalking Towards the Precipice?.
Rt Rev John Oliver, Bishop of Hereford
(Church of England Environment
Spokesman
in
the House of Lords).
Response from Lord Beaumont
. Organic growing and the land.
Jackie Gear
(Executive
Director of HDRA, The Organic Gardening Organisation).
. Earth Spirituality and Soil.
Dr Edward Echlin
(Author, Earth Spirituality,
Jesus at the Centre, ecological theologian and organic gardener).
12.45 pm Lunch
Lunch is included in the cost of the Conference. There will be time to tour
HDRA. s informative and attractive organic display gardens, browse in the
HDRA shop, visit the stalls set up in the Conference Centre by various
Christian organisations and buy at the SPCK bookstall.
1.55
pm Workshops . First Session.
3.00
pm Workshops . Second Session.
4.00
pm Final Plenary Discussion.
4.15
pm Service of Worship.
4.30
pm Conference ends.
Details: 01423-871616 or 0118 966
8352.
ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING THIS CONFERENCE
INCLUDE
Agricultural Christian Fellowship, Animal Christian Concern, A Rocha
International (Christians in Conservation), Anglican Society for the Welfare of
Animals, Baptist Union of Great Britain (Mission Department), Board for Social
Responsibility of the Church of England, Catholic Study Circle for Animal
Welfare, Christian Rural Concern, Columbans (Faith & Justice), Coventry
& Warwickshire Spirituality Group, EcoCongregation/Going for Green,
Environmental Issues Network of Churches Together in Britain & Ireland,
Five Year Freeze, John Ray Initiative, Land Heritage, Newman Association, One
World Week, Pax Christi, Soil Association, Student Christian Movement, United
Reformed Church (Church & Society), Ushaw College.
BOOKING FORM