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The state of the planet

Earth was once able to assimilate the results of human life without being damaged. But the planet's ability to cope with human waste is now swamped to the point where human action  is necessary if we are to prevent a catastrophic growth of pollution. The present situation for mankind is that human survival, or at least a survival as complete human beings undistorted by the man-made environment, depends on the ecological stability of the planet, and this in turn depends on the stability of true Christian stewardship, not only concerned for human society, but for the whole planet. This we can only do to the extent that we take command over ourselves, something which  will be shown, as much as anything else, by the resolution of a problem described by Toynbee in relation to the present situation in the following terms: "The head can comprehend mankind's present situation and can also discern its new requirements. Can it persuade the heart to co-operate with it in making the requisite revolutionary social and cultural changes that the head is powerless to make by itself, without its temperamental partner's concurrence? This perennial question has become one of life and death in the Atomic Age, and we cannot predict the answer that man is going to give to it in this critical case. Today, as often in the past, a need for unity is having to contend with divisive habits and institutions."  (Arnold Toynbee - Change and Habit.)

When this occurs, mankind will have become more fully human.  This might be described as an evolutionary step working itself out.