Dear Friends,

Recently we have visited two of this city’s many delights – the Botanical Garden of the University of Lisbon, near Rato, and the Tropical Botanical Garden at Belém. Both offer the eyes a rich feast of natural beauty, calling out admiration of the varied sizes and shapes of the trees, the vivid palette of colours painted by their (now) autumnal foliage, and the astonishing intricacy of branching, reaching from the trunks to the tiniest twigs. It’s remarkable to think that there are over 60,000 distinct tree species.

In recent times, cutting edge research has revealed that a forest can no longer be thought of as a mere collection of trees. It has long been known that forests are the ‘lungs’ of our planet. What is now becoming apparent is that while individual forest trees might appear discrete and solitary, they are in fact closely connected to one another and communicate with one another, mainly by means of a remarkable, hidden network which is often referred to as the Wood Wide Web. It puts the old joke, ‘How do trees access the internet? They log on’ in a new light!

Forest trees have much to teach us in the church. Using these delicate, subterranean, fungal networks, they regularly send messages to each other and share resources, most frequently the stronger with the weaker. If they are under attack, they can release chemical signals in order to alert other trees. In one fascinating example, when a giraffe bites off an acacia leaf, the tree detects the injury done to it and emits a distress signal. Other acacias pick this up and pump tannins into their leaves, as a means of defence. Apparently giraffes avoid leaves with a high level of tannins, since they don’t like the taste and sense the reduced nutritional value. In this interesting new light, the forest takes on the character of a caring community. Reflecting on these recent discoveries can greatly enhance the value and delight of walks in Lisbon’s wonderful Botanical Gardens.

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Interestingly, trees are present at every significant stage in the developing biblical story. It’s striking that in the creation narrative they are the only living things described as ‘pleasing to the eye’ (Genesis 2: 9). The tree of life in Genesis is matched by the tree of life in the new creation. In these between times, metaphorically speaking, we are encouraged to live our daily lives as do trees – rooted in the truth (Psalm 1: 2-3) and love (Ephesians 3: 17) of God; trusting a faithful Creator to supply our daily needs (Isaiah 41: 19); abiding in Christ, as the branch in the vine (John 15: 1-2). And as we learn more about the interconnectedness of forest life, as of all life in God’s amazing biosphere, may we increasingly reach out to one another in love, especially those who need our support and care the most – just as God in Christ has done for us.
 

Love and blessings,

Angus