A world in turmoil— how should we respond?

With British and European leaders holding emergency summits, tense oval office meetings, multiple wars on multiple fronts and ongoing global economic fragility, economists and trend theorists are once again using the term ‘VUCA’ (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) to describe our wavering world.

From One Crisis to Another

The term VUCA originated some four decades ago to describe the uncertain global outlook that followed the Cold War. After democratic capitalism forged a new world order, things seemed less VUCA. But then, 9/11 summoned it once again. This was followed by the Global Financial Crisis, then Covid, and now, a new wave of economic and geo-political uncertainty.

We like to use terms like VUCA to help segregate the turmoil, but history suggests that this volatility is not sporadic. It’s perpetual. As the late British journalist and author Malcolm Muggeridge remarked, “All new news is old news happening to new people.”

The Ripple Effect of Uncertainty

With so many sources of turbulence, we seem to be in a perpetual state of omni-crisis. Our shifting landscapes – both abroad and at home – tend to flow into the psychology of personal anxiety. People are understandably anxious – about their jobs, about their families, about their futures. Businesses, families and individuals feel the effects of inflation, geopolitical tension and economic turbulence. Nations begin turning in on themselves. The opportunities and challenges of AI continue to unravel. Uncertainty abounds.

Do Not Fear, For I Am With You

Navigating such rocky terrain – this omni-crisis – calls for an omni-solution, something that addresses our everyday anxieties and helps us navigate our medium and long-term challenges. Into this haze of uncertainty, the Christian message speaks a message of hope, strength, identity, meaning and purpose that acknowledges and transcends uncertainty, and pumps fresh waters of love and resilience into our cultural currents.

“So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

As we begin the season of Lent, be encouraged that amid the growing turmoil and adversity that would ultimately lead to His death on a cross, our Lord Jesus Christ did not waiver from what He saw as primary: His relationship with us.

The Christian life is not a call to escape the turbulence of the world, but to navigate, love and serve a world that is searching for hope, secure in our relationship with God through Jesus. We are blessed in Him so we can be a blessing to others, no matter how VUCA it gets.

Resources to Encourage you

How To Navigate A World of Economic Unrest

Max Jeganathan gives practical, faith-based strategies for finding stability and hope in turbulent times in this talk he gave at the Confident Faith Conference last year.

Can We Live With AI?

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is reshaping the world we live in. Listen to John Lennox unpack what AI means for us in this talk.

Faith In The Real World Conference

We have an exciting apologetics training day coming up in London on Saturday 19th April. I’ll be speaking alongside others as we consider together how the Christian faith makes sense of the world we live in. Do join us!