RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTALISM: THE CHURCH’S ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PARADIGM BY: MOSES KUMI...

RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTALISM: THE CHURCH’S ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PARADIGM

BY:MOSES KUMI ASAMOAH (REV.)

CENTRAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, GHANA

Ghana Geographical Association Conference. KNUST 02-04 August, 2012

INTRODUCTION

“The 21st century environmental crisis is vastly different from any other in human

history”.(Cairns, 2005, p,1)


• This implies that the magnitude and the rampancy of environmental crises around the world today is incredibly threatening.

• We are however aware that, the natural environment is the major domain and the source of livelihood for all human and non-human living things.

• However, human activities in the pursuit of socio-economic advancement and infrastructure development have resulted in environmental crises.


Examples of environmental crises

• On the international front: – India for instance has lost 85 percent of her original

forest; and deforestation is a major cause of modern mass extinction of plants and animal species (Geisler, 1989).

– The recent tsunamis we have been observing (e.g., the recent one in Japan) destroyed houses, and left many injured and dead (Attorney General Dept. Tsunami, Activity Sheet, NO3)

Ghana Geographical Assosciation Conference. KNUST 02-04 August, 2012


• Locally in Ghana:– The Ghana’s Daily graphic in its 13th March 2012

edition had its front page , ‘‘The Dead Odaw River polluted with garbage’’. www.graphic.com.gh accessed March, 13, 2012.

http://www.graphic.com.gh/

The church’s role

• The church has a role to play to make the environment more livable.

• For instance the Bible says God created man:– First to give Him pleasure: Psalm 104: 31 says the

Lord rejoices in all he has made

– Everything God created He said it was good (Genesis 1)



What is the true biblical mandate of the church to environmental sustainability?

• most religious traditions are environmentally conscious;– For instance in Traditional religion, there are taboos

prohibiting people from felling tree or even tilling sacred grooves.

– In the Christian Bible, God placed man in the Garden and asked him to till and care for it (Gen 2: 15)


• Modern science, economic and political institutions have however taken the lead in environmental consciousness ahead of religious traditions.

• This could be due to some factors:1. Anthropocentrism (White)

I.That the Bible is authoritarian-exploitative and abusiveII. Modern science was cast within the matrix of Christian

theology ( human centered universe)

2. The theological thought that everything in this earth belongs to God

3. The fear of being identified as a pantheist4. That there is no environmental crises


5. Lack of knowledge that the environment is part of God’s theology of salvation (e.g God saved animals also during the Noah’s Flood)

6. Ignorance about the task entrusted to Christians to care for nature


• It is against this background that this presentation seeks to examine the biblical injunction of the church to environmental care and justice

Methodology

• Methodological triangulation was deployed in the collection of data.

• Interviews and discussions were conducted• Participants : – Ten pastors from Pentecostal and charismatic

churches were purposefully sampled – Secondary data were gathered from relevant books,

articles and theses– Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data


Findings 1

• A). Analysis from InterviewsQuestion: does the church care for the

environment? Explain. No! The church does not have interest in environmental care, it has no positive environmental attitude. The church is extremely religious. There is only occasional clean up exercises by some churches (Christian Psychologist)


“the Pentecostal and the charismatic churches were doing

nothing good to the environment. However, the orthodox and the Catholics were doing very well. The orthodox church members attend workshops on climate change. When there was UN conference on the environment, the world council of churches sent delegates. Again, some theologians (orthodox) are writing on environmental issues such as HIV/AID and biblical perspective, Sanitation and climate change. There is education by the orthodox churches to combat flooding, indiscriminate defecation, malarial control programs and others. They are also advocating on many platforms the need for all and sundry to be environmentally conscious” (Christian Geographer)


• From their views and other interviewers,– Most interviewers think the church is not

environmentally conscious.

– That the charismatic/pentecostals have the least consciousness for the environment compared with the orthodox.

– That the church can be a partner with other stakeholders such as government agencies like the EPA, some NGOs etc to enhance the sustainability of the environment.



Findings 2 B) Textual Analysis (From the Bible)1. The church’s perspective on ecology is traceable to

the creation theology. God mandates man to care for the environment.

“ and the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Gen 2: 15)

2. Biblical Institutionalized Regulations and Laws.

• The law of the Sabbath for rest of mankind and animals (Exo. 23:10, 12), Including land.

• The law of jubilee (Lev. 25:23,28)

• The law of harvesting (Lev. 19:9)

• The law of sanitation (Lev. 13;14)


• The law on pathological control. (e.g., those with contageous diseases were quarantined, infected clothes were incinerated, infected houses were destroyed Lev. 13:14, 9-11,Lev. 14:43- Human waste product were were buried.

• Other biblical discourses– In the New Testament, it is recoded that any tree that

does not bear fruit be cut off– Noah engaged animals in search for a new habitation

after the flood. Thus animals are important


• Jesus cursed the fig tree because it did not bear fruit.This also points to the fact that Waste must be removed from the environment.


Conclusion and Recommendations• The church is a major stakeholder in

environmental sustainability.

• That charismatics/pentecostals who draw large numbers of the publics seem uninvolved in environmental issues than the orthodox churches

• The Bible highlights on the critical need for humans to show concern and care for the environment


Recommendations • As the church contributes in health and

education globally, it could as well contribute to environmental sustainability by using the pulpit as an opportunity to educate people on environmental issues.

• On that note the following recommendations are made:


1. The church could establish animal task force to care for homeless, sick, wounded or abused animals. The church could as well build and manage or partner actively with a vetenary institutions to care for animals. Again , the church can help in any resource whatsoever, to revitalize the zoos we have .



2. The church could also take it upon itself to engage in regular tree planting and growing exercise at roadsides and in various communities and also grow a forest at vantage places. This could also serve as a base for wildlife

3. The church could serve as an interest and pressure group to have a dialogue and engage in relevant debate to support government policies , regulation and laws on deforestation, bush burning and poor sanitation.


4. It could also campaign against indiscriminate mining and pollution of all forms. This means clean air and land conservation be pursued. Policy against waste exported into the country be promoted.

5. In addition, the church could collaborate with other stakeholders for a statewide energy conservation campaign.


6. Again through the used of both the print and the electronic media, the church can preach its position and advocate for environmental care.

7. Also during its conferences , crusades and rallies, it could allot a day or two for clean up exercise and tree planting and growing


8. Again, the church could establish a fund from which scholarships could be awarded to relevant students to pursue courses on environmental management, environmental theology and agriculture.

9. It is also recommended that the church could provide financial support or partner with environmental agencies and departments to ensure environmental sustainability



THANK YOU

RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTALISM: THE CHURCH’S ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PARADIGM BY: MOSES KUMI...

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