Caring for our Environment?

dichotomized. Such a relationship could be well understood with the title ascribed to the King of Akyem Abuakwa of the people of Ghana. In the Akan language, he is called Kwaebibiremhene, translated as King of the sacred forest. Africans regarded such a holistic relationship between humans, nature and the sacred as intertwined. It must be noted that for most the African ecological system was a living thing. The point here that one should note is the term “living thing” goes beyond the scientific understanding of living things. For the Africans, nature could hear, could speak, have emotions etc. just like humans. Africa further perceived most of its ecological system as sacred and accorded it with much respect. In some parts of Africa notably Ghana, most of their traditional festivals are connected to the ecological system. For instance, the Ohum (Yam) festival as celebrated by the people of Akyem Abuakwa is connected to the Birim River.

Thus, the title ascribed to the King mandated him to protect the forest no matter the consequences even with his life. It is sad to note that in recent times, the government of Ghana, which is supposed to protect the forest, was telling its people to agree to its proposal to mine one of these forests since it has economic gains. Thus, in recent years, it could be observed that most African ideas on environmental conservation have become theories or history instead of being practical. There has been a shift in contemporary times from the practical African perspective, which was anthropocosmic in understanding, meaning, it clearly demonstrated the harmonious relationship that existed between nature and humans, which was one of respect and love. What we are witnessing now is one that is anthropocentric in nature, one that is centered on humans alone and relegating the ecological system to the background due to the love for money. Thus, it becomes a surprise why a sudden shift. The main cause of such a problem I opine is due to the demonization of most of the African culture, philosophies and ideas by Western missionaries, which has left an indelible mark on the minds of the people and secondly the capitalistic nature of the world we live in today. Thus, I call for a reorientation of such a worldview, a shift from anthropocentric thinking to anthropocosmic thinking. In this regard, how does the Church in Africa respond adequately to these problems? In the Churches’ response to the ecological problem in Africa, I suggest that the Church should reclaim life-giving environmental protective philosophies in the African cultural milieu, which could be reinterpreted in the light of the gospel. Let me point out that missio-ecology praxis is not something new. Our ancestors, since time immemorial, have participated in the aspect of the mission of God, which is related to the environment. John Mbiti and Bolaji Idowu and many other African scholars have argued that Africans already knew God and God was present in Africa before the coming of the Western missionaries. In the light of this, most Africans participating in the missio Dei saw themselves as caretakers of the environment and protected it. Africans revered the environment and believed that nature had emotions as pointed out earlier. This African understanding of nature possessing such features is not different from Jesus Christ speaking to the fig tree. If indeed the fig tree died, then it means it heard Jesus Christ. Thus, Africans had respect for the environment. Furthermore, the Kwaebibiremhene’s responsibility as stated earlier was to protect the ecological system. The position he holds is divine and backed by the sacred world. Thus, by his act of protecting the environment participates in the mission of God, which has its foundation of life and not death. Furthermore, the African understanding of Ubuntu philosophy is not anthropocentric in nature but rather anthropocosmic. “We are because of the environment and the environment is because of us.” That is the African understanding between humans and nature. It is one of harmonious living one of protection, not one of greed and the love for wealth, which results in the destruction of the ecological system. By reclaiming these African philosophies and reinterpreting them in the light of the gospel, the Church in Africa could address the problem at hand.

“...poverty becomes one of the main reason why most people in Africa destroy the environment because such destruction has become their source of livelihood.

Furthermore, the mission of God has always included the ecological system. In the flood story in Genesis 6, God instructs Noah to include livestock in the ark. Thus, this act demonstrates that the mission of God since the beginning has always included the ecological system. In addition, one could observe how Jesus Christ instructed his disciples to preach the gospel in Mark 16:15 to all creation. In preaching the saving power of God, God did not omit any person or thing. God’s salvation and deliverance is for all, which has also been holistic and inclusive. The mission of God has always been to give life. Thus, the good news of the Cross, as we are in the season of post-Easter, in the act of liberation does not only refers to human but also the entire creation which includes the ecological system. A rereading of Romans 8:18-25 from an ecological perspective demonstrates how creation (ecological system) is in pain, labour, anguish, corrupted and waiting for the manifestation of the children of God. The ecological system has been corrupted. It is in pain and anguish. It is waiting for those who are ready to participate in the mission of God in liberating it.

Thus, scriptures, which are ecological friendly, could be reinterpreted in the light of African ecological philosophies to help address the ecological crises facing the continent. I suggest African ecological philosophies because identity is key in resolving problems confronting certain people. May we always be ready to participate in the mission of God to give life to everything or everyone, which seems dying or dead.

Rev Samuel Kofi Boateng Nkrumah-Pobi is an Ecumenical preacher and currently a PhD Candidate with the Global Institute of Theology, Yonsei University. He is also the leader of Azusa Revival Outreach Ministry.

A humble, prayerful attitude is essential

By Fiona Gannon, Union of Welsh Independents (UWI)

If we believe in our duty to act as stewards of creation (Gen. 2.15), caring for our planet and nurturing it, we cannot avoid being painfully aware of our failure to do so. Far from being able to pass on a flourishing legacy to future generations, we are now living on a planet in crisis, which is rapidly reaching an irreversible tipping point as regards climate change, and where the gleeful squandering of the earth’s resources by the wealthy minority has created an environmental emergency. Not only are we endangering the ability of future generations to sustain themselves – we are rapidly creating a planet which is unrecognisable, and where large portions of the world’s population are forced to become migrants, since their former homes are no longer inhabitable.

Understandably, many church congregations are engaging increasingly with environmental matters, by moving across to sustainable energy suppliers, taking advantage of chances to install solar panels, etc. Many are established fairtrade churches, and have made conscious decisions to use no single-use disposable items, raising awareness amongst their congregations and communities of environmental issues. Some are also finding ways of using church grounds to promote biodiversity, plant trees, and create green havens/wildlife service stations.

However, how can all this be reconciled with the many church buildings that are nothing short of an environmental nightmare? Is it possible to claim to be following a green agenda if we are a small congregation meeting in an ancient building that is, to all intents and purposes, an uninsulated barn? Do we hear any echoes of Jesus’ words: ‘Woe to you ... you hypocrites’ (Math. 23)? How can we distance ourselves from our attachment to bricks and mortar and truly practise what we preach?

In our personal lives, we may feel it’s easier to control the various aspects of our lives which could be greener. Many of us will have been making green choices for quite some time now. Perhaps we’ve moved over to renewable energy and installed a smart metre in the house. Covid may well have helped us to reduce our mileage in the car, and it’s also likely that we’ve developed more local shopping habits as a result of the pandemic. However, here again, there is a pressing question as regards our credibility, or possibly it might be fairer to refer to our relevance as part of the bigger picture. As someone who can afford to do so financially, I am privileged to be able to make environmental choices, but even if all those in Wales who are in a similar position to me move to a greener way of life (and that’s a big if), to what extent can that be seen as effective when almost 30% of the population of Wales is living in poverty?

When living in poverty, matters of environmentalism can quite simply cease to have relevance, since the battle to keep one’s head above water eclipses all else. The costs of the energy supplier are immeasurably more important than how green they are, every penny saved counts, and the over-riding concern is finding a means of feeding the household, keeping them warm, and clothing them.

How, then, can we respond to these issues?

We may find some guidance in the story of the rich young man, where Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions (Math. 19). As so often in the stories we are told in the New Testament, Jesus knows the characters he talks to better than they know themselves (another obvious example of this is the woman at the well in Samaria), and after making a connection with them, he gently pushes them out of their comfort zone. He immediately spots the stumbling block which is preventing the young man from living a life where God is at the centre. The call to sell all his possessions, therefore, is a challenge to this young man’s mindset. Jesus knows that money and possessions hold the central place in his heart, so he challenges him to place God there instead.

I wonder how he would challenge us in Wales to change our mindset in 2022? According to Shelter Cymru last summer, 1 in 3 people in Wales are living in unsafe or unaffordable housing. In that context, I wonder whether Jesus might challenge us to ‘find a way of providing shelter to the homeless, rather than maintaining out of date, dilapidated buildings that are only used for a couple of hours a week’. Similarly, in the context of poverty, I wonder whether he might challenge us to think at a more