It is very important to realize mat our traditional belief and culture are very crucial in tackling the environmental crisis, hence responding to poverty in our community.
159 Henri Blocher, In the Beginning (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984), p. 184.
160 Steven Bouma-Prediger, For the beauty of the Earth, p. 124.
161 David N. Field, 'The Gospel, the Church and the Earth: Reflection on an Ecological Ecclesiology,' p.
72.
162 Emest Lucas, 'The NT teaching on the environment,' in Transformation 16:3 (July/September 1999), p.
98.
The Zambian traditional beliefs, and in Africa at large, teach us that nature is sacred. I agree with this truth that, "In the culture and spirituality of indigenous populations, land is seen as the basis of every value and as the unifying factor that nourishes their identity".163 For example, this poem of the Lozi (Zambian from Western Province) people can deeply express this pride of owning land and protecting it:
Bulozi fasi labondataluna Hala maflsi lelinde kilona
Kimolupepezwi, Kimoluhulezi milwalilata Bulozi land of our forefathers
among all the land ours is the best
we are born and we grow up on this beautiful land164
They are identified with land and the rest of creation. People are aware that in order to survive they must sustain their environment, which does not only belong to them but to their ancestors and the future generation. Their belief and culture dictate that any harm to nature does not only affect them but it disturbs even their forefathers and this can bring more harm to their community and curses to their children. The truth of the matter is that;
"traditional African wisdom holds the environment sacred. It believes that the environment has the potential ability to sustain human beings adequately, if they in turn care for the environment."165
We are facing a serious environmental crisis as a result of a cultural crisis. Humanity has failed to maintain its relationship with the rest of creation. People's minds are alienated to that such a degree that they forget that their existence depends on the care of the rest of creation. Therefore, I would agree with Ernst Conradie that:
The crisis is that we have to face is not primarily an ecological but a cultural crisis. The problem lies not outside but inside us, not in the ecosystem but in the human heart, in the collective psyche. What is required is a fundamental change of orientation, in Christian terms a metanoia.166
143 Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Towards a Better Distribution of Land: The challenge of Agrarian Reform (Nairobi: Pauline Publications Africa, 1998), p. 14.
African Development Education Network, Caring for Africa, p. 82.
,6S African Development Education Network, Caring for Africa, p. 85.
166 Conradie, 'How can we help to raise an environmental awareness in the South African context?', Scriptura 52(2003), p. 132.
Because the problem lies inside our heart, the solution to the environmental crisis cannot be offered by new science, technologies, and political power, without involving religious and cultural power.
We need first to recognize that indigenous people have good knowledge about environmental care. This knowledge has been passed on from one generation to another generation. They have been utilizing this knowledge in managing their environment.
Therefore, it should be encouraged. This is the environment that has been sustaining them. In conclusion I would like to hold on to this truth:
As human beings we are capable of renewing our environment with our intelligence and creativity despite the difficult problems and pressure on us to live better. This can effectively be done through the promotion of our cultural heritage [that support environmental care]. Our culture can serve as an effective medium of environmental education and information. However, in order to fully include culture in environmental development, we need to also look at decision-making and politics related to the environment.167
However, in case there is a cultural crisis, the gospel becomes one of the major answers for redemption of that culture and the ecological system of that community. It is through our gospel of redemption that people's hearts will be brought back to their Creator and they will also respect the rest of creation.
6.3 Conclusion
And the angel showed me a pure river of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nation.
(Revelation 22:1-2 -cf. also Ezek.47: 12)
The goodness of creation that we read throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation shows that there is a strong connection between the biblical/theological teaching and ecological vision. The ecological healing should be a Christian vision if we need to reconcile with our Creator. I am of the opinion that if preachers of the Word and the theologians use the Bible in the right way maybe it would be a good tool that could help
African Development Education Network, Caring for Africa, p. 85.
Christians to address the issue of the ecological crisis positively. In reference to Genesis 1 and 2, and with focus on Gen.l: 28-30, God had a clear mission to create all things. For that matter, humankind's rule over creation has limitations, it has to fit God's mission-
"The imago Dei Vision".
The imago Dei, thus means that nature's welfare is dependent on humanity, just as it (which includes humanity) is obviously dependent upon God. It cannot mean a geocentricity of pantheistic harmony, or an anthropocentricity which sees all for the benefit of humanity, but a theocentricity which sees the existence of all in the world for the glory of God, and the duty of humanity such as to deal with the world as to increase that glory.168
Hence, based on biblical and theological inspirations that we have in chapter six, I dedicate chapter seven to practical strategies mat can help the church to tackle the two big challenges that she is facing: Poverty and the earth crisis.
D.T William, Christian Approaches to Poverty. (New York: Authors Choice Press, 2001), p.71.
CHAPTER SEVEN:
CHURCH STRATEGIES AND PRACTICALCONTRIBUTION TO EARTH DEGRADATION