Theological Reflection on Environmental Degradation And Vicious Cycle of Poverty
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Date
2012-08-18
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Abstract
The poor generally have access only to areas that have higher risk for health and
income generation, and they generally lack the resources to reduce the exposure to
the risk or to invest in alleviating the causes of such risk. Environmental degradation
therefore affects the health and nutrition status of the poor and lower their
productivity. The main objective of the study was to examine the Christian attitude
towards the environment and vicious cycle of poverty. Interviews and questionnaires
were used to collect data from officials of EPA, mining companies, ‘galamsey’ and
church members. The study revealed that as people become poorer, they destroy the
resources faster. They tend to overuse the natural resources because they do not have
anything to eat or any means of getting money except through the natural resources.
Poor people often lack sufficient income and education to afford higher quality life.
The study further revealed that some communities are denied access to good
drinking water due to mining operations. The problems of environmental
degradation and water availability has also meant that in some areas, affected
communities rely to a great extent, particularly in the dry season, on water sources
that are increasingly polluted by chemicals from mining operations. It was realized
that maintaining year round access to safe abundant supplies of water was a
significant problem for communities affected by mining activities. It was
recommended that churches should preach and educate its congregation that the
fragile environment on which they depend for their survival is being neglected or
over-exploited, and it is now necessary to rehabilitate it and manage it sustainably. It
is recommended that there is the need for the churches to have a theological
reflection that will help to change their attitude towards the environment. Churches
should also teach its members that the environment belongs primarily to them, and
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they must take the responsibility for the land and organize themselves in groups,
cooperatives, development associations and local associations to defend it. There is
also the need for churches to promote a Christian Fund and similar mechanisms for
directing funds to environmental awareness projects.
Description
A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of Master of Philosophy in Religious Studies, August-2012