On Christianity and Conservation: towards a more inclusive environmentalism
By Peter Rowe
Introduction
When one thinks of the environment and modern-day environmentalism, a broad array of themes might come to mind: climate change, environmental (in)justice, biodiversity conservation, and the list goes on. However, something that might not crack most people’s top ten, or more realistically, top hundred, is Christianity. Now, I realise that this may sound very odd to some people. Christianity and environmentalism going hand in hand? The same Christianity that has often been complacent, or worse yet, an ardent proponent (at least in the United States of America) of an environmentally exploitative capitalist and neoliberal economic system? The same Christianity that has stood, by and large, idly by as the impacts of climate change continue to worsen, and deepen class, race, and economic divides? Yes, that one. In this article, I will suggest, by drawing on examples from my own research, that far from being the root cause of environmental degradation, the Christian worldview allows for a unique ecotheology, working for the good of the whole of creation. But before I get into how this could be, it’s important to understand where this current thesis of divergence has come from, and to make clear some important distinctions which help to reconcile the two.
Christianity, Capitalism, and the Separation of Nature and People
On the heels of the industrial revolution in Western Europe and the United States, sociologists began to ponder what made the revolution possible. Here, it is important to remember that for a given phenomenon, there are different levels of explanation (Lennox 2018). While many people, and rightly so, attribute the rise of industrialisation and capitalism to the ability to create complex machines and harness steam power, sociologists of the time were looking towards different, yet equally valid explanations. In the early 20th century, German sociologist Max Weber wrote his now classic The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, in which he links the rise of industrial capitalism with Protestantism, a broad denomination of Christianity which had its genesis in the 16th century following the reformation. More specifically, Weber contends broadly that Calvinists in particular (a branch of Protestantism) came to see success in business as a sign of blessing and favour from God, and that this religio-economic outlook paved the way for modern capitalism.
Along similar lines, the finger has once again been pointed at Christianity, or more broadly the Judeo-Christian worldview, as a driving force behind the separation of ‘nature’ and ‘people’. Indeed, some argue that ‘the widespread separation of humans from nature in Western culture can be traced to a few key historical developments, starting with the rise of Judeo-Christian values 2000 years ago’ (Alberro 2019). Going further, Alberro suggests that as Christianity rose to become the dominant worldview throughout Europe and North America, the Christian God, ‘as well as sacredness and salvation- were re-positioned outside of nature’ (ibid). This analysis generally follows in the footsteps of the now infamous article The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis by historian Lynn White published in the journal Science in 1967, a cornerstone publication in separating the spheres of Christianity and the environment and environmentalism. Though the article concludes with a suggestion to look to Saint Francis of Assisi as a model for faith-based environmentalism, the criticisms of Christianity as practised in the West, and moreover the role it played and continues to play in legitimising environmental degradation was far more impactful. Thus, with the continued ascendancy of modern capitalism throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries, with steadfast political support from more conservative (and generally more Christian) political parties, especially in the West, the already entrenched thinking that in a Christian worldview, nature is something ‘out there’ and distinctly separate from humanity was further cemented.
However, it is vital to remember that there is an important distinction to be made between Christianity, and Christianity as practised in the West. As a Christian myself, I find the following (imperfect) analogy helpful: imagine a youngster of about 10 years attempting some quite high-level maths. Odds are, the young person will get the maths wrong. Perhaps they will have an inkling of how to make the first step, but following that, they will most likely become confused and lost. Now in this case, was the youngster wrong, or the maths? Well the youngster of course! My point here is this- do not throw the baby out with the bath water. That being said, although Christianity in the West has come to represent Christianity itself, I would contend that this is a dire conflation, and severely neglects and discounts the beautiful diversity of the Christian tradition found across the world, especially so when it comes to the environment and environmentalism, as the next section will explore.
Christianity, the Environment, and Environmentalism
While some more conservative Christian traditions admittedly view the role of humans towards the environment as one of exploitation and dominion, there are many Christian traditions which view the earth, and the whole of creation (humans and non-humans alike) as sacred and precious creatures made by God and therefore laden with God-given value. How can this be? Well, thankfully, within the Christian tradition, unity does not imply uniformity. While (generally) all who identify as Christian believe in the Biblical narrative and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what this means for human salvation, many Christians disagree on the wider implications of this. To try to provide some insight into this, I now turn to my own experience in Kenya in June of 2019.
During my time as an MSc student in Environment and Development at the University of Edinburgh, I was put in touch with a Christian conservation organisation, one of about two or three in the world, A Rocha (A Rocha being Portuguese for ‘The Rock’). A Rocha currently has about 20 quite devolved offices around the globe, each working in a contextualised manner to provide ‘conservation and hope’, aiming to work for the good of the whole of creation, with a specific emphasis on biodiversity conservation stemming from the belief that God is the creator of all life, implying that all life, human and non-human, has inherent value (A Rocha 2020). A Rocha takes cues from various parts of the Christian Bible extolling God’s love and care for creation (see for example Genesis 1; Psalm 50, Psalm 104; Psalm 145; Romans 8; Colossians 1), seeing them as clear motivation for caring for all of creation. Fundamentally, A Rocha views creation care as not optional, but essential, to the life of any practising Christian. After being put in touch with A Rocha and subsequently their Kenyan branch, A Rocha Kenya (ARK), I was graciously invited to Kenya to explore how their Christian faith, not only motivates, but fundamentally shapes their conservation work in the Coast Province of Kenya.
In Kilifi County, Kenya, ARK is working to protect the Dakatcha Woodland, a sprawling forest 50km northwest of Malindi on Kenya’s central coast. Covering over 188,000 hectares, the Dakatcha Woodland has been recognised as a Key Biodiversity Area as it contains globally threatened species including the Golden-Rumped Sengi (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus). Despite this, the Dakatcha Woodland lacks formal protection and remains vulnerable to deforestation. Given this, ARK is putting their faith into action by working together with local churches to protect the Dakatcha Woodland. However, moving beyond motivation, ARK’s Christian faith fundamentally shapes how their work is carried out through the novel use of faith-based relationships to enact biodiversity conservation. Despite the relative remoteness of the Dakatcha Woodland, the area is dotted with nearly a dozen churches. In their work to conserve the Dakatcha Woodland and endangered species therein, ARK endeavours to partner with churches that are proximal to their small but growing nature reserve within the Dakatcha Woodland and/or the habitats of endangered species. Additionally, because ARK is not aligned with any particular Christian denomination, their relationships with churches are intentionally ecumenical. Once a relationship is formed, it is maintained through a variety of faith-based activities. For example, after obtaining permission from the pastor of the church, ARK begins a month-long creation care themed sermon series, followed by a more focused Bible study. These studies are a crucial way for ARK staff to deepen personal relationships with participants and also serve reinforce the concept of Biblical environmental stewardship.
The main way ARK staff encourage participants to take action is through Farming God’s Way (FGW). Using the three pillars of conservation agriculture (zero tillage, mulching and crop rotation) alongside six Biblical principles, FGW provides an agricultural technique that both increases food security and reverence for God’s creation. Because of the comparatively small amount of land and material input required (FGW requires no fertiliser or pesticides and practices cultivation on the same plot of land, rather than shifting cultivation), the conservation impact of FGW on the Dakatcha Woodland is evident. However, perhaps the main conservation benefit of FGW is its role in the cultivation of a uniquely Christian conservation ethic. Using FGW to teach about creation care and biodiversity conservation, it is ARK’s hope that this will influence the way participants think and act about and towards the Dakatcha Woodland and endangered species therein, a transformation that would yield conservation benefits for generations.
What I hope to have shown here is that far from being a detriment or root cause of environmental degradation, the work of ARK clearly shows their Christian faith not only motivates, but indeed, through the relationships formed and programmes implemented, fundamentally shapes on-the-ground conservation efforts in the Dakatcha Woodland. I believe this is crucially important for three reasons. First, ARK’s work clearly shows a viable conservation model under the umbrella of Christianity. While not perfect, as all human organisations have their flaws, ARK’s work makes clear that Christianity and conservation are not divergent, but indeed convergent ideals which can and do work symbiotically for the benefit of human and non-human creation alike. Second, ARK’s Christian conservation model is a much needed step away from the economically driven ‘neoliberal nature’ models of modern conservation such as REDD+ and Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes. By viewing non-human creation as something with inherent value bestowed by God and not people, ARK staff and FGW participants work with the knowledge that the species they are working to conserve are God’s very own handiwork, worthy of protection. Third, and perhaps most importantly, ARK’s Christian conservation work shows beautifully the diversity of Christianity, getting away from the highly generalised and seemingly monolithic western Christianity that many people conceptualise.
Towards a more inclusive environmentalism
This article is admittedly incomplete. The unique trajectory of Christianity and the environment and environmentalism is an incredibly complex story. However, it serves to illustrate a valuable point- this intersection cannot be generalised. If this article has shown anything, it is my hope that, by showcasing the work of A Rocha Kenya, this article has problematised popular conceptions of Christianity’s role in environmentalism and challenged fundamental assumptions about this how the Christian worldview thinks about, motivates, and shapes environmental action. Moreover, it is my hope that this article has shown that the Christian faith, and indeed all faiths, have a vital role to play in environmental action.
Until very recently, the role of faith was hardly acknowledged in mainstream efforts for causes such as combating climate change and advocating for biodiversity conservation. Indeed, it was only within the last decade that the United Nations recognised the vital importance of faith to people on this planet and the link that that faith has with environmental protection. With the launch of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Faith for Earth Initiative, the world’s faiths are finally getting a voice at the mainstream environmental table. However, in my field of study, conservation and development, particularly in East Africa, the role of faith has yet to be incorporated into the work of the hundreds, if not thousands of western bankrolled NGOs who work to provide the elusive ‘win-win’ of biodiversity conservation alongside development. This is especially shocking given the fundamental importance of faith to the vast majority of people where conservation and development schemes take place. Despite the glacial rate of change in making conservation and environmentalism more inclusive of faith traditions in mainstream efforts, the tide is changing. I am not here suggesting that faiths are the silver bullet to the planet’s environmental woes. I am suggesting, however, that faith traditions and communities have a vital role to play in the sustainable future of this planet, and it is time that our voices, worldviews, and practices be taken seriously in environmental action.
References
A Rocha. 2020. A Rocha International website homepage. Available from: https://www.arocha.org/en/ [Accessed 12 December 2020]
Alberro, H. 2019. ‘Humanity and nature are not separate – we must see them as one to fix the climate crisis’. The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/humanity-and-nature-are-not-separate-we-must-see-them-as-one-to-fix-the-climate-crisis-122110 [Accessed 11 December 2020]
Lennox, J. 2018. Levels of Explanation. The Veritas Forum. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49elnJo2W5o [Accessed 12 December 2020]
Weber, M. 1905. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
White, Lynn. 1967. ‘The historical roots of our ecologic crisis’. Science 155, no. 3767: 1203-1207.
