Environmental Sustainability in the Context of Church Organisations in Jebbu Bassa, Plateau State, Nigeria

Environmental Sustainability in the Context of Church Organisations in Jebbu Bassa, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Environmental Problem is an age long issue that humans have continued to struggle with for decades. Various efforts have been made (political, scientific, legal, economic and intellectual) to solve this problem but to no avail.

This paper examines environmental sustainability in the context of the Churches in Bassa local government Area of Plateau State.

Bassa which served as a case study in this paper suffers from environmental problems as such the area looks filthy with huge keeps of refuse dumps along narrow and undefined streets and drainage channels.

This study therefore makes an attempt to investigate the role the Church is playing towards ensuring a sustainable environment in Bassa.

In carrying out this empirical study, the Survey method is adopted as part of the research design. It uses both descriptive and statistical techniques. Data for this paper was obtained from both primary and secondary sources.

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Primary data was generated through the use of questionnaire in such a way that significant view from each of the selected Churches in Bassa was received.

A total of 100 people were purposely sampled and 82 responses were retrieved back. The questionnaires were analyzed by tabulation, Charts and simple percentage. Secondary data was obtained from the Library using Books and Journals.

Results obtained from the analysis shows that majority of the respondent recognized that the Bible explains how the environment should be utilized by man. 63.4% believed that environmental preaching can affects man’s attitude to the environment while another 67% believes that the church has not played a significant role in environmental sustainability.

The implication is that the Bassa area suffers from ecological misbalance. The study concludes that while the attitude of Christianity to the environment, and the resources of nature are based in part of prohibition of abuse, it encourages construction and sustainable development.

The study therefore recommends that environmental sustainability must be embraced in our mismanaged environment and that there’s a need for the Church in Bassa to become proactive through environmental preaching, discipleship and education in churches and missionary schools.

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Introduction

Background Of Study

As the new millennium began in the year 2000AD, it became naturally clear to ask what sort of planet are we, passing on to the generation coming behind. It seems clear that our legacy will both be blessing and curse.

To one school of thought, we will hand over befits of globalization in communication, mobility and technical possibilities.

Another school of thought we will bequeath unprecedented problem as the effects of global warming inexorably take their course, as gridlocks and pollution chokes the cities of the world, as waters and soils becomes increasingly vulnerable.

There are quite some good signs, but many in the secular environmental sphere feel powerless and frustrated at how little we (especially the Church), have all acted to reduce those heart burdens generations coming behind will inherit (Gnanakan, 2004, p.21 ). This forms the fulcrum for this Paper.

Environmental problem include pollution, global warming, land degradation, deforestation as well as other anthropogenic activities and their impact on the coastal zone and waste management.

It is no longer news today that there is no part of the planet earth that doesn‘t have one form of environmental problem or the other. The case is not different for Bassa area of Plateau State.

Several attempts have been made globally to solve environmental problems scientifically, intellectually, economically and politically, however these approaches have failed in recent years.

The inadequacies of this approach are because the spiritual dimension of this problem has been neglected. Since Man is a spiritual being and environmental sustainability is not achievablewithout a religious component.

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References