Influence of Christian missions on ecological preservation

Abstract

For many years, Christian missions have focused on the redemption of humans while neglecting the environment that sustains them. The salvation story has always been centred on Christ’s sacrifice for humankind. Other creations were conceived as immaterial to God’s mission of love and care on Earth. Christian domains witnessed an explosive development and advancement that put other creations at risk. The environment and the ecosystem bore the brunt of those developmental activities, which led to global ecological crises. By the mid-20th century, Christians were awakened to the guilt of exploring the Earth without caring much for it, which led to the development of ecotheology as a strategy to promote a theological understanding of holistic missions to all of creation. Through ecotheology, the knowledge of Christian missions shifted from anthropocentric praxis to the integration of missions with ecology. This article draws on the literature to explore the historical background of integrating missions with ecology, its biblical basis, and its influence on ecological preservation. The findings show that, with a shift in theological understanding of God and His mission as inclusive of all creation, Christian missions have highlighted the need for humans to care for the Earth as part of God’s redemptive plan for all creation.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article serves as an eye-opener, prompting people to rethink how they have been treating their environment (ecosystem) and to make necessary amendments.