The Missionaries of Africa Capitular Acts 2022 states; “Environmental degradation and climate change are affecting our ‘common home’ and more particularly the African peoples. Rampant insecurity and migration from the African world to the northern hemisphere and within African states are growing. Poor governance and socio-political instability open the door to the tyranny of multinational corporations that grab land, plunder and exploit natural resources, manipulate government structures and impoverish the situation”.
The principle and practice of “Integral Ecology” in the context of our missionary activities invite us to reflect and act across religious beliefs, cultural practices and economic development, political convictions, geographical boundaries and other many considerations. From the resolution of the 2022 Capitular Acts we feel some areas that necessarily compel us to insert Integral Ecology in our apostolic life. We need to promote a sense of what is “good” (Genesis1:31) and look at the earth and all it holds as sacred; to be conserved, regenerated, respected and used responsibly. This sense of good would consider the physical environment in which we stay, human beings that live on the earth, non-living things that are natural patrimony, all living beings in their multiplicity and complexity, water bodies and all they hold, air and its chemistry; in other words, the ecosystem.
In 2016, the United Nations Organization (UNO) adopted a framework to advance integral development in the world by developing a concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to enhance the Integral Ecology. UNO wanted to effect global welfare of peoples and their human activities, the state of our mother earth and the use of natural resources. Underlying the SDGs is a virtue of responsible use and the welfare of humanity and the entire earth.
The role of a Christian and other believers is to be part of that framework to think creatively and act responsibly towards biodiversity and the entire ecosystem. If a Christian is called to be a “guardian’ of creation, that person has to be a responsible steward. This implies being attentive to the entire ecosystem, promoting local and international policies on fair trade and adhering to human rights. This is the spirit and practice of Christian charity. Therefore, integral ecology becomes the new name of evangelization.
Recently, a number of countries across the globe have been exploring some natural resources, and developing technology to exploit and use them. Cases in point: oil and timber in Latin American, oil in Uganda, copper in Zambia, minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several other countries. Regrettably, the exploration and use have not profited these developing countries. The rich investors hire technical people and other bureaucrats who unscrupulously exploit poor countries. The endowment of these valuable resources, particularly in most African countries, do not promote the expected development. This could be due to lack of implementing policies, poor bargaining with investors, uncompromising geo-politics, few skilled workers, poor technology, questionable accountability and lack of transparency in negotiations for the resources.
Some countries, for example Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, have insisted on applying the “value addition” principle when exporting processed materials such as minerals, crops and dairy products in order to profit more. Integral Ecology requires technical know-how and practice of good governance and good work attitudes. Integral Ecology provokes debates about our surroundings and the natural world, the development of natural resources (minerals, vegetation, game animals, aquatic creatures, air), social welfare, commercial and economic systems and the plight of less privileged indigenous (local owners). It questions some development programmes, religious beliefs and some cultural practices. It calls for a fact-based accountability.
Promotion of Integral Ecology needs to be a collaborative enterprise. Religions, civil and cultural organizations and institutions need to work together. There are some unquestionable social norms that guide these activities. We have to promote the concept in every religion that conceives nature as sacred and understands the natural world as a reflection of the power of God the creator (Bible, Wisdom 13:5, Islam, the Khalifa concept). Such a concept is found in a number of main religions of the world and in most African traditional beliefs.
For an evangelization to be relevant today, Integral Ecology should be a bulk of our apostolic life and a strong element of missionary activities. Consequently, we should develop skills related to the subject, understand current factors of international geo-politics affecting the debate on climate change and appreciate the principles of multilateralism that enhance the practice of Integral Ecology regarding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We need to evaluate some religious and doctrinal practices regarding the physical world, develop spirituality that cross-cuts all religions and to listen to local and indigenous people who have been stewards and practitioners of Integral Ecology for centuries. We have to embrace technology that promotes Integral Ecology practice. We have to live a life that is Integral Ecology in itself.
I have been involved in Integral Ecology for more than thirty years. I have been involved in pastoral work by promoting concrete social welfare, justice and peace. I have taken up some government programmes as part of our parish pastoral practice in some countries of my missionary life. I have been involved in planning with local governments as a missionary regarding the development of the people. I have interacted with some traditional leaders on conservation practices, land ownership, responsible use of lakes and rivers, cutting of trees for charcoal and illegal mining.
In 2016 I produced a documentary; “Earth our Home”, a reflection in Zambia intended to promote Integral Ecology principles and practice. Here at FENZA Centre we engage some religious leaders especially evangelical and pentecostal pastors to reflect on climate change and biodiversity issues. We have established FENZA as an “Ecological Demonstration Site” for our neighbours, educational institutions, churches and international visitors. I have offered my services to support some groups and institutions that promote Integral Ecology. For fifteen years I have engaged some families across Zambia to practice conservation farming.
I carried out field practice on some indigenous species of trees and food in Zambia. I am currently undertaking a video documentary on “Diversification of Crops for Food Availability in Zambia”. The background of all these activities, as a missionary, is our missionary charism and my academic qualifications in Human Rights, Good Governance and Field Conservation and Ecological Engineering.
Life is interconnected; life is a “communion of subjects not a collection of objects” (Thomas Berry). We have to see ourselves in a network of every member on earth, guided by policies, values and the spirit of Christ Jesus. Integral Ecology is action not a theory.
By: Venerato Deus Babaine, M.Afr.
