1st Edition
African Perspectives on Religion and Climate Change
This book interrogates the contributions that religious traditions have made to climate change discussions within Africa, whether positive or negative. Drawing on a range of African contexts and religious traditions, the book provides concrete suggestions on how individuals and communities of faith must act in order to address the challenge of climate change.
Despite the fact that Africa has contributed relatively little to historic carbon emissions, the continent will be affected disproportionally by the increasing impact of anthropogenic climate change. Contributors to this book provide a range of rich case studies to investigate how religious traditions such as Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and indigenous faiths influence the worldviews and actions of their adherents. The chapters also interrogate how the moral authority and leadership provided by religion can be used to respond and adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. Topics covered include risk reduction and resilience, youth movements, indigenous knowledge systems, environmental degradation, gender perspectives, ecological theories, and climate change financing.
This book will be of interest to scholars in diverse fields, including religious studies, sociology, political science, climate change and environmental humanities. It may also benefit practitioners involved in solving community challenges related to climate change.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license
Introduction: African Perspectives on Religion and Climate Change, Ezra Chitando 1. African Traditional Religion and Climate Change: Perspectives from Zimbabwe, Tabona Shoko 2. The Climate Crisis: Mitigation and Control through Emaswati Indigenous Knowledge, Sonene Nyawo 3. The Nexus Between Indigenous Beliefs on Environment and Climate Change Adaptation Amongst the Sengwer in Embobut Forest, Kenya, Loreen Maseno and King’asia Mamati 4. An African Ecofeminist Appraisal of the Value of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Responding to Environmental Degradation and Climate Change, Lilian C. Siwila 5. Women, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and Climate Change in Kenya, Susan Mbula Kilonzo 6. Putting Words into Action: The Role of the Church in Addressing Climate Change in Ghana, Beatrice Okyere-Manu and Stephen Nkansah Morgan 7. The Mainline Churches and Climate Change in Uganda, David Andrew Omona 8. An Overview of the Response of Catholics in Africa to the Laudato Si’s Call for Creation Care, George C. Nche 9. Youth and Climate Change in the United Church of Zambia, Damon Mkandawire 10. Hinduism and Climate Change in Africa, Elizabeth Pulane Motswapong 11. Risk Reduction Interventions, Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change in Northeastern Kenya: A Review of the Response by the Islamic Relief Worldwide, Hassan Juma Ndzovu 12. The Religio-Spiritual and Sacred Dimensions of Climate-Induced Conflicts: A Research Agenda, Joram Tarusarira and Damaris S. Parsitau 13. African Religious Leaders and Climate Change Financing, Veronica Nonhlanhla Gundu-Jakarasi 14. Climate Change as a Multi-Layered Crisis for Humanity, Ernst M. Conradie
Biography
Ezra Chitando is Professor of History and Phenomenology of Religion at the University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe and Theology Consultant on HIV in Africa for the World Council of Churches.
Ernst M. Conradie is Senior Professor in the Department of Religion and Theology at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He is co-editor (with Hilda Koster) of the T&T Clark Handbook of Christian Theology and Climate Change (2019).
Susan M. Kilonzo is Associate Professor at the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Maseno University, Kenya. Her research and publication interests include religion and climate change, gender, development, peace building and, method and theory.
