An African perspective on hamartology and ecology: Assessing Jesse Mugambi’s contribution to the contemporary debate

Abstract

Christian ecotheology offers a Christian critique of ecological destruction while simultaneously proposing an ecological critique of Christianity. One aspect of Christian ecotheology entails ecumenical discourse on the content and ecological significance of the Christian faith. This involves a reinterpretation of the classic Christian symbols – in this instance the doctrine of sin, more specifically the nature of sin – explored in the light of ecological discussions. Taking into account the radical diversity in contemporary forms of Christian ecotheology and the contemporary ecological crisis, this paper presents African theologian Jesse Mugambi’s contribution to such discourse. Following a brief overview of the Christian understanding of the nature of sin and how it is re-described in contemporary ecotheological terms, Jesse Mugambi’s position on ecotheological discourse through a discussion of anthropocentrism, domination in the name of differences of species, consumerist greed, alienation of humans from the earth community and sloth (backwardness) is explored. Mugambi’s African context is a key influencing factor in the formulation of his ecotheology. Science and technology, industrialisation, pollution and development are among the prominent emerging themes. The paper involves ecclesial scrutiny, namely Mugambi’s assessment of Christianity’s role in contributing to the current crisis and theological reflection on ecological sin, followed by alternative courses of action to appropriately attend to the issues in question. In closing, Mugambi’s overall contribution to the current ecotheological debate is assessed.