An appraisal of the Pentecostal eco-theology and environmental consciousness among youths in Parklands Baptist Church, Kenya

Loreen Maseno,King’Asia Mamati

doi:10.4102/hts.v77i2.6840

Abstract

The younger generation in different countries have been said to be growing into environmental consciousness. Are youths in the Kenyan religious landscape aware of the environmental issues? Is environmental consciousness evident among Pentecostal youths? On the one hand, environmental consciousness based on anthropocentric perspective promotes the view that only human beings and their interests are to be considered. On the other hand, environmental consciousness grounded in eco-centric viewpoint insists that natures’ value cannot be reduced to only what promotes human well-being. The researchers adopted a descriptive design for the study. The tools for data collection included participant observation and literature review. Contribution: This article critically examines the Parklands Baptist Church (PBC) in Kenya vision 2040 strategy, sermons and congregational programmes in relation to environmental stewardship. It considers how through these, PBC youths are mobilised in practical ways towards creation care to grow an awareness for the environment. It further points to the ways in which religious communities such as churches could be important instruments in enabling youths to have conviction and nudge them to be conscious of the environment as a divine mandate. For analysis, this article considers tenets of a credible eco-theology at PBC and its applicability.

Highlights

A common feature among the Pentecostal movements is the youths
There are young professionals and middle-class urban Africans among their numbers. They are mobilised in practical ways and grow an awareness about various areas such as financial stewardship, creation care and determination for success
This article will not delve into the finer demarcations of Pentecostalism, but explores how the Parklands Baptist Church (PBC) youths encounter the PBC vision 2040 strategy, faith sermons on environmental stewardship, and whether they are encouraged and mobilised into programmes and practical ways towards creation care

Summary

Introduction

A common feature among the Pentecostal movements is the youths. These churches or ‘ministries’ initially tend to have a younger, more formally educated, and more Westernised leadership and membership. This article will not delve into the finer demarcations of Pentecostalism, but explores how the Parklands Baptist Church (PBC) youths encounter the PBC vision 2040 strategy, faith sermons on environmental stewardship, and whether they are encouraged and mobilised into programmes and practical ways towards creation care. Goins (1997) further asserts that the environmental crisis for Pentecostals is not problematic because the natural environment is of only relative value and is expected to be destroyed He noted that the reasons Pentecostals lack concern about the eco-crisis are found in the Pentecostal tradition, their views of human and natural history, and the way Pentecostals apply scriptural interpretation (Goins 1997). Churches could be an important instrument in enabling youths have conviction and be conscious of the environment as a divine mandate

Background information on Parklands Baptist Church

Conclusion