Utilising a Balanced Homiletics as a Medium for Promoting Environmental Sustainability in Africa

Abstract

This paper examined the responsibility of African Christian preachers in helping the effort towards environmental sustainability in the continent. Africa, a highly resourced continent has some challenges in terms of managing its rate of poverty which in some ways has a connection with its level of environmental degradation. The paper employed a historical method and engaged the review of literature to examine some of the causes and nature of environmental problems in Africa, the concept of prophetic preaching biblically and theologically, and what African preachers can do to play their prophetic roles in mobilizing their congregations to participate in the effort to care for and sustain their God-given environment. Four such responsibilities were identified in this work as the exegetical task, the theological task, the homiletical task and the task of social responsibility. The paper posits that beyond what other methods can accomplish, a concerted mobilization effort through Christian preachers in Africa, known to be a very religious community, would go a very long way in bringing about environmental sustainability.