Ecology and Indian Christian thought (part-1)
Nature is created by God and it reflects God’s goodness, beauty, love
and concern for the humanity. Therefore, it is appropriate to respect the
nature. Our forefathers were well aware of this and they considered earth as
mother.[1] But due to the colonial effect we are not
in a position to appreciate the nature but we try to rule over nature to gain
monetary benefits. We need to change this view and learn to respect nature and
thank God for providing us this priceless gift.
There is a desperate need that we should move towards eco-spirituality
whereby our spirituality can discern the exploitation of nature and we should
consider caring nature as an act of our worship. Nature is the web of life out
of which we came and where we will go. Nature is the inextricable matrix in
which we live and move and have our being.[2] The existence of the Church is for the sake
of others and in the context of unjust ecological structure the ministry of the
church definitely requires ecological concerns. The restoration starts when we
consider earth as our home created by God. So, earth is our Oikos, Greek
term for home or household. From this word Oikos, we got words for economic and
ecology. Oikos and nomos are used for economics which means rules
of the house. Oikos and logos are used for ecology which means
the wisdom of house. Therefore, we need to build an integrative vision that
seeks to balance the struggle for humanization with the struggle for earth
keeping. Thinking of our earth as one home reminds us that the way we structure
our human economy in terms of our production, consumption and waste has to be
in harmony with the ecological logic of the earth. According to Gabriela
Dietrich, “the important root cause of the ecological crisis together with the
tantalization of market economy or total marketisation and sexual division of
labour is a technocratic understanding of development.”[3]
George Nalunnakkal says, “Against an alarming ecological scenario
and the perplexing theological context in India, there is an urgent need to
find an alternative theology of ecology which can assimilate and synthesize the
related concerns of ecology, the poor, womenfolk, dalits and the tribals.”[4] Eco- theology is responding to the eco-crisis
and shaping theology based on care and stewardship.
Indian Christian Theology is Christian theological activity carried
in India and thus connected to the religio-cultural and socio-political
realities. The task of Indian Christian theology is to present theology
relevant to the Indian context. It aims to communicate the self-disclosure of
God in the particular context and commitment to renew the context thereby the
life of God should be manifested. Down through the centuries this purpose- proposed
diverse theological formulation in relation to eco-spirituality is
indispensable.
[1]
Anthony Mookenthottam, “Alternative Patterns of Relationship
with Nature, Jeevadhara (XLI/246,
Nov. 2011), 511.
[2] http.//www.webofcreation.org.htm
[3]
Gabriele Dietrich, “Development, Ecology and Women’s
Struggles,” in Social Action,
38 (1998)01:01, p9.
Ecotheology (Delhi:
ISPCK, 1999), xx.
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