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THE ENVIRONMENT, POVERTY AND THE CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA Andrew Edward ... PDF

355 Pages·2010·16.85 MB·English
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CONSTRUCTING AN OIKOTHEOLOGY: THE ENVIRONMENT, POVERTY AND THE CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA Andrew Edward Warmback Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Religion and Theology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. 2005 / / ABSTRACT South Africa is a country ofgreatnatural resources yet suffers from high levels of poverty. This study looks at the relationship between the environment and poverty inSouth Africa and the role ofthe churchin this context. There is a focus onthe Church ofthe Province ofSouthern Africa (CPSA) and on one of its dioceses, the Diocese of Umzimvubu. While the church inSouth Africa has been conscious of its responsibility in eradicating poverty, it has not expressed a strong concernfor the environment, less still has it been conscious that this concern is closely connected to the task of eradicating poverty. The metaphor ofthe oikos (or household) ofGod is explored as a metaphor that may be usefully employed to help describe the relationship betweenthe environment and poverty. Itis proposed that anoikotheologIj be constructed to enable the churchto engage withboththe ecological and the economic aspects ofthe environment. This study asserts that the preservation and enhancementof the environment impacts positively on the alleviation of poverty. What is also needed, and often neglected, is to ensure that the resources ofthe environment are accessible to all and equitably distributed. Theological resources that articulate anoikotheologtjfor theSouth Africancontext are explored, and possible actions for the church promoted. ACKNO~EDGEMENTS Iacknowledge the help ofa number of people in the process of producing this thesis: • Prof Steve de Gruchy, my supervisor, for his guidance, encouragement, patience and sense ofhumour. • Alison, my wife, for her support throughout my studies and also during the process of writing this thesis. Dominic, our son, for his interest and enthusiasm for the issues contained in this thesis. Our families and friends for their on goingsupport. • Geoff Davies, former bishop ofthe Diocese of Urnzimvubu, and his wife, Kate, for their willingco-operation in this research. • Rubin Phillip, my diocesan bishop, who has shown an interest in my studies. • My previous employer, the Parish of Hillcrest (Diocese of Natal), and my present employer, Diakonia Council of Churches, who have been supportive in allowing me time to attend the required post graduate seminars. Diakonia Council of Church allowed me to use part of sabbatical leave to work on the thesis. • The librarians at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, those in the inter library loan section, the theology subject advisor; and the keeper of the Historical Papers, William Cullen Library, University of the Witwatersrand, who have been helpful in enabling me to access material. • Mrs Sheila Freese for providing space for me at her home to work on the thesis, and Craig Freese, for arranging it. • Karen Read for her helpful comments on a draft. • The University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Diocese of Natal for financial support towards this study. 11 DEDICATION Alison Gail Warmback 111 DECLARATION I declare that the whole thesis, unless specifically indicated to the contrary in the text, is my own original work. ~4v --.. '-~ '....._-""-',"._--.. Andrew E. Warmback Date As supervisor, Iagree to the submission of this thesis. r-" C-~-1 (J~7~ (/ A)o-:;> 'I c_ ! ~ l/\ ProfS. M. de Gruchy\·'.-/: Date IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I iii DEDICATION iv DECLARAnON v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS X MAP OF DIOCESE OF UMZIMVUBU Xl CHAPTER1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Introduction 2 1.2 Purpose of the study 3 1.3 The Title 3 1.3.1 Constructingan oikotheology 4 1.3.2 The Environment and poverty 4 1.3.3 The Church in South Africa 5 1.4 Chapter divisions 5 1.4.1 The Environment and poverty 5 1.4.2 The Church's response 1.4.3 The Church of the Province ofSouthern Africa (CPSA) 5 5 1.4.4 The Diocese of Umzimvubu 6 1.4.5 Theological resources 6 1.4.6 Strategies for the church 6 1.4.7 Appendices 7 1.5 Precedents 7 1.6 Research methodology 8 1.7 Limitations of this research 9 1.7.1 Anglican focus 9 1.7.2 Time frame 9 1.8 Recurrent themes 10 1.8.1 Justice: Race and gender 10 1.8.2 Land 10 1.9 Conclusion CHAPTER 2: HOME FOR ALL: THE ENVIRONMENT AND POVERTY 11 2.1 Introduction 12 2.2 The Environment 15 2.3 Poverty 17 2.4 Poverty eradication v 2.5 The Environment and poverty within the South African context 20 2.6 Poverty in South Africa 20 2.7 Historical overview 24 2.7.1 Colonial period 25 2.7.2 Union ofSouth Africa and apartheid 26 2.7.3 Towards the "newSouth Africa" 30 2.7.4 Facing the challenges 33 2.7.5 Avoiding the challenges 36 2.8 Reasons for a lack ofconcern for the environment 39 2.9 The Way forward 40 2.10 Conclusion 42 CHAPTER 3: DISCOVERING THE HOME: THE RESPONSE OFTHE CHURCH 3.1 Introduction 43 3.2 The Inactivity of the church 44 3.3 Justice Peace and the Integrity ofCreation (JPIC) 49 3.4 Positive engagement with environment issues 51 3.4.1 South African Council ofChurches (SACC) 51 3.4.2 Church statements 56 3.4.3 Conferences 61 3.4.4 Organisations 63 3.4.4.1 Ecumenical environment organisations 64 3.4.4.2 Interfaith environment organisations 67 3.5 World Summitfor Sustainable Development (WSSD) 71 3.6 Conclusion 73 CHAPTER 4: SEARCHING FOR HOME: THE CHURCH OF THE PROVINCE OFSOUTHERN AFRICA (CPSA) 4.1 Introduction 75 4.2 Worldwide Anglican Communion 76 4.3 Anglican perspectives on the environment 77 4.3.1 Understanding of mission 78 4.3.2 Archbishops ofCanterbury 79 4.3.3 Lambeth conferences 81 4.3.4 Global Anglican Congress on the Stewardship ofCreation 82 4.3.5 Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) 84 VI 4.3.6 Establishment of the Environment Network 85 88 4.3.6.1 Canberra meeting 4.3.7 Conclusion: Still searchingfor an oikotheologlj 88 4.4 Church of the Province ofSouthern Africa (CPSA) 89 90 4.5 Provincial synods 90 4.5.1 1973 Johannesburg 91 4.5.2 1985 Pietermaritzburg 92 4.5.3 1992Swaziland 93 4.5.4 1995 Kimberley 96 4.5.5 1999 Durban 97 4.5.6 2002 Bloemfontein 100 4.5.7 2005 Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal 100 4.6 Land in the CPSA 101 4.7 CPSA Environment Network 103 4.8 Conclusion CHAPTER5: AT HOME IN AFRICA: THE DIOCESE OF UMZIMVUBU 105 5.1 Introduction 106 5.2 Overview of the life of the diocese 110 5.3 Development in the diocese 110 5.3.1 Particular people 113 5.3.2 Developmentcommittee 5.3.3 Aspects of development in the diocese 114 117 5.4 Education and training 118 5.4.1 Theological training 121 5.4.2 Training centre 124 5.5 Land in the diocese 128 5.6 Sustainable agriculture 5.7 Umzimvubu Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Education 130 Programme (USAEEP) 132 5.7.1 Support for the programme 136 5.7.2 Description of some projects 138 5.7.3 Evaluation of the programme 140 5.8 Particular occasions and issues 141 5.8.1 World Environment Day 142 5.8.2 Cathedral 144 5.9 Particular threats 145 5.9.1 Forestry 151 5.9.2 N2 Wild Coast toll road vu

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Mrs Sheila Freese for providing space for me at her home to work on the thesis, and Craig .. The concept of justice, particularly environmental justice, is used to help us understand the on the land and food production will be potentially devastating. Some of the Document GC 23-e, English.
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