This thesis examines the role of Melodi Ya Tshwane Christian Youth Ministry (MyT CYM) in the context of what is increasingly observable environmental crisis with a view of developing a contextual approach to ecological mission. The research does not focus primarily on the environmental crisis itself except to note that its scope incorporates not only environmental issues, but has some important implications for social justice as well. The research recognises the role that MyT CYM must play as part of their contribution towards addressing the environmental crisis. Such a role is based not on a pragmatic response to the situation, but flows from the missional nature and theology of the church. Therefore, the missional church has an obligation to address this issue, through Christian mission that takes seriously the biblical call to care and preserve the integrity of creation. Finally, this research aims to assist MyT CYM to understand the theological basis for contextual action towards developing an appropriate ecological mission. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology with Specialisation in Urban Ministry)

This study attempts to offer an ecological interpretation of Genesis 1: 1-2:4a in view of the question as to what extent this passage bears footprints of anthropocentrism, on the one hand, and/or ecological wisdom, on the other hand. Extant ecological readings of this text tend to either recover its ecofriendliness, or they criticise the text on the basis of its dominion and subdual language in Genesis 1:26-28 which seems to go against the grain of ecological sensibilities. In resonance with revisionist readings, this study shows that the only way to mollify the dominion language of Genesis I :26-28 is to read this section as part of the whole Priestly creation account. Elements of the exilic context and many literary features of Genesis I: l-2:4a present humans as a member of a world of interdependences. Hence, accusing Genesis I: l-2:4a of lying at the root of modern indifference towards nature, is not the whole story. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. A. (Biblical Studies)

Since the advent of the environmental crisis, some writers have raised concerns with the moral influence of Christian scripture and interpretive traditions, such as the medieval book of nature, a hermeneutic in which nature and scripture are "read" in reference to one another. Scripture, they argue, has tended to stifle sacred relationships with nature as a non-human other. This thesis argues that such perspectives are reductive of the sacred quality of scripture. Environmental perspectives should be concerned with the desacralization of religious texts in addition to nature. Chapter one suggests that two questions surrounding the medieval book of nature's history can help us address ways that such perspectives reduce religious interpretation of sacred texts. The first question is the tension between manifestation and proclamation, or the question of how scripture and nature reveal sacred meanings. The second is the problem of evil, or the question of where evil and suffering come from. It also proposes that Shakespeare's As You Like It and religious philosophy, particularly Paul Ricoeur's writings, can help us address these problems and provide a contemporary religious perspective of the "book of nature." Drawing on scenes in the play in which nature is "read" as a book and Ricoeur's essay on "Manifestation and Proclamation," chapter two argues how manifestation often works interdependently with proclamation. Chapter three discusses how anthropocentric worldviews in which natural entities are exploited also distort interpretive relationships with scripture. Overcoming desacralization requires giving up desires to suppress contingencies, particularly suffering, in nature and in interpreting religious texts. Only as the characters in As You Like It accept contingencies are they able to engage hidden sources of hope, which is comparable to the need to let go of mastery in interpretation Ricoeur describes. Chapter four discusses problems with attempts to uncover the origins of the environmental crisis by discussing what Ricoeur writes about the problems with theodicy and Jean-Luc Marion's phenomenology of evil. Assumptions that specific human origins for evil can be blamed confirm deceptively human-centered worldviews and can mask valuable messages about how to morally respond to suffering that are taught in Judeo-Christian narratives.

Abstracts in English, Xhosa and Afrikaans. / Using an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach, this study investigates the eco-theological contributions of three main interlocutors from East and Southern Africa, namely Samson Gitau, Kapya Kaoma and Jesse Mugambi, all of whom are African theologians. The three theologians seek to address ecological degradation from an African ecological perspective, by drawing on African Indigenous Knowledge Systems and African Christianity and Religiosity. The contributions of the three theologians in their respective chapters enable the study to identify the systems and practices that are under-researched and not utilised even though they are ecologically sensitive systems. Owing to a number of factors, African Indigenous Wisdom Knowledge Systems have not been adequately explored. African Indigenous Wisdom is a body of knowledge systems with ecological overtones. From a theological and African religiosity perspective, Gitau, Kaoma and Mugambi highlight the need for natural theology to be adopted by the Church as an institution. Gitau stresses the importance of relations based on the African concept of God, humanity and creation. The study addresses the gap in the existing knowledge by drawing on the main interlocutors to investigate the ecological crisis and by adopting an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach. According to this approach, as applied by Gitau, Kaoma and Mugambi, the indigene’s systems are not adequately explored and churches in Africa are ecologically insensitive. African churches ought to embrace Indigenous Wisdom Knowledge Systems and form an African eco-theology. The study has brought to the fore the ecological overtones of African religious belief systems and African Christianity that, together, provide the basis for Christian ecological ethics inside and outside the faith community. Gitau, Kaoma and Mugambi condemn the Church as an institution and other voices for not taking a leading role in addressing contemporary ecological issues. / Olu phando lusebenzisa iindidi ngeendidi zophando, esi sifundo siphanda ngegalelo labangeneleli abathathu – uGitau, uKaoma kwakunye noMugambi – kwela candelo lengqiqo-buThixo eligqale kulwalamano oluphakathi kwenkolo nendalo. Bobathathu ke aba baziingcali zengqiqo-buThixo zase-Afrika. Ezi ngcali zontathu zijongene nokuthotywa kwesidima sendalo, kwakunye nokonakaliswa kwayo, besebenzisa ukuqonda kwase-Afrika, betsala kwizimvo zeeNkqubo Zolwazi Lwemveli Lwama-Afrika, ubuKhristu ngokwama-Afrika kwakunye nenkolo. Igalelo lengcali nganye, ngokwezahluko abathe bazibhala, libangela olu phando luzibone izithuba ezikhokhelela kwiinkqubo nezithethe ezingaphandisiswanga, nezingasetyenziswayo, nangona zona ziyihlonipha indalo. Ngenxa yeemeko ngeemeko, ulwazi lwesintu alunikwanga ngqalelo ngokwaneleyo. Xa kujongwa intlalo ngokwesintu, kuyacaca ukuba ulwazi lwesintu lulwazi olucwangcisekileyo, olukwaquke nolondolozo lwendalo. Xa sisondela kulo mba wolondolozo lwendalo ngokwengqiqo-buThixo, uGitau, uKaoma kwakunye noMugambi bagxininisa ukubaluleka kwecandelo lengqiqo-buThixo elijongene nokutyhileka kukaThixo endalweni, kwakunye nokwamkelwa kweli candelo emabandleni onke, kwiimvaba zonke, nakwinkolo yesintu. UGitau ugxininisa ukubaluleka kobudlelwane obusekwe kwindlela uThixo abonwa ngayo ngama-Afrika, kuluntu nakwindalo. Olu phando luzama ukuvala isikhewu esikulwazi olukhoyo ngokufumana ukuqonda kwaba bangeneleli bathathu, ngenjongo yokujongana nolondolozo lwendalo olusebenzisa iindidi ngendidi zokuphanda. Le nkqubo yophando phakathi kwamacandelo ngamacandelo isetyenziswa nguGitau, uKaoma kunye noMugambi ibonakalise inyani yokuba iinkqubo zesintu azihlolisiswanga ngokwaneleyo kwaye iinkonzo zaseAfrika aziyiniki ngqalelo indalo, kwaye kufuneka zamkele ulwazi lwesintu ukuze kwakheke icandelo lengqiqo-buThixo elingqale kulo mba wolondolozo lwendalo ngokwase-Afrika. Olu phando luveze into yokuba inkolo yesintu kunye neenkonzo zase-Afrika zilufanele ulondolozo lwendalo, kwaye imigaqo yokuziphatha yamaKhristu malunga nolu londolozo ezinkonzweni nasekuhlaleni, lusekwe phezu kwazo. UGitau, uKaoma kwakunye noMugambi bayalikhalimela ibandla lamaKhristu, kunye nezinye izimvo ezichazwayo kolu phando, ngokungathathi nxaxheba ikhokelayo ekulungisweni kwemiba yangoku yolondolozo lwendalo. / Volgens 'n interdissiplinêre en multidissiplinêre benadering ondersoek hierdie studie die ekoteologiese bydraes van drie Afrika-teoloë uit Oos- en Suider-Afrika, naamlik Samson Gitau, Kapya Kaoma en Jesse Mugambi. Hierdie drie teoloë beskou die kwessie van ekologiese agteruitgang uit 'n Afrika- ekologiese perspektief en put uit inheemse Afrika- kennisstelsels en die Afrika-Christendom en religiositeit. ʼn Ondersoek na die bydraes van elke teoloog, elkeen s’n in ʼn afsonderlike hoofstuk, bring stelsels en praktyke aan die lig wat nog nie genoegsaam nagevors is nie, en nie gebruik word nie, alhoewel dit ekologies sensitiewe stelsels en praktyke is. As gevolg van verskeie faktore is inheemse Afrika- wysheid-en-kennisstelsels nog nie voldoende ondersoek nie. Inheemse Afrika-wysheid-en- kennisstelsels is kennisstelsels met 'n ekologiese ondertoon. Uit 'n teologiese perspektief dring Gitau, Kaoma en Mugambi daarop aan dat die Kerk as 'n instelling die ekologiese teologie volgens Afrika-religiositeit aanvaar. Gitau beklemtoon die belangrikheid van verhoudings wat op die Afrika-konsep van God, menslikheid en skepping gebaseer is. Hierdie studie vul 'n leemte in die bestaande kennis aan deur uit die primêre gespreksgenote se kennis te put om die ekologiese krisis deur ʼn interdissiplinêre en multidissiplinêre benadering aan te pak. Volgens hierdie benadering, wat deur Gitau, Kaoma en Mugambi volg word, is inheemse kennisstelsels nog nie na behore ondersoek is nie, is kerke in Afrika ekologies onsensitief, en moet hulle inheemse wysheid-en-kennisstelsels omhels om 'n Afrika-ekoteologie te ontwikkel. In die studie tree die ekologiese toonaard van die Afrika- gelowe en die Afrika-Christendom na vore, wat saam die grondslag vir ʼn Christelike ekologiese etiek binne en buite die geloofsgemeenskap vorm. Gitau, Kaoma en Mugambi veroordeel die Kerk as 'n instelling en ander stemme omdat hulle nie 'n leidende rol in die aanpak van hedendaagse ekologiese kwessies speel nie. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th (Systematic Theology)