THE NEED FOR CLERGY INVOLVEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

Résumé

This paper is an investigative attempt to understand the level of environmental awareness by the Clergy in the three Anglican Dioceses in Anambra State- Nigeria, and their involvement in educating their members on environmental issues. The main primary data source was a self-administered questionnaire that was completed during the regular diocesan Clergy workshops. Findings from the study reveal quite a satisfactory level of environmental awareness by the Clergy. However, their level of involvement in helping to provide environmental education to their members is to a very large extent, not encouraging. The paper, therefore recommends the use of oikotheology as a theological framework which would take environmental awareness beyond mere personal ‘theoretical’ knowledge since knowledge without practical commitment could be as useless or even as dangerous as ignorance itself. It is expected that oikotheology could inspire practical commitment to bridge the gap between knowledge and practical commitment as identified in the research work.