RELIGION AND ECOLOGICAL CRISIS

Abstract

Understandings of environmental change within religious communities have not enjoyed serious intellectual scrutiny. This is true even in many areas in Nigeria that are severely affected by environmental change. Understanding how faith communities perceive and adapt to change is important for understanding the relationship between religion and the environment in highly religious societies like Nigeria. It also serves as a foundation for developing ideas for mitigating environmental degradation. Different religious leaders in the Muslim dominated Northern and Christian-dominated Southern parts of Nigeria have different perspectives on how their respective communities view environmental degradation and change.  According to scholarly analysis, participants' perspectives on environmental change are very diverse. While some blame human activity for the change, others see it as a "natural" occurrence or result, explaining it as either God's way of making up for human wrongdoing or the fulfilment of "end times" prophecies. These religious communities have been observed to use a variety of strategies to adapt to environmental change, from active management techniques like planting trees to religious rituals like special prayers. The work employed a descriptive and critical analysis methods in order to have a better Religious understanding of Ecological Crisis  The Findings posit that religion appears to have a greater influence on how various religious communities perceive ecological issues. Future research and policy implications of these findings are discussed.