Rage as a Point of Ecotheological Ethics in Times of Crisis

This article explores the ethics of rage, positing how this is and needs to be a point of ecotheological ethics. In particular, it argues that understanding rage as an epistemological and ontological position for communities most affected by the climate crisis should be a point of intervention for faith-based development, particularly for international development organizations (INGOs) that wish to do more to structure their direct implementation work within a framework of justice. As an example, the article highlights one form of climate-based programming often used by INGOs—anticipatory action. The particular case discussed draws from programming completed by the faith-based INGO Christian Aid, a program in which the author was involved as a research evaluator. The article critiques such programming to stress the importance of rage as a point of justice-focused ethics, particularly for an organization that structures its interventions around justice-based theology. The article understands rage in many ways but is particularly tied to the kind of multilateralism “from below” that demands a different moral order.