The Influence of Environmental Teachings On Adventists’ Understanding of the Environmental Crisis in Central Rift Valley Conference, Kenya

This study aimed to assess the impact of Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) environmental teachings on Adventists’ perception of the environmental crisis in the Central Rift Valley Conference (CRVC), Kenya, where there are diminishing lakes, deforestation in the Mau Forest Complex, soil erosion and water scarcity. Environmental degradation has continued to pose threats both to ecosystems and human livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa, but the role of religious environmental teachings in influencing the awareness and reaction of the believers to ecological crises is still little explored empirically. The study used a convergent mixed-methods design guided by Structural Functionalism Theory and Parsons' AGIL schema. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 pastors, 19 stewardship leaders, and 19 district elders selected through cluster, stratified, and purposive sampling. Thematic analysis yielded three types of environmental awareness: experiential, theological, and eco-justice, and understanding focused amongst pastors, and was often superficial amongst elders and stewardship leaders. The Church teachings had some influence, but this was limited due to lack of contextualisation. The official statement on the environment was not well communicated, and there were also irregular transmission mechanisms. The eschatological concept served as a two-sided sword: eschatology with a sense of responsibility led to stewardship, and eschatology with a sense of fatalism led to passivity. The study found that the Church's stewardship doctrine is generally accepted, but ecologically ineffective in practice, and that there is a policy-praxis gap. It suggested a contextually theological-ecological pedagogy, a responsible eschatological approach to teaching, organised stewardship strategies, and specific environmental education for church leaders to put theology into practice.