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Evangelical Perspectives on Environmental Justice
and Peace
Inter-Relations of
Justice, Peace and Integrity in Creation
By Calvin B. DeWitt
From "Supporting Branches: Linking Creation
care to the Core Ministry of the Church" in
Let The Earth Be Glad: an Evangelical Kit
for Caring for Creation, Evangelical Environmental
Network
For many years, the burning issue on justice
has been confined to justice for people. But today
a broadening vision of justice is emerging — it is a vision that embraces that which is inextricably
interlinked with human justice — justice
for the land. Awareness is increasing that injustices
to people bring injustices to the land; that injustices
to the land bring injustices to people.
Examples in Africa
In the south, environmental degradation is not
complete nor universal, but crisis conditions
are building. Here deforestation and its consequences
are infecting the land and people. A recent issue
of Earthwatch observes that "much
of Lesotho, large areas in South Africa, and parts
of Zimbabwe, Namibia, Swaziland and Botswana are
already facing a firewood crisis because of acute
wood scarcities. An eight-hour walk to collect
a wood supply for three days is becoming commonplace,
and in a continent where 29 trees are being cut
down for every one that is planted, it is inevitable
that in localized areas trees have disappeared
completely."
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Deforestation
experienced in Africa and elsewhere is reducing
the land's capacity to store water, bringing greater
flooding during the rainy season and more severe
drought during the dry season. Depleted national
treasuries are likely unable to support tree planting.
And if loans can be obtained for flood control,
they likely will pay for dams rather than reforestation.
A Downward Spiral
Injustice to people brings injustice and violence
to the land. Injustice to the land diminishes
the gifts of the land that bring food, fuel, shelter
and the enjoyment of living. Increasingly the
situation in Africa is one where human injustice
leads to environmental injustice. Environmental
injustice — the degradation of the creation — feeds a downward spiral that diminishes people's
ability to be good stewards of the land —
one that threatens their very existence.
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