The Church as an Ecological Community: Practising Eco-Ecclesiology in the Ecological Crisis of Indonesia

Ecclesiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-107
Author(s):  
Yusak Budi Setyawan

Abstract Given the ecological crisis in Indonesia, the churches must implement an ecclesiological reconstruction based on the church as an ecological community and on the understanding that the churches are an inseparable part of Indonesian society and cultures which emphasise respect for nature, while at the same time reconstructing their identity in the Christian faith tradition rooted in the Triune God, faith in Christ as Saviour, and an eschatological dimension. Ecclesial praxis will promote ecological awareness among church members, involvement in conservation efforts and in making public policies related to ecological issues.

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Yesri E. Talan

Syncretism is not just phenomenology in the church but is a real and serious problem. Syncretism is a mixture of Christian faith and culture that results in the congregation losing its identity as a believer, blurred beliefs and do not have absolute truth. Syncretism in the church is a real and serious problem in the life of the church because it negatively impacts spiritual growth.The church cannot grow in true knowledge about Jesus Christ because of the dualism of belief, so Jesus Christ is not the only way of truth and life. The method used in this paper is theological qualitative research. Qualitative is a research method that emphasizes an in-depth understanding of a problem with the process of observation and interview. Conducting literature review and exposition of verses related to the discussion material. This research is descriptive. The results obtained are found the danger of syncretism to the church, namely: the absence of absolute truth in Christ because of the dualism that affects the spiritual growth of the church. Abstrak Sinkretisme bukan hanya fenomenologi di gereja tetapi menjadi masalah nyata dan serius. Sinkretisme adalah percampuran antara iman Kristen dengan budaya yang mengakibatkan jemaat kehilangan identitasnya sebagai orang percaya, kepercayaannya kabur dan tidak memiliki kebenaran absolut. Sinkretisme adalah masalah serius dalam kehidupan gereja karena memiliki dampak negatif pada pertumbuhan rohani. Gereja tidak dapat bertumbuh dalam pengenalan yang benar akan Yesus Kristus karena dualisme kepercayaan, sehingga Yesus Kristus bukanlah satu-satunya jalan kebenaran dan kehidupan. Metode yang dipakai dalam peulisan ini adalah kualitatif teologi. Kualitatif adalah metode penelitian yang menekankan pada suatu pemahaman secara mendalam terhadap suatu masalah dengan proses observasi dan wawancara. Melakukan kajian pustaka dan eksposisi ayat-ayat yang berkaitan dengan materi pembahasan. Penelitian ini bersifat deskriptif. Hasil yang diperoleh adalah ditemukan adanya bahaya sinkretisme terhadap jemaat, yaitu: tidak adanya kebenaran mutlak di dalam Kritus karena adanya dualisme yang mempengaruhi pertumbuhan rohani jemaat.


2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 244-262
Author(s):  
A S Van Niekerk

Reconciliation is usually seen in  connection with the relationships between God and his people, and the mutual relationships between people, especially believers in Christ. In Col 1, however, Paul relates reconciliation to all things in heaven and on earth. The implications of this statement for the life and work of the church and her members need further reflection. In this article, attention is given to the dysfunctional interactions between socio-cultural, ecological, economical, political and other systems in the Southern African context. These dysfunctional interactions cause widespread poverty, ecological degradation and social disruption. Church members can see it as their calling to work for the functional integration of these systems, in their own lifestyles as well as in society in general, in order to promote the wellbeing of society.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-55
Author(s):  
Liam Miller

This article begins with an examination of the state of coastal erosion at Collaroy and Narrabeen Beaches in NSW, Australia. In light of recent severe storms, which damaged the homes along the beachfront, and the increasing awareness of the coastal erosion caused by such properties there is a need to determine what lies beneath the decision to continue to develop along Australian beachfronts. Taking an ecotheological approach this article proposes that the philosophical and theological concepts of hubris and foolishness characterize these decisions, and the desire to live so close to the coast. In response to this, ecotheological readings of Job 38 and Matthew 7 are proposed to help provide an ecologically conscious and environmentally stable way forward. In Job 38 God speaks out of the whirlwind declaring that it was God who ‘shut the sea in with doors’ telling the waves ‘thus far shall you go and no farther’. By persisting with beachside development in light of our growing ecological awareness humans breach and encroach upon the natural and, perhaps, God-ordained borders between the sea and the land. In Matthew 7 Jesus compares the foolish, who refuse to act when they hear, to someone who ‘built his house on sand’. By refusing to heed and act in light of the growing ecological crisis and coastal erosion, and examples such as the $300 million Collaroy/Narrabeen coastline, beachfront developers are perhaps examples of Jesus’ fool. How might the church contribute to conversations within, and critiques of, a culture which places such a high esteem on proximity to the ocean that it would risk both human homes and non-human ecology?


2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-62
Author(s):  
Allan Effa

In the fifth century a contextualized expression of Christianity emerged in Ireland that profoundly revitalized the church across Europe. The encounter of St. Patrick’s Gospel proclamation with the Irish sense of natural mysticism and sacredness of the world produced an expression of faith that was decidedly earth-affirming. Themes of ecospirituality emerged from this Gospel-culture encounter that are shared with the aboriginal cultures of North America. As we seek to re-express Christian faith in response to today’s ecological crisis, we may shape our conversation by the insights gained by the Christian encounter with Celtic and aboriginal cultures.


2001 ◽  
Vol 8 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 298-326
Author(s):  
Jacques R. Kriel

AbstractThere is a clear disjunction between the paradigms and theories in contemporary theological and biblical research and the theories and paradigms underlying the church's conventional liturgy and preaching. There is greater tension between theological science and traditional Christian faith than between 'science' and 'religion'. The science-faith conflict thus goes deeper than the science-religion debate. But while the science-religion debate gets a lot of attention, there seems to be no attempt by the church universal to integrate theological science in its exegesis, preaching and teaching. The books of Marcus J Borg, John Shelby Spong and others have brought the results of theological research to the attention of church members. This article contains my attempt to relate my understanding of scientific research in the natural and social sciences, theology and biblical sciences to my Christian faith. Using John Shelby Spong's concept of 'Christians in exile' and Stephen Patterson's proposal of an 'existential Christology', the possibility of being a Christian without a Christ is suggested.


Pneuma ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-280
Author(s):  
Derek M. Geerlof

This essay interacts with Augustine’s figurative interpretation of Ps 142 and a pentecostal priority to experience God in ways analogous to experience found within the narratives of Scripture. Contending that the Psalms are both historical and prophecy-fulfilled-in-Christ, Augustine interprets Ps 142 within the dual histories of David and Christ. This grounds his figurative interpretation firmly within scriptural narratives while providing a means of viewing the psalm as the prayerful expression of Christ’s own experience. His theology of the totus Christus then unites the experiences of the church and Christ, ensuring that Christian interpretation of an Old Testament experience does not bypass Christ. The telos of interpretation does not reside in the past, but in the present transformation and encounter of the church with the triune God.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-155
Author(s):  
Hannelie Wood

According to Daly, the church doctrines on the Triune God, Christology, Mariology and the Fall are all myths, originated from, and as a result of, patriarchy. Daly deals with many topics from a woman’s viewpoint such as deity, evil, Christology, morality and the church. Daly contends throughout her works that women’s power has been stolen from them through the ingrained structures of patriarchy and that women have to reclaim what is theirs. Daly believes that this means the castration of patriarchal language and images that are part of the structures of a sexist world. She sees patriarchy as a world religion and believes that all religions are subjects of patriarchy − living off female energy. Without any doubt, historically women were marginalised: not only in society but also within the church. However with this said, this article will contend that Daly has succumbed to her anger and rage against the patriarchal structures that oppressed her – and other women – placing the blame squarely on God. Daly rejected God as divine omnipotent, divine immutable and divine providence and objected to the fact that God is viewed as being changeless. The wrong ideas of God’s existence were a result of androcentric theological teachings and doctrines, and she turned away from the Christian faith altogether.


2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Strauss

The reformer John Calvin, born in 1509, considers discipline and unity as two essential aspects of the Christian church. According to him, the bond of church discipline is a way to unite church members in the truth of the Word and the Christian faith based thereupon. If discipline is exercised with exaggerated strictness and without compassion, tolerance and love, it can break the unity. Because church unity is essentially a unity of faith, or a unity in the truth of the Word, discipline can sever adulterated elements that threaten the unity from the church. Discipline, if correctly ap- plied, builds the unity of the church as a unity in religious truths.


2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (304) ◽  
pp. 844-860
Author(s):  
Cesar Kuzma

Síntese: O trabalho de pesquisa que aqui apresentamos busca oferecer interpelações teológicas e pastorais daquilo que se pode definir e compreender de uma Igreja que se configura a partir do pobre. Temos por base que esta argumentação não se dá por um viés sociológico, mas teológico, pois vai ao encontro do princípio maior da fé cristã, que é a encarnação: Deus que se faz humano o faz na totalidade e se revela em magnitude na vulnerabilidade de toda a existência, assumindo e vivendo a nossa pobreza. Ele assume toda a nossa condição e esperança, caminhando aos limites da vida e da história. De frente a este fato é que se pode contemplar a amplitude do mistério que em Cristo se revela e de onde nasce a Igreja, de sua pessoa e de sua missão. Este trabalho está dividido em quatro partes, sendo que as duas primeiras têm a intenção de fundamentar a nossa intenção, e as duas últimas num caráter mais conclusivo: na primeira traremos algumas perguntas que nos interpelam na fé, é onde aparecerão as inquietações e as fundamentações do tema que estamos apresentando. Na segunda parte, destacaremos os apontamentos que estão sendo realizados pelo Papa Francisco que, em seus discursos e atitudes tem conclamado a Igreja a ser a casa dos pobres. Já na terceira e na última parte, traremos algumas teses que nos conduzem a refletir sobre o tema proposto e uma breve conclusão, declarando bem-aventurados os que têm fome e sede de justiça.Palavras-chave: Igreja. Pobres. Igreja dos Pobres. Papa Francisco.Abstract: The research which we present here intends to provide theological and pastoral interpellations of what may be defined and understood from a Church that configures itself out of the poor. We believe this argumentation does not take place through a sociological bias, but through a theological one. For it corresponds to the major principle of the Christian faith, which is the incarnation: God who became human performs it in its fullness, and reveals himself mightily in the vulnerability of the entire existence. He lives our poverty and assumes our poverty. He assumes our condition and our hope completely, walking until the limits of life and history. It is through this vision that we can contemplate the breadth of the mystery which in Christ reveals itself and from where the Church was born, from his person and mission. This work is divided into four parts: the first two intend to support our goal, and the last two have a more conclusive character. At the first part, we are going to bring some questions that challenge us in faith; it is where the uneasinesses and the groundings of the issue that we present are going to appear. In the second part, we are going to highlight the indications which Pope Francis has been doing. Through his speeches and attitudes, he has been calling the Church to be the house of the poor. In the third and last part, we are going to bring some arguments that lead us to reflect on the proposed theme and a brief conclusion, declaring blessed those who are hunger and thirst for justice.Keywords: Church. Poor. Church of the Poor. Pope Francis.


Lumen et Vita ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi Haas

The concept that “fullness” is to be found in Jesus Christ has been invoked to support the uniqueness of Jesus, including in the context of world religions. Yet the metaphorical sense of fullness is amenable to a variety of interpretations. Is this uniqueness the logical consequence of Christian faith, or an over-reliance on what amounts to a spatial metaphor? Are the uniqueness and primacy of Jesus meant only as praise, or does this also constitute a proposition about Jesus, vulnerable to the logic of non-contradiction? Is a lack or any partial lack of “fullness” to be found in any setting, if all things are created through, by, and for Jesus? This paper explores the concept of the “fullness of truth” in its biblical context, as a doctrinal claim, and in contemporary interpretations in order to offer an analysis of “fullness” in Christ in light of the identity and call of the Church, the sacrament of God's salvific life. Treating fullness as an abstracted premise or proposition leads quickly to an ontotheological interpretation of Jesus' divinity. Instead, we would do well to learn the meaning of the metaphor by attending to its expressions in the life of the Church, a central one of which is the self-emptying love, the communion with which, we are promised, leads into all truth.


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