The Ecological Crisis as a Moral Problem Facing Humanity Today: Religion and its Contribution to the Environmental Debate for Sustainable Living and Peace

Abstract

This paper discusses the nature of the ecological crisis as a moral problem. It develops from the image of ecology as a “house” for man and all created beings arguing that, human beings finds safety and a system of services that sustains their needs and the meaning of life from this common house. This “house” is a natural. environment, a given, a gift that has been entrusted to humankind by the Creator. This “house” and all it contains need to be protected and conserved in order to sustain the present and the future generation. Unfortunately, the growth of human population, rapid technological advancement, often fueled by greed have led to decreasing biodiversity, decreasing cultivable area, unbridled exploitation of natural resources, augmenting social poverty and ecological strain; the poor often pushed to crowded area degrading further the environment. Often in the name of economic development, many people are marginalized, denied at times the right to work, to have decent life, dignified security, habitation and service; moreover, the future generation is put at risk by the choices made by the present generation.