Ecological transition and practical theology

Teacher(s)

Okpaleke Ikenna Paschal;

Language

French

Main themes

To achieve that objective, one will propose: - the study of a specific question varying each year.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	have an openness to the main contemporary theological currents in Africa, Asia, America (North or South).

Content

The idea of ecological transition has become topical since the past two decades refers given the overwhelming evidence of ecological crisis. It refers to the process of shifting from current, often unsustainable, economic and social systems to praxes that prioritize environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and social equity. It involves transforming industries, energy systems, transportation, agriculture, and consumption patterns to reduce environmental impact, combat climate change, and preserve ecosystems.
In keeping with its prophetic function, these interests have been expressed by the church, both in magisterial teachings (cf. Pope John Paul II, The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility (8 Dec. 1989), Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), Laudate Deum (04 October 2023) and in many theological reflections.
This course focuses on understanding these issues in a way that goes beyond analysing the problems to evaluating practical solutions. The practical theological dimension of this course would include a critical evaluation of the ethical praxes that focus on energy transition, circular economy, sustainable agriculture and green technologies. It would also include the exploration of practical examples that emerge from biblical, theological convictions. These would include Godfrey Nzamujo’s Songhai Center at Porto Novo and Emmanuel Katongole’s theological experiment at the Bethany Land Insitute.
The topics for each week would be based on a rich variety of sources from the fields of theology, social science, agriculture, technology, politics and policies. At the end of the course, it is expected that students would be well versed on the issues of ecological transition from theological, scientific, theoretical and practical perspectives. The goal is to create a resilient, low-carbon society that balances human needs with the planet’s ecological limits in which theology plays a very critical role.

Teaching methods

Content is organized into sessions: 
On the one hand, the teacher will give a few presentations on major themes that reflect the content of the course; on the other, students will be invited to give a few presentations and/or work in groups for greater interactivity.
Among the objectives of this course, we would like to highlight two:
Firstly, to provide students with a robust understanding of the concept, methodology and challenges of ecological transition particularly from the perspective of systematic and practical theology.
Secondly, to introduce students to practical interventions and initiatives that are inspired by theological awareness of ecological crisis. The students will familiarize themselves with the major scholars and practitioners in these fields and will be encouraged to design some initiatives as part of theor own contribution to ecological transition.

Evaluation methods

The course will be evaluated on four points. The first is the weekly presence and participation in the course. The second is through presentations (individual/group) in class of a theme (to be chosen). The third is the submission of a brief essay (3-5 pages). The final is the oral exam at the end of the semester.
Students are prohibited from using generative artificial intelligence in an irresponsible manner. In cases where IA is used in paraphrasing authors, it is expected that the student indicates this in the footnote.

Bibliography

Bibliographie de base :
BOFF, Leonardo, Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, New York: Orbis Books, 1997.
BOURG, Dominique, “De l’économie circulaire à l’écologie intégrale,” Futuribles 428, no. 1 (2019): 5-16.
COLLARD, Fabienne, “L’économie circulaire,” Courrier hebdomadaire du CRISP 24552456, no. 10 (2020): 5-72.
COLLARD, Fabienne, “La transition énergétique,” Courrier hebdomadaire du CRISP 2321, no. 36 (2016): 5-44.
DEANE-DRUMMOND, Celia, and Rebecca ARTINIAN-KAISER, eds., Theology and Ecology Across the Disciplines: On Care for Our Common Home, London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2018.
DURAND, Lucas, and Pierre-Antoine LANDEL, “L’opérateur territorial de la transition énergétique ou la capacité d’intermédiation au service de la transition,” Géographie, économie, société 22, no. 3 (2020): 285-303.
KATONGOLE, Emmanuel, “Mission as integral ecology: Doing theology at Bethany,” Mission Studies 39, no. 2 (2022): 163-185.
LE CACHEUX, Jacques, “Agriculture «durable» et alimentation «saine» en Europe,” Revue de l’OFCE 183, no. 4 (2023): 217-237.
LEFÈVRE, Thierry, Sortir de l’impasse. Qu’est-ce qui freine la transition écologique? Montréal:  Éditions MultiMondes, 2016.
McFAGUE, Sallie, A New Climate for Theology: God, the World, and Global Warming, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008.
PAPE FRANÇOIS, Laudato Si’ : sur la sauvegarde de la maison commune (24 mai 2015).
SIAMER, Hadjira, “La transition vers les technologies vertes: approches et limites,” Revue tadamsa d’unegmu 3, no. 1 (2023): 67-75.
Bibliographie plus élargie: voir au cours

Faculty or entity

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