EARTH RIGHTS IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: AN EMERGING ECO-MISSIOLOGICAL MANDATE

Abstract

“To subdue the earth” is not a human right but a human responsibility. It is to be construed in the light of missiology. However, in the face of consumerism, throw-away culture, anthropocentrism, and individualism, “to subdue” is to mercilessly exploit, destroy, and degrade what God has entrusted us for keeping, leaving the future generation a narrow opportunity to see nature as ordered and designed by God. As a theological reflection, this paper shall use See-Judge-Act as its method and shall dialogue with Pope Francis’ Laudato ‘Si in reading the signs of the time, analyzing and discerning the message of the Gospel in making sense of the emerging ecological and missiological crises, and seek ways to respond to the said crises in the context of religious education. Moreover, this paper shall seek to uphold what is due for our planet and for its impoverished human inhabitants that are pushed to the boundaries of human civilization because of unjust social structures. This paper pursues a faith-based education that facilitates awareness of the dangers of ignorance, maltreatment, and apathy toward our common habitat.