Religion and Environmental Conservation: A Case Study of Abasua Prayer Mountain Ministry

Abstract

Contemporary environmental issues continue to take center stage in various local and international discourses. This paper sought to examine the role of religion, in this context Christianity in environmental conservation at the Abasua prayer center. The study adopted an interpretivism approach which enabled the utilization of a qualitative research approach. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional survey design and both primary and secondary data sources were used. The primary data was collected with the help of interview guides where detailed interview was conducted across the ten prayer camps. The respondents were selected through a purposive sampling technique and the collected data was transcribed and thematically analyzed in the light of the study objectives. The results from the study indicated excessive environmental degradation which was evident in the continuous cutting down of trees by the camps to build without planting. The study furthermore showed that there are no proper waste management systems and the camps do not have environmentally friendly waste management systems. The study has highlighted the nexus between Christians and their role in environmental conservation. It could be asserted from all indications that, without intentional and pragmatic measures, the ecological circle at the Abasua forest reserve will continue to deteriorate with detrimental effects on future generations. It would be recommended that multi-sectoral stakeholder collaborations be conducted to educate the Christians who patronize the forest reserve on the need to protect the environment as it forms part of their basic mandate as Christians. Keywords: Environmental Conservation, Religion, Abasua Prayer Retreat Center, Degradation