Reflection by Rev. Jean Marie NSENGIYUMVA, Anglican Church, Bujumbura Diocese

Climate displacement is in the hands of the Almighty God. Does anyone know where the snow comes from, does anyone know who creates the rain? It is all in the power of God. God changes the waves and the rain at any time and at his will. In addition, we go to church to pray to our creator to give the scientists and environmentalists the knowledge and wisdom to help us conserve the environment and make the world a better place to live in. And we know that the fear of the Almighty God is the beginning of wisdom.

The young people in Africa are a key part to the future of their country in this crisis. Religious beliefs are very important and it may be the only thing these people will have to rely on. The poor countries are the most vulnerable to increasingly unpredictable weather. We are all responsible, we should take action now and come up with solutions and pray for a better tomorrow.

Many African youth do not possess the basic skills to combat climate challenges as result of poverty and illiteracy. In the African tradition, religion is best understood in the conservation of the environment, thus in many African societies, natural forest is protected and conserved.

Young people have a responsibility to their environment and a connection to our planet which combines spiritual and pragmatic concerns. I suggest that church leaders must also teach their members to protect our earth and, if necessary, to organize workshops dealing with the protection of the environment, not destroying natural forest but planting many trees in order to protect the environment and conserve the  world as a best place. 

By Rev. Gérance MANIRAMBONA, Anglican Church of Burundi

Prayerfully consider Job 42:3 ("surely I spoke of things I do not understand, things too wonderful for me to know") and carefully think about the appropriate humility (not too little and not too much) of recognizing that we can answer some theological and scientific questions, but not others, with a high degree of justifiable confidence. Therefore, you should consider the possibility that your view (no matter what it is) may not be correct in every way.

Then ask yourself whether you think each plan for creation would be sufficiently wise and impressive to satisfy you, so we could honestly say, along with the heavenly elders in Revelation 4:11, that "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
      All of us should say in public — and believe in our hearts and minds — that if God created using a method differing from the way I think He created (regarding either age or evolution), then God is still worthy of our praise as Africans. But this humility (if... then...) is compatible with humbly explaining, using arguments from theology and science, why we think a particular view is most likely to be true.  In this reflection you will see arguments for and against each view.  These arguments about "when and how" are important, but it's more important to treat others respectfully with a love that transcends our differences, as commanded by Jesus, so "everyone will recognize that you are my disciples, when they see the love you have for each other. (John 13:35)"  Thinking and behaving with Christian love should be easier when we place things in proper spiritual perspective, when we compare all of our views and find that, although we disagree about a few minor ideas, we agree about many central beliefs that are much more important.