The responsibility towards God also makes us accountable to one another. The radical theological conclusion is this: We cannot believe in God as the creator of all and in Jesus Christ as saviour if we are biased against some, while showing favoritism toward others conversely. If we show favoritism in the way we deal with others, we show that we do not believe in God the creator, in God the giver of the law, and particularly not in Jesus Christ who gave his life for each and every one of us who need the benefits of his identification with us through death and through the resurrection from death. 

This is particularly true if we think that we are in a privileged situation in relation to God. The Gospel corresponds to the conclusion St Paul gives about God: “For God shows no partiality” (Romans 2:11). The presence of injustice in our world, the practice of discrimination, the basis of all human sin reveals that we do not understand properly what it means to believe in the God who shows no partiality.  

This human shortcoming of partiality and discrimination subverts the purpose of our being of us, particularly among those who might think that we have some kind of privileged position in relation to God – and therefore, in relation to other creation - because of our inherited rights or identity. We all fall short of the standard required of human beings, to love God and our neighbour as ourselves. That provides no reason for comfort, for anybody. The fundamental equality of humanity is in terms of our universal need for the Gospel. Paul writes that he himself is a debtor to all – the Gospel is for everybody, without distinction (Romans 1:14-15). It is in this reality of our universal need that Paul brings a message regarded by many as “foolish” this Gospel is preached and manifested and, in spite of opposition  St Paul is not ashamed of it (Roman 1:16). 

The Gospel is for the world, belongs to the world, a world in which there is groaning. But the Gospel also encourages celebrations of life thanks to its message of hope and love. The Gospel brings something new to the world through Christ. The Gospel also confirms and interprets the reality of the world, in creation and in humanity through a fallen and suffering world affirming the creation as a blessing of God, giving life and meaning to it.  However important is that, there is a mystery of life, a mystery of good, a mystery of faith

The Gospel is always relating to the world as it is now, and not to an ideal world. Jesus Christ addressed the human beings. He met them, as they were, in the context where he found them, and he was perceived according to their particular positions and points of view.  The Gospel is always challenging the world as it offers another, transformed reality a vision of another world than the one which has been shaped by the effects of sin and evil. 

The Gospel of the Cross of Christ challenges all authorities who abuse their role and laws, whether they are political or religious, whether they are national or international, local or imperial. The Gospel of righteousness given in Jesus Christ is always challenging our tendency to be complacent with any authority that does not protect justice and the rights of every creation. The Gospel of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is always challenging any acceptance of deterioration of the quality of life. Nothing can take away the new reality of God’s love for everyone, a reality that transcends all other realities established by sin - whoever might be the agent of sin.  Therefore Paul concludes in Romans 8:38 his reflection on the groaning world with words that can comfort and therefore liberate anybody at any time and in any situation: ”For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (8, 38f).

The Gospel values challenge us in ARocha India to take up the work of conservation of elephant in the Bannerghatta national park located 24kms from Bangalore India. The park is a narrow strip of forest (104 square kilometers).  The park is contiguous to the forest of south India and is home of variety for flora and fauna, including Asian elephant.  A Rocha India has been involved in the management of the Bannerghatta National park through a research programme to understand the human-elephant conflict.  Despite various conservation measures, the survival of the Asian elephant today continues to be threatened, seriously reducing  the population of the species.  Elephants cause serious damage to both subsistence and commercial agriculture and a substantial number of people are killed each year by elephants, and elephants are killed in retaliation.  The depredation of crops, damage to property and human-slaughter by elephants has caused considerable damage to the economy.  Admittedly there has been a large amount of compensation paid.  There are around 110 villages located within and outside the Banergahatta National park where ARocha India is working  over half  of the working population here is involved in agriculture, 83% of these are marginalized small farmers who are poor.  The wet crops attract and cause elephant incursions into human habitations.

Human elephant conflict is a complex problem as it not only  involves the crops and elephants but a whole range of other associated issues such as   changes in the cropping pattern, economic status of the local community and  seasonal movement of elephants in relation to harvesting in crop lands.  So through understanding of the issues revolving around this problem is a prerogative to finding solutions to mitigation of the problem.  To that effect ARocha India has been involved in investigating this problem at the park since 2004 through scientific research programme.

As part of the research progarmme ARocha India has also been involved in testing a community based elephant barrier mechanism in addition to an assessment of the traditional barriers such a solar powered fences, trenches and rubble wall.  The new method involves the use  of chili powder , tobacco powder mixed together with old engine oil and smeared on  cotton rope.  The local community is overwhelmed by impact of the barrier.  Initially, farmers were sceptical of accepting barrier but the results in the test plot drove them to acknowledge the fact that building barriers works.

Despite pain and despoliation which we have seen around us, there are signs of hope.  Besides the story of A Rocha India there are other stories of hope.  The Chipko in India,  popularly known as the huge tree movement and the Green Belt movement in Kenya.  These are all signs for us that the Gospel as liberator both inside and outside the church to dedicate lives to enhancing and protecting the integrity of Creation.  There is urgency about this issue which calls for widespread awareness and immediate action.  We are convinced that the challenge which we have tried to discuss here is similar to the one which Moses put before the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, “today I offer you a choice of life and death, blessing or curse. Choose life and then you and your descendants will live (Deu 30:19-20).

Notes:

Dave Bookless, Plant wise , Inter-Varsity Press . England 2008.

R.J Berry (ed.) The care for creation , Inter varsity Press, England , 2000

Rod Elsdon, Green House Theology, Monarch Publication, England, 1992.

Sean Mc Donagh  The Greening of the Church, Orbis Books , New York , 1990.

Santhosh S Kumar (ed.) Participating in God’s Mission Today, Christava sahitya samithi, Tiruvalla, 2011.

Sigurd Bergmann, Creation set free  win.b. Eerdmans Publishing Co.  U.K, 1995.

  Rev.Prem mitra

Chair person A Rocha –India