Implications of Biblical Value- Driven Environmental Conservation Practices on Sustainable Biodiversity in Bomet County, Kenya

Abstract

Studies on environmental conservation are a contemporary area of interest to researchers in Kenya and around the world. This study was carried out in Bomet County to examine the nature of participation by communities in environmental conservation practices and what value application of Biblical principles by the church in the County as participants added to the existing nature of the said practices. There was a need to understand biblical doctrine on God's will for mankind to conserve environmental resources for mutually beneficial co-existence in sustainable human practices, a discipline currently called Eco theology. The target population was the Church leaders, other community leaders, Pastors, students and managers of the environment in Bomet County. A descriptive survey design was used. Data analysis was done using statistical package of social sciences (SPSS version 20.0). The findings revealed that application of biblical principles on environmental conservation improved the practice. environmental conservation positively when religious groups own conservation as part of service to God and negatively by indifference, when religious groups posit impression that everything is under the control of God and that the expected eschatological world is much improved than the current one which is passing away. Based on the findings and literature review, study recommended collaborative efforts between the church and other members of the community in integrating biblical principles with existing approaches towards sustainable environmental conservation practices in innovative ways.