Value of nature teaching in Jos, Nigeria

Peter at the ECWA Theological seminary with Chioma (left) and other members of the Eden team and board.

In February, Rev’d Peter Harris, A Rocha President, spent two weeks teaching in the Jos region. Chioma Okafor, the conservation biologist who leads A Rocha’s Associated Project (Eden Creation Care Initiative) says, ‘We invited Peter for two reasons. Firstly, we have been working hard to improve a wetland on the fringe of the Jos metropolis. Through our environmental education activities with schools and churches, we’re well known locally, but we wanted to raise our public profile in the academic heart of the city. Secondly, we are keen for the Nigerian church to become more committed to environmental stewardship. Since Peter and his wife Miranda founded A Rocha, setting up and running the field study centre in Portugal, and since he also has expertise in helping Christians around the world to understand the biblical basis, we asked him to teach pastors and student church leaders from many denominations. Peter visited three theological colleges, preached to about 3,000 at one of our large churches and spoke at a residential church leaders’ conference.

Valuing Nature was the theme of Peter’s public lecture at the Natural Sciences Faculty, University of Jos. Everyone (staff and students) was excited about what they heard.  Eden is now much better known and we plan to continue our outreach to Nigerian communities.’