The Role of the Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Biodiversity Conservation: the case of some churches in Ìnderta, Tigray

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER ONE, INTRODUCTION
• Back ground of the study
• Problem statement and justification
• Research questions
• Objectives of the research
• General objective
• Specific objectives
• Significance of the study
• CHAPTER TWO, LITERATURE REVIEW
• Conceptual and Theoretical framework
• Conceptual framework
• Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
• The Sacred and the Profane
• Biodiversity and Culture
• Theoretical Framework
• Economic and Institutional theorists view
• Cultural theorists view
• Christian Anthropocentrism (human-centered ethics)
• Christian Deep ecology (Creation-centered ethics)
• Review of Related Literature
• Biodiversity and Culture
• Biodiversity and sacred areas in the World and Ethiopia
• CHAPTER THREE, RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
• Description of the Study area
• The study site: Churches selected for the study
• Mika'el Tsellamo Church
• Mika'el Romanat Church
• Khokholo Yowhannis
• Mika'el Dagia Church
• Research Methodology and Methods of Data collection
• CHAPTER FOUR, FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
• Biodiversity: Plants and Animals in Orthodox Tewahedo Churches
• The Churches and their Plant composition
• The Churches and their animal composition
• Community's view towards Plants and Animals in the Church
• Community's view on the Church Plants
• Community's view on Animals in the Church
• Significance of Church Plants
• The Sacred and Profane dichotomy in the Churches

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper explores the role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) in biodiversity conservation. The main objectives are to identify the EOTC's religious values that promote biodiversity conservation, to explore the EOTC's values in relation to the sacred and profane, and to examine the cultural basis for plant and animal conservation within church compounds. The study aims to understand the role of the EOTC in biodiversity conservation by investigating the local community's perspectives and practices.

• The role of religious values in biodiversity conservation.
• The relationship between the sacred and the profane in the context of biodiversity conservation.
• The cultural basis for plant and animal conservation within church compounds.
• The influence of the EOTC on local community perceptions of biodiversity.
• The role of the EOTC in sustainable biodiversity conservation.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter one introduces the background of the study, outlining the significance of the EOTC in Ethiopian life and its role in conserving biodiversity. It also defines the problem statement, research questions, and objectives. Chapter two reviews the literature on biodiversity and culture, exploring concepts such as the sacred and the profane, anthropocentrism, and deep ecology. It also examines related research on biodiversity conservation in sacred areas worldwide. Chapter three details the research design and methodology used in the study. It includes information on the study area, the selected churches, and the data collection methods employed. Chapter four presents the findings and analysis, examining the biodiversity within the church compounds, the community's views on plant and animal conservation, and the significance of church plants. It also discusses the sacred and profane dichotomy in the churches.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, biodiversity conservation, religious values, sacred and profane, anthropocentrism, deep ecology, cultural practices, community perceptions, sustainable conservation.