The Role of Religious Leaders in Promoting Environmental Conservations through Faith-Based Organizations.

Abstract

A Convergent Parallel design study was conducted to investigate the significant role played by religious leaders in promoting environment-friendly practices among their congregations. The study examines the impact of religious beliefs and practices on individuals' viewpoints regarding environmental themes that are integrated into religious sermons such as conservation of the Earth, the preservation of natural resources, and the approach to addressing climate change from a faith-oriented standpoint. as well as the strategies that religious leaders might employ to promote pro-environmental behaviors among their congregants effectively. The study endeavours to provide a deeper understanding of the influence of religious sermons on individuals within a congregation and their subsequent reactions to these sermons. The research was carried out within Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) comprising persons belonging to the Muslim, Christian, and Hindu populations. The sampling approaches employed in this study were Purposive and Disproportionate sample methods. These methods were selected with the intention of capturing a wide array of perspectives and experiences, thereby effectively representing the complex and varied character of environmental attitudes among the studied communities. The complete data analysis included Thematic Analysis and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of this study highlight the significant capacity of religious organizations and their leaders to motivate individuals to adopt ideas of environmental conservation. The study indicated that religious communities, regardless of their affiliation, participate in environmental programs and projects when arranged, demonstrating their proactive conservation efforts.