"You care for people and animals alike, o Lord" : Case study on Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s personnel’s perceptions about church’s role in environmental responsibility and animal rights discussion
Makkonen, Sini (2018)
Diakonia-ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018112618219
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018112618219
Tiivistelmä
ABSTRACT
Sini Makkonen
“You care for people and animals alike, o Lord” - Case study on Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s personnel’s perceptions about church’s role in environmental responsibility and animal rights discussion
52p., 2 appendices
November, 2018
Diaconia University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Social Services, Focus on Youth andCommunity Development Work and Diaconia
Bachelor of Social Services
The purpose of this study was to find out about the current perceptions, attitudes and views that exist among the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s (ELCF) personnel towards different aspects of environmental responsibility, a special focus in animal rights, from points of view of different, environmentally-conscious employees working in different areas of Finland. Both the present situation and developmental needs were dis-cussed, mostly concerning the activities on parish level. The study was conducted as a case study, target group being six employees of the ELCF. Qualitative interviews were used as the data collection method.
The results revealed that the perceptions towards environmental issues are generally very positive and the importance of environmental responsibility is hardly doubted nowadays among the ELCF’s personnel. Parishes practice environmental responsibility in diverse ways and are open for development ideas. Ideas of animal theology feel more foreign, but might become a topic of discussion while the need to continue to raise awareness and act on environmental issues remains important. The participants' ideological pondering gave proof that environmental thinking is definitely of importance to Christians. Further research is needed on the overall situation of the ELCF, including studies encompassing the perceptions of more employees and also, parishioners.
Sini Makkonen
“You care for people and animals alike, o Lord” - Case study on Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s personnel’s perceptions about church’s role in environmental responsibility and animal rights discussion
52p., 2 appendices
November, 2018
Diaconia University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Social Services, Focus on Youth andCommunity Development Work and Diaconia
Bachelor of Social Services
The purpose of this study was to find out about the current perceptions, attitudes and views that exist among the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s (ELCF) personnel towards different aspects of environmental responsibility, a special focus in animal rights, from points of view of different, environmentally-conscious employees working in different areas of Finland. Both the present situation and developmental needs were dis-cussed, mostly concerning the activities on parish level. The study was conducted as a case study, target group being six employees of the ELCF. Qualitative interviews were used as the data collection method.
The results revealed that the perceptions towards environmental issues are generally very positive and the importance of environmental responsibility is hardly doubted nowadays among the ELCF’s personnel. Parishes practice environmental responsibility in diverse ways and are open for development ideas. Ideas of animal theology feel more foreign, but might become a topic of discussion while the need to continue to raise awareness and act on environmental issues remains important. The participants' ideological pondering gave proof that environmental thinking is definitely of importance to Christians. Further research is needed on the overall situation of the ELCF, including studies encompassing the perceptions of more employees and also, parishioners.