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Theology for sustainable development in Zimbabwe : unpacking Deuteronomy 20:19–20 in light of SDG 15
This article aims at a ‘green’ reading of Deuteronomy 20:19–20 with special reference to
combat deforestation in Zimbabwe. The article relates to Sustainable Development Goal 15
(SDG 15) of the United Nations Agenda 2030, namely Goal 15 – Life and Land. The article
demonstrates that the depletion of the natural environment in Zimbabwe is happening
in a way unknown before. It argues that the government of Zimbabwe’s legislative
framework for mitigating deforestation is proving to be unsuccessful. This is a pointer that
environmental conservation problems in Zimbabwe are also spiritual, hence the need to
incorporate additional conservation strategies like biblical hermeneutics. The value
addition of this article is the application of the Deuteronomic laws. From the perspective of
the exegesis of Deuteronomy 20:19–20 and the surrounding texts, the article focuses on the
deforestation in Zimbabwe and aims at the recovering of spiritual strategies of valuing
human life without compromising the right of the natural environment. Applying the
reading for recovery design, the study gathered data through extensive literature review
and biblical exegesis.
CONTRIBUTION : The exegesis of Deuteronomy 20:19–20 is applied to desist from the
disproportionate cutting down of trees even during the difficult times such as war, economic
hardship and health pandemics. The article contributes to the SDG 15, namely Life and Land.
The research envisions that Zimbabwean communities, with the support of the aforementioned
exegesis will introduce a programme of deforestation. Trees ought to be considered as of equal
value to human beings. The Bible continues to be not bound by space and time and can still be
applicable to the contemporary needs of the believers.
Description:
DATA AVAILABILITY : Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data
were created or analysed in this study.
This research is part of the research project, ‘Biblical Theology and Hermeneutics’, directed by Prof. Andries van Aarde, Post Retirement Professor and Senior Research Fellow in the Dean’s Office, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria.
Special Collection: Zimbabwean Scholars in Dialogue, sub-edited by Conrad Chibango (Great Zimbabwe University).