‘Keeping head above water’ : a case study in religious leadership in a polluted context
Date
2014-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS OpenJournals
Abstract
‘We must stop wasting our precious water – and also stop polluting it.’ These are the words
of Dr Jo Barnes, Epidemiologist and Senior Lecturer in Community Health at the University
of Stellenbosch’s Faculty for Health Sciences. Her research involves the quality of water in
rivers and its health impact on communities. It is general knowledge that health services are
struggling under the burden of diseases resulting from environmental pollution, particularly
water pollution. This potentially avoidable crisis is slowly turning into a disaster. The article
draws on a case study done in the informal settlement of Sweet Home Farm in Philippi, Cape
Town, with the intent of compiling a descriptive empirical report on the way the community
deals with human waste. In a next step, interpretive lenses are used to look with ‘deeper
understanding’ at the problem of human waste and pollution. After that, the focus shifts to
the problem of a theology of human waste, and the article concludes with suggestions on the
role of religious leadership and ways in which leaders can play a constructive role in handling
the crisis of a polluted context
Description
Please cite as follows:
Nell, I. A. 2014. ‘Keeping head above water' : a case study in religious leadership in a polluted context. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 70(2): 1-8, doi:10.4102/hts.v70i2.2619.
The original publication is available at http://www.hts.org.za
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
Nell, I. A. 2014. ‘Keeping head above water' : a case study in religious leadership in a polluted context. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 70(2): 1-8, doi:10.4102/hts.v70i2.2619.
The original publication is available at http://www.hts.org.za
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
Keywords
Leadership -- Religious aspects, Sustainable development -- Case studies
Citation
Nell, I. A. 2014. ‘Keeping head above water' : a case study in religious leadership in a polluted context. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 70(2): 1-8, doi:10.4102/hts.v70i2.2619.