330
J. D. Griffiths
as enchanted or non-dualistic, leads to a unique, spiritually charged, understanding
of creation.
This enchanted understanding of creation has come to the fore as the devastating
effects of the climate crisis increase in the Pacific Islands. Indeed, as others have
pointed out, the Pacific Islands are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate
change (Keener et al. 2012; Cox et al. 2018). The warming of the Earth’s ocean is
leading to rising sea levels, which is leading to “coastal inundation and the submergence of low-lying islands” (Cox et al. 2018, p. 382). Moreover, the rise in temperature in the seas surrounding the Pacific Islands has led to an increase in the location
and severity of cyclones (Keener et al. 2012). These two effects, coupled with the
limited economic resources available, leads to Pacific Islands being on the “front
lines” of the effects of climate change (Cox et al. 2018). However, as the editors
of this book have clearly elucidated, foreign intervention from Western technocratic
nations in the Pacific Islands has not been effective in gaining the support of local
Pacific Island communities (Luetz and Nunn 2020).
In this chapter, I seek to explain the Pentecostal conceptualisation of creation,
and by extension, its understanding of the current climate crisis. Understanding the
“enchanted” aspect of Pentecostalism’s worldview of creation is pivotal, as Pentecostalism is a major expression of Christianity in the Pacific Islands. Therefore,
climate change mitigation strategies in the Pacific Islands will not be wholly effective unless Pentecostalism is addressed. In the first section of this chapter, I draw upon
the work of James K. A. Smith, who has convincingly argued that Pentecostalism
has an enchanted view of creation. This enchanted understanding of creation leads
to an inclination towards spiritual solutions (repentance, exorcism or faith) for material problems (drought, rising sea levels). I then engage with two examples of this
enchanted view of creation, noting how spiritual solutions are often proposed by
Pacific Island Pentecostals in order to address the effects of climate change.
From here, in the following four sections, I suggest a way for Pentecostal spirituality to be more ecologically sensitive, by addressing the images of creation used
in the quotation of Joel 2: 28–32 at Pentecost (Acts 2: 17–21). As I outline in the
third section of this chapter, Acts 2 is the most obvious starting place for engaging
with Pentecostal spirituality, as Luke’s portrayal of Pentecost is the foundational text
for Pentecostalism and its spirituality. In the fourth section, I set out two ecological
lenses, interconnectedness and voice, that I will apply to Joel 1–2 and Acts 2: 17–21.
I then engage with the intertextuality of the Acts 2: 17–21, noting the ecological lens
of interconnectedness and voice that creation has in Joel 1–2. Finally, I follow this
theme of interconnectedness and voice into Acts 2: 17–21, from which I conclude
with some applications for engaging with Pacific Island Pentecostalism and climate
change.
1
1 In this chapter, I focus on the Pentecostal understanding of creation, and how the ecological lens of
interconnected and voice help inform this Pentecostal ecology. As this Pentecostal understanding of
creation is quite different from a technocratic understanding of nature, and due to space constraints,
I do not significantly address the practical applications of this research. Further research could be
done in the area of the practical application of this research.
J. D. Griffiths
as enchanted or non-dualistic, leads to a unique, spiritually charged, understanding
of creation.
This enchanted understanding of creation has come to the fore as the devastating
effects of the climate crisis increase in the Pacific Islands. Indeed, as others have
pointed out, the Pacific Islands are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate
change (Keener et al. 2012; Cox et al. 2018). The warming of the Earth’s ocean is
leading to rising sea levels, which is leading to “coastal inundation and the submergence of low-lying islands” (Cox et al. 2018, p. 382). Moreover, the rise in temperature in the seas surrounding the Pacific Islands has led to an increase in the location
and severity of cyclones (Keener et al. 2012). These two effects, coupled with the
limited economic resources available, leads to Pacific Islands being on the “front
lines” of the effects of climate change (Cox et al. 2018). However, as the editors
of this book have clearly elucidated, foreign intervention from Western technocratic
nations in the Pacific Islands has not been effective in gaining the support of local
Pacific Island communities (Luetz and Nunn 2020).
In this chapter, I seek to explain the Pentecostal conceptualisation of creation,
and by extension, its understanding of the current climate crisis. Understanding the
“enchanted” aspect of Pentecostalism’s worldview of creation is pivotal, as Pentecostalism is a major expression of Christianity in the Pacific Islands. Therefore,
climate change mitigation strategies in the Pacific Islands will not be wholly effective unless Pentecostalism is addressed. In the first section of this chapter, I draw upon
the work of James K. A. Smith, who has convincingly argued that Pentecostalism
has an enchanted view of creation. This enchanted understanding of creation leads
to an inclination towards spiritual solutions (repentance, exorcism or faith) for material problems (drought, rising sea levels). I then engage with two examples of this
enchanted view of creation, noting how spiritual solutions are often proposed by
Pacific Island Pentecostals in order to address the effects of climate change.
From here, in the following four sections, I suggest a way for Pentecostal spirituality to be more ecologically sensitive, by addressing the images of creation used
in the quotation of Joel 2: 28–32 at Pentecost (Acts 2: 17–21). As I outline in the
third section of this chapter, Acts 2 is the most obvious starting place for engaging
with Pentecostal spirituality, as Luke’s portrayal of Pentecost is the foundational text
for Pentecostalism and its spirituality. In the fourth section, I set out two ecological
lenses, interconnectedness and voice, that I will apply to Joel 1–2 and Acts 2: 17–21.
I then engage with the intertextuality of the Acts 2: 17–21, noting the ecological lens
of interconnectedness and voice that creation has in Joel 1–2. Finally, I follow this
theme of interconnectedness and voice into Acts 2: 17–21, from which I conclude
with some applications for engaging with Pacific Island Pentecostalism and climate
change.
1
1 In this chapter, I focus on the Pentecostal understanding of creation, and how the ecological lens of
interconnected and voice help inform this Pentecostal ecology. As this Pentecostal understanding of
creation is quite different from a technocratic understanding of nature, and due to space constraints,
I do not significantly address the practical applications of this research. Further research could be
done in the area of the practical application of this research.