Influence of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church’s Teachings in Understanding Creation Care in Central Rift Valley Conference, Kenya

Abstract

This study examined the Seventh-day Adventist Church's environmental teachings and their influence on its members' awareness and understanding of creation care. The Central Rift Valley Conference theological affirmation of creation care among religious adherents does not necessarily translate into measurable ecological awareness and practice, and this problem remains unexamined among SDA Church Christians in the ecologically stressed Central Rift Valley Conference (CRVC), Kenya. Guided by Structural Functionalism, the study adopted a convergent research design in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously, analysed independently, and triangulated during interpretation. Daniel's (2012) finite population correction was used to determine a sample of 381 respondents from a target population of 45,104 Adventists. Stratified random sampling was used to proportionately distribute the sample across the 12 stations, with lay Christians selected by simple random sampling within each stratum, while cluster sampling ensured geographical coverage. Purposive sampling was used to select 22 pastors, 19 district elders, and 19 stewardship leaders for interviews. The response rate comprised 315 (98.1%) lay Christians, 16 (84.2%) stewardship leaders, 18 (94.7%) church elders, and 15 (68.2%) pastors. Data were collected using questionnaires, observations and interview schedules. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data thematically. The results showed strong theological affirmation but weak behavioural translation. Biblical teaching on creation care was accepted by respondents, yet awareness remained abstract. The study concluded that the Church effectively discharged its pattern-maintenance role, but its integrative function remained underdeveloped. The study recommended institutionalising creation care to translate moral consensus into measurable environmental action