Revisiting the Quest for a Just, Participatory, and Sustainable Society

Abstract

The themes of justice, participation, and sustainability emerged from the 5th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Nairobi in 1975 in the context of addressing global inequalities and promoting a more equitable society, and were brought together in the search for a “Just, Participatory and Sustainable Society.” While underlining the need for theological reflection on justice, particularly in the context of historical injustices and contemporary global divides, this article questions whether “sustainability” still expresses an appropriate vision. With the shift to the Anthropocene, it proposes instead the concept of “habitability.” With habitability, the focus is on the flourishing of the habitat itself. Categories such as civilization, excellence, economic growth, sustainable development, mitigation and adaptation, human flourishing, sustainability as such, and even justice can no longer suffice, at least not on their own. What is required is a comprehensive transformation.