Blue Disciple: A Christian Call for the Sea in Peril

Abstract

This article offers the notion of ‘blue disciple’ as a constructive concept that might encourage and enlarge Christian engagements in dealing with the contemporary marine ecological crisis. I start with a discussion on the sea in Christian ecological discourse and practice. Then, I reread Jesus’ call for the four Galilean fishermen in Mark 1:16–20 to construct this idea of a blue disciple navigated by the community of creation paradigm. The blue disciple insists that engaging in efforts to overcome the marine ecological crisis in order to let the sea and its creatures flourish is a Christian call. Christian churches are, thus, invited to participate in a blue discipleship.