Environment and Religion

There has been much public comment on the recent Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis.  Not least this has come from climate change commentators, communicators and policy advocates welcoming the Pope’s engagement with the issue.  In this short commentary I want to question whether this Papal intervention is really about climate change, or even about the environment more broadly.  Rather, he offers a profound analysis of humanity’s earthly predicament.

The Introduction to this book is available here: https://www.academia.edu/34095644/Introduction_to_Materiality_and_the_Study_of_Religion_The_Body_of_St_Cuthbert.pdf

Material culture has emerged in recent decades as a significant theoretical concern for the study of religion. This book contributes to and evaluates this material turn, presenting thirteen chapters of new empirical research and theoretical reflection from some of the leading international scholars of material religion. Following a model for material analysis proposed in the first chapter by David Morgan, the contributors trace the life cycle of religious materiality through three phases: the production of religious objects, their classification as religious (or non-religious), and their circulation and use in material culture.

The chapters in this volume consider how objects become and cease to be sacred, how materiality can be used to contest access to public space and resources, and how religion is embodied and performed by individuals in their everyday lives. Contributors discuss the significance of the materiality of religion across different religious traditions and diverse geographical regions, paying close attention to gender, age, ethnicity, memory and politics. The volume closes with an afterword by Manuel Vásquez.

The Bible presents man, whether righteous or wicked, redeemed or doomed, naïve, wise, or merely mortal, through tree imagery. 1 This rich imagery has been discussed in rabbinic texts and by medieval and modern scholars alike. 2 Much of the modern discussion highlights the central role trees played in agrarian societies from biblical times through antiquity and how, as such, they were a ready metaphor for man. Considerably less of the discussion focuses on concrete implications of man's relationship to trees, of the sort that would shed light upon a Jewish environmental perspective. 3

The premise that some forests are not resources to be exploited by individuals or corporations for economic gain, but are resources to be shared by a community is inherent in the conception of the forest belonging to the village guardian spirit (phīpūtā) in northeastern Thailand. The cult of the guardian spirit traditionally promoted a sense of belonging to a kin-linked community. Since the late 20th century, the phīpūtā has occupied a somewhat ambiguous place in public discourse in northeastern Thai rural society. Because shrines to village spirits are located in forests that are protected because they are considered the domain of the spirits, some strict monks have established residences in these forests, thereby transforming them into Buddhist-protected forests. In this paper I describe one instance of this transformation in a village in Maha Sarakham province.

The concept of 'nature' in the Daode jing 道德經 and the Zhuangzi 莊⼦ and its relevance to today's environmental issues.
The inherent harmony and continuity between nature and human beings is an underlying and dominant theme in Daoist studies and Chinese culture as a whole (Lai, 2003: 264). The environment, for Daoists, has functioned as a sacred space (Miller, 2003: 170) used for contemplation and reflection; the mindful attention to the natural environment was and is an edifying experience (Cooper, 2014: 98). Daoist (and Confucian) texts highlight the concept of the energy, qi 氣, that flows through everything-an endless binding force that inspires creativity in the forms of the universe, the songs of the bird, the ink brush to paper, shapes of the mountains and rocks etc (Weller 2011:126). The Daoist ideology is concerned with self-preservation and self-cultivation through observing dao 道, the 'way'; the cosmic pattern and 'course' of the natural world. This happens through meditation and observation of the cosmic energies from the external to the internal. A Daoist aims to reach conformity with the dao through an attitude of 'non-action' (wuwei 無為) and the cultivation of inner potency (dé 德) (Lai, 2007:233).
It is not surprising that recent scholars and policy makers have looked in this direction in the  hope of finding a counterbalance to the presiding global view of nature as a commodity of sorts, an external entity, ever in service of human-being's perpetual needs and desires.
In light of the current global environmental concerns, research by scholars of religion in addressing such urgent contemporary issues may offer another perspective and insight into the problem and solution.

In exploring the relationship between religion and climate change this essay argues three things.  First, it makes the case that religious thought and practice -- cosmologies, beliefs and perceptions, ethics and ways of life -- is important for understanding how the idea of climate change is given meaning in the contemporary world.  Second, the meanings attached to climate change by different religious traditions will be diverse and at times contradictory.  Third, more informed engagement with the world’s religions – on the part of scholars, advocates and politicians - is essential to shape the unfolding story of climate change and humanity.

This paper deals with a community project for rejuvenation of the dying river Kali Bein in Punjab, a Northern state of India. The community venture is being organized by a Sikh Saint, Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, who has been termed as “the Hero of Environment” by International media. The mainstay of this venture is the ecocritical philosophy of Sikhism. This paper attempts to research into the strategies and techniques of the kar sewa, as this community venture is called in India, and their relevance to widespread problem of water pollution in different countries of the world.

This article analyzes Buddhist environmentalism in Japan during the last few decades, which manifests through various discussions and forms of activism and is characterized by the use of popular Buddhist ideas such as aversion to greed, interdependence, and the universality of buddhahood. This movement gained strength after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, when several Buddhist organizations publicly expressed their disapproval of nuclear energy. This article argues that rather than a timeless “green Dharma” inherently close to nature, contemporary Japanese Buddhism is a “greening Dharma” that is gradually becoming engaged in environmentalism for different reasons. Although the presence of sincere religious concern and a doctrinal anchorage cannot be overlooked, a crucial role is played by Japanese Buddhism’s need to reassert its presence in the public sphere, and by the involvement of this religious tradition in global dynamics related to residual problems, cultural flows, and glocalization.

For the last two hundred years, unprecedented environmental challenges and irreversible mass extinctions have been caused on the Earth including a rising trend in the global temperature during the 20 th century. The loading capacity of the world has already been reached, and severe tensions between unending demands of the human beings and the finite natural resources of the world have become more apparent. The seemingly innocent and dulcet " laissez-faire " rhetoric in capitalist system promoted the removal of all meaningful checks and balances pertaining to production and consumption activities, and have resulted in the terrific destruction of our natural assets. Excessive consumption (and so production) and squandering are in the heart of the global environmental problems, and there is a strong need for the revival of the critical human values of moderation and thriftiness. Cumulative burden of individual irresponsibility can no longer be tolerated. Recent experiences demonstrate that any development model devoid of an ethical view on the environment, will be dominated by the uncontrolled exploitation of the natural assets with irreversible damages. Islam, as a religion of moderation, presents a viable alternative towards addressing the current challenges. Moderation refers not only to the personal lives of the believers but also to their interaction with fellow human beings and the nature they live in. Nature has been created in order, balance and with extraordinary esthetic beauty, and all these aspects of nature while enhancing man's life here, should be honored, utilized and protected accordingly. All patterns of man's production and consumption should be based on an overall order and balance of nature, which is a fundamental component of any meaningful approach towards a more environmentally friendly socioeconomic development.

Overview of the meanings and uses of "nature," as both concept and referent, in studies of religion and in contemporary religious belief and practice. Covers "nature in itself" (including debates over its "social construction"), "nature in and with religion," "religion in and with nature," "nature religion" and "ecological religion," and "religious ecologies in practice" (including Creation care, sacred groves, green pilgrimage, eco-paganism, et al.).

Th e way many Ghanaians relate to the environment now is not the best; they just
do not care about how to handle the environment in a sustainable way. Th ey have
forgotten that life is environment and environment is life due to rapid cultural
change, population explosion etc. Th ere is indiscriminate logging, annual bushfi
res, illegal surface mining, bad farming practices, dumping of human and industrial
wastes into our water bodies and the like. It is estimated that over 90 percent
of Ghana’s high forest has been logged since the late 1940s. Th e sanitation situation
is growing from bad to worst as the records show. All eff orts to salvage the
situation over the years have failed to yield the needed results. It is for this reason
that this paper argues strongly for the inclusion of indigenous Ghanaian religion
and culture in this fi ght, for they have proven to be eco-biased religion and culture
due to the environmentally benefi cial mechanisms inherent in them. Specifi cally,
the traditional Akan use their conception of land, taboos, totemism, sacred groves
and sasa to ensure the conservation of nature. Th erefore, this paper believe, the
time has come for us to forge a common ground in our eff orts to fi nd a lasting
solution to our environmental problems from both the perspectives of science and
that of Indigenous Spiritualities and Culture.

Warnings about climate change often come wrapped in apocalyptic language and scenarios, often as a rhetorical strategy to convey the sense of urgency with which action is required. Similarly, technologies that promise to deliver us from the impending climate apocalypse often come shrouded as savior-technologies. Once such example are carbon capture and storage solutions. Language and imagery on websites and in marketing material presents these technologies as transformative technologies: they promise to transform something harmful in the atmosphere (CO2) into paradisiacal plentitude: carbon as infinite energy resource. This paper will discuss and explore the underlying ideas behind carbon capture and storage technologies and discuss how language used to talk about the climate opportunities they offer transcends the everyday and the ordinary. Based on David Chidester’s understanding of religion, this paper argues that the power of carbon capture narratives is grounded in religious tropes and ideas.

Increasing awareness regarding environmental values can lead to changes in consumer behavior and governmental policy. This book aims to discuss, revaluate and disseminate environmental values emerging in the ASEAN region in current interdisciplinary discourses and in traditional contexts of religions, cultures and philosophy. The anthology focuses on cultural, religious/spiritual and philosophical/
ethical values related to sustainable, intergenerational,
caretaking, organic, and holistic approaches to nature that are
currently (and had been traditionally) emerging in the ASEAN region and beyond.

Secte apocalyptique d’obscurantistes, comme l’affirment les anti-écologistes, ou mouvement politique fondé sur une science indiscutable ? Assurément les acteurs de la transition écologique, qui ne se disent pas nécessairement écologistes, ne se laissent pas ranger aussi facilement dans une catégorie. Leur engagement est avant tout justifié par de solides conclusions scientifiques, notamment concernant le changement climatique, mais ils peuvent aussi bien donner à la « Science » une dimension transcendante que souligner ses limites, notamment dans le domaine médical. S’ils rejettent les luttes politiciennes, ils donnent néanmoins une forte dimension politique à leur combat, voire même aux gestes du quotidien. Ces mêmes gestes peuvent tout autant se voir attribuer une dimension éthique, voire spirituelle, notamment quand ils entendent par là se soucier de l’interconnexion entre tous les êtres, humains et non-humains.

On le voit, le scientifique, le politique et le religieux s’entremêlent au point que les discours de ces acteurs considérés dans leur ensemble apparaissent contradictoires. Pour tenter d’y voir plus clair, il devient nécessaire de démêler les fils de leurs discours, de situer la position de chaque acteur par rapport aux autres afin de mieux restituer les différentes logiques, en les contrastant, de l’ensemble du champ de la transition écologique. Pour parvenir à cette fin, nous proposons dans cet article d’élaborer une première cartographie de ce champ à partir des discours, afin de mieux cerner les centres d’intérêt de chacun, ainsi que leurs positionnement relatifs, ceci devant permettre de rendre compte des éléments contradictoires précédemment exposés.

Cet article présentera brièvement le milieu écologiste dont les discours sont à la base de l’analyse présentée ici. Puis il partira de l’élément commun à ces discours, le constat que l’on va « droit dans le mur », pour montrer comment ils se différencient suivant trois logiques distinctes. Celles-ci seront ensuite détaillées suivant trois axes : écologique, politique et spirituel. Ces trois axes permettront de construire une cartographie en trois dimensions du champ de la transition écologique sur laquelle on pourra situer les acteurs en fonction de leurs discours. Quelques exemples seront enfin détaillés afin de justifier ce mode de représentation et de montrer comment il permet de rendre compte de positionnements en apparence contradictoires.

For the last two hundred years, unprecedented environmental challenges and irreversible mass extinctions have been caused on the Earth including a rising trend in the global temperature during the 20th century. The loading capacity of the world has already been reached, and severe tensions between unending demands of the human beings and the finite natural resources of the world have become more apparent. The seemingly innocent and dulcet "laissez-faire" rhetoric in capitalist system promoted the removal of all meaningful checks and balances pertaining to production and consumption activities, and have resulted in the terrific destruction of our natural assets. Excessive consumption (and so production) and squandering are in the heart of the global environmental problems, and there is a strong need for the revival of the critical human values of moderation and thriftiness. Cumulative burden of individual irresponsibility can no longer be tolerated. Recent experiences demon...

The Bible was composed during the Holocene era, which was characterized by a stable climate enabling humans and human civilization to grow and flourish. The biblical cosmology, as expressed through its creation stories and other texts, is a product of that era. Now that we have entered a new geological era – the Anthropocene, as many scholars claim – which is characterized by anthropogenic climate change, the biblical cosmology raises questions of theodicy: Is the creation of God faulty? Is God ultimately responsible for the dire consequences and suffering that humans will experience as a result of climate change? This paper considers how the changing circumstances of climate change challenge the biblical cosmology, and whether the biblical cosmology remains relevant in the Anthropocene.

Relazione presentata al Colloque international du Conseil pontifical de la culture Abbayes et monastères aux racines de l’Europe, Abbaye Sainte-Foy Conques (France), 2-4 Juin 2000. Il testo è stato pubblicato in lingua francese negli atti del convegno, coperti da diritto d’autore, a cura di Paul Poupard - Bernard Ardura, Abbayes et monastères aux racines de l’Europe, Les éditions du cerf, Paris 2004, pp.129-159; per esigenze redazionali sono state tagliate gran parte delle citazioni, soprattutto in nota, inoltre la traduzione a cura dell’editore riporta numerosi e gravi errori che alterano alcuni significati. Si riporta qui il testo integrale originale.

In this paper I use insights from extensive ethnographic research with evangelicals in Colorado Springs, Colorado to investigate how competing ethical understandings of time and the future underpin conceptions of and responses to ecological collapse. It argues that a dominant apocalyptic chronotope in US evangelicalism makes the future of the earth redundant, an understanding that Christian Right leaders have linked to decreased interest in environmental issues. This dominant evangelical view looks to the future with anticipation when a promised and ever-close apocalypse and rapture will signal the end of the earth. The temporal structure of climate change clashes with this narrative about time and the future of the planet. In contrast, a new theological understanding is emergent among younger evangelicals, where Christ’s return is understood as involving a remaking of the earth, and not an ejection from it. This contrasting view makes the care of the planet a crucial Christian priority.