Religion and Environment

Spiritual ecology may be defined as a complex and diverse arena of religious, spiritual, intellectual, and practical activities at the interface of religions and spiritualities on the one hand, and on the other of ecologies, environments, and environmentalisms. The term is applied as a parallel to other primary components of contemporary ecological anthropology like primate ecology, cultural ecology, historical ecology, and political ecology. The word spiritual is used, rather than religion, because it is more inclusive. While spirituality is part of religion, there are also individuals who pursue spiritual beliefs, values, and actions independently of any organization of adherents to a particular religion. Also, other labels for this subject, such as religion and environment, religion and ecology, religion and nature, ecotheology, and the like, are awkward and problematic in other ways. Moreover, the qualifier spiritual is used to be provocative; that is, to shake people out of their mental and social complacency for the simple reason that business as usual is a major obstacle to reducing, let alone resolving, the ecōcrisis. Instead, it is increasingly recognized that a radical rethinking, refeeling, and revisioning of many human-environment relationships is imperative for the survival of humanity and the biosphere.

Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, an increasing number of diverse individuals and organizations worldwide have recognized the gravity and urgency of the ongoing environmental crisis. Nevertheless, in spite of the development of numerous and varied environmental initiatives, the crisis has not subsided. Indeed, it has been getting far worse. For instance, there are many indicators that global warming is a reality. This is affirmed not only by an overwhelming consensus of the international community of scientific experts on global climatic and environmental changes, but even through personal experiences with weather and climate by the public in many parts of the world. Obviously the various secular initiatives, including the development of environmental aspects of the sciences, technology, education, philosophy, ethics, history, politics, government, law, economics, and the like, have not reduced, let alone resolved, the ecōcrisis. Certainly they are necessary, but just as certainly they are not sufficient. The environmental crisis will only turn around for the better when a sufficient percentage of humanity thinks deeply enough and acts radically enough to profoundly change their detrimental impact on nature. Spiritual ecology may be the last hope for helping to trigger such a turnaround by humanity.

Since the 1990s, an accelerating number of diverse individuals and organizations have been seriously [Page 2007]exploring religion as a last resort for resolving the ecō crisis. However, this movement is not offered instead of previous secular approaches, but in addition to them as a complement, with the hope of finally turning things around for the better. No particular religion is designated as the sole solution. Instead, scientists, scholars, educators, clerics, adherents, politicians, and others are probing deeply into their own religion or spirituality for elements to construct more viable environmental worldviews, attitudes, values, and practices for themselves and others. Mary Evelyn Tucker optimistically refers to this worldwide movement as religions entering their ecological phase in a second axial age.

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