Fran Brady, Quaker representative on the ECI committee, wrote this article:
Throughout history the general consensus among Christians was that humans had the right to use nature to meet their own needs. The doctrine of imago dei, a likeness of God, reinforced the idea that humankind was superior to the rest of creation.
Many religions and spiritual traditions are now becoming aware of the sacredness of the Earth and all of nature. They have become active in the environmental movement through carrying out practical actions and raising awareness among their members about the necessity to protect the planet. Religions are well placed to nurture environmental consciousness and to show concern for ecological issues. They can provide guidance on how to work on environmental causes and raise awareness regarding the sacred value of nature.
Eco-Spirituality pertains to our connectedness to the Earth and to our consciousness regarding the presence of God, or other Ultimate Reality, in all of creation. It is based on a belief in the blessed nature of Earth with all its living creatures and the habitats and bounty that sustain all, including humankind. The awareness of Sacred Earth needs to be kept alive, and celebrated with gratitude every day, not only on Earth Day. Traditional eco-spirituality has been practised by indigenous peoples since the beginning. Modern eco-spirituality includes and transcends traditional eco-spirituality. Bron Taylor, who coined the terms “dark green religion” or “dark green spirituality”, defined eco-spirituality as a conviction that “nature is sacred, has intrinsic value, and is therefore due reverent care.”
The roots of environmentally motivated spirituality go back centuries. Eight hundred years ago, St Francis of Assisi expressed his devotion to God through his love for all of God’s creation. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a French Jesuit, born in 1881, was an advocate of revering this wonderful planet. He spoke of divinity within every particle of life and believed that humanity, rather than being at the centre of the universe, is part of a divine whole. His theology was rejected by the Vatican at the time. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was posthumously recognised by Pope Benedict XVI, and his teachings cited by Pope Francis in the 2015 encyclical, Laudato si’. Pope Francis, who chose to be named after St. Francis Assisi, is taking leadership in this regard with his calls to care for “our common home”.
Thomas Berry, an American priest known as a ‘geologian’ lived between 1914 and 2009. His books included: Dream of the Earth, the Universe Story (with Brian Swinne), and Evening Thoughts: Reflection on the Earth as Sacred Community, published when he was ninety-two. An activist in the Spiritual Ecology Movement, he rejected anthropocentrism and supported the need for a sense of wonder and reverence for the natural world, for an awareness of the sacred within creation.
Poets, philosophers, prophets and writers, perhaps unknowingly, fostered the precepts of eco-spirituality. Henry David Thoreau, a nineteenth century American naturalist, poet, philosopher and transcendentalist, wrote Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, Another ecological thinker from the same century was John Muir, a Scottish mountaineer and religious prophet, whose writings became a guide into nature for many people. Walking among the Plants and Animals helps to increase our spiritual connection to the natural world. Imagine the Earth as a Great Spirit.
Poet, novelist, and environmentalist Wendell Berry’s contended that to cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival. Spiritually Motivated Environmentalism is embraced by those whose experiences transcend the scientific or material environment. Contemporaries in this field include Wendell Berry, Matthew Fox, Satish Kumar, Brian Swinne, Stephanie Kaza among many others.
Ultimate Reality, for some, God, for others, Spirit, Buddha, and/or the Divine, is not just the source of creation but also a part of creation. Essential to spiritual ecology is an understanding of the interdependence and unity of the entire cosmos. We need to cultivate a way of life that is in harmony with the Earth as a living whole.