Lynne White’s article, “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis” has generated a great deal of controversy since it’s release in 1967. White’s thesis, that medieval Christianity is to blame for our current environmental crisis, has created a raging debate between supporters and opponents of this proposition. There have been many articles written in response to this claim, including Whitney Elspeth editorial “Lynn White, Eco theology, and History.” Elspeth piece mostly disagrees with White’s theory and contests many of the points White raises.
Undoubtedly, one of the major controversial points raised by Lynne White is his belief the medieval Christianity is the root cause for our current environment crisis. White considers religion to be deeply imparted in our human ecology. As a result, our human condition is dictated by it. Lynne interpreted the victory over paganism as “the greatest psychic revolution in the history of our culture”, and consequently, considers we live in a “post Christian age” dominated by Christian’s axioms. According to White, the Bible states that nature and women are to be utilized to benefit mankind. Lynne states that in antiquity, nature was extremely respected as every element “in nature was said to possess a guardian spirit.” However, the destruction of paganism paved the way for Christianity, as it made it possible to exploit nature, as there no longer existed a connection between man and nature. From this point on, man no longer respected nature but instead exploited it. According to White, during medieval times due to the Christian religion, all humans developed an intrinsic belief that nature existed to be exploited.
Elspeth Whitney disagrees with this point of view, and raises many counte...
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...d discovered that “non-Judeo-Christians were slightly more likely to show greater concern for environmental ussues than Judeo-Christians. In addition, through theologically minded critics she agrees with white that “that the environmental crisis was at bottom a moral and religious issue.”
In conclusion, in Lynne White’s article, “The historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis”, he presents the idea that our environmental crisis is due to medieval Christianity. He also states that all our modern technology is tainted by Christianity’s disregard for nature. Elspeth Whitney’s article, one of many written in response to White, emphatically opposed his view and presented many points that discredited his theory. After having read both articles and carefully considered each points, I would agree with Whitney’s view as I believe Lynne White’s view to be oversimplified.
In the journal of Environmentalism as Religion, Paul H. Rubin discuss about how environmental is similar to religion. Rubin want everyone to know that the environment and religion are somehow similar in a way, which they both have belief system, creation stories and original sin.
Sallies McFague’s discussion of ecological and neo-classical economics from the Christian perspective is an eye-opening experience because it demonstrates the two possible dynamics of our world’s economy. The neo-classical economic dynamic “sees human beings on the planet as a collection of individuals drawn together to benefit each other by fully exploiting natural resources” while the ecological economic dynamic “sees the planet as a community that survives and prospers only through the interdependence of all its parts, human and nonhuman” (McFague 127). McFague states that the current global economy is neo-classical which is a detrimental system to ...
Throughout the Romanticism period, human’s connection with nature was explored as writers strove to find the benefits that humans receive through such interactions. Without such relationships, these authors found that certain aspects of life were missing or completely different. For example, certain authors found death a very frightening idea, but through the incorporation of man’s relationship with the natural world, readers find the immense utility that nature can potentially provide. Whether it’d be as solace, in the case of death, or as a place where one can find oneself in their own truest form, nature will nevertheless be a place where they themselves were derived from. Nature is where all humans originated,
The role of religion in early-modern Europe (from about 1400 to 1700) religion remained an essential ‘lens’ through which members of this period viewed their lives and the world around them. The influence of religious outlooks was always important during this time period. This can be seen through Cabeza de Vaca’s Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America, Michel de Montaigne’s On Cannibals, and the political works of philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. These authors’ works can only be understood and put into proper context with an understanding of the religious lens through which they wrote.
It is generally agreed that modern environmentalism begins with ‘A Fable for Tomorrow’, the first chapter in Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962). The fairytale-like opening to the book begins with the words, ‘There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings’, painting a classic pastoral picture where she describes civilization far from modern ills coexisting with nature yet away from the perceived danger of the wild. However pastoral peace swiftly gives way to destruction- 'Then a strange blight crept over the area and everything began to change. Some evil spell had settled on the community: mysterious maladies swept the flocks of chickens; the cattle and sheep
Throughout human history, religion has played a fundamental role in societal development, regardless of the culture. Christianity, in particular, has profoundly shaped the last two thousand years of history and continues to do so today. This holds true in the case of European development and exploration of the New World. As exploration in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries flourished, many countries set out to declare land on behalf of their country, and in an effort to bring honor to their God. When English settlers first developed colonies in New England, one of their goals was to share the word of God with the Native Americans they encountered. This drastically conflicted with the views of the Native Indians, and completely altered the development of North America. European religious views in early North American exploration set the tone for America’s development into a commodification driven society that exploited the environment as a means of economic potential.
Regan, Tom. "A Reply to Griffiths." Animals and Christianity. Ed. A. Linzey et al. New York: Crossroad, 1990.
Christians consequently share a close relationship by means of the whole of aspects of creation, since in relation to the environment, its unbroken humanity, not unbroken nature, that's seen to be the problem. Stewardship in simple terms means managing someone else’s property. Christians proclaim that everything belongs to God, so as Christians, we need to have the attitude that our belongings are his belongings. As stewards, we have the responsibility of being in charge of the earth. We have been placed in charge and are responsible for whatever happens to it, even though it does not belong to us, as we all know it belongs to God.
The majority of this piece is dedicated to the author stating his opinion in regards to civilization expanding beyond its sustainable limits. The author makes it clear that he believes that humans have failed the natural environment and are in the process of eliminating all traces of wilderness from the planet. Nash points out facts that strengthen his argument, and quotes famous theologians on their similar views on environmental issues and policies. The combination of these facts and quotes validates the author’s opinion.
Although a theology professor does different work than a climate change researcher, the two must find cohesion, which is promoting human flourishing. Furthering this shared value, Therese Lysault continues in her chapter with, “The intellectual life should seek to promote human flourishing by responding to the complex needs, ends and purpose of human life,” (184). Catholic Intellectuals must promote this human flourishing by finding their vocations. According to Theologian Frederick Buechner our vocation in life is where our greatest joy meets the world's greatest needs. This relates back to Lysault’s point where we can promote human flourishing by responding to the word’s great needs. When someone’s passion is promoting human dignity by alleviating the world’s social issues, than they have found their vocation. Consequently, Catholic Intellectuals can contribute to accomplishing the truth, by finding their vocation. Once an Intellectual has found their vocation, it doesn’t require major advances in their field to be a part of accomplishing this truth. Lysault states, “In our vocations we are continually called to be present to others,” (184). Simply, we promote human dignity by recognizing all human life and presently helping them. She continues with, “we are called to be vehicles of the in-breaking of the kingdom, agent of God’s grace in the world,” (185). Although accomplishing the truth of “loving and serving, of defending and promoting human life” is a complex task for all of humanity, it must originate from humanity building up the Kingdom of God. In order to do this, it must stem from Catholic Intellectuals finding their vocations and presently being “agents” of God’s
Rust, Peter. 1992. How Has Life and Its Diversity Been Produced? Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 44 (2): 80-94.
In what could be the first "ecological statement" outside the Bible, Francis said this: "These creatures minister to our needs every day; without them we could not live and through them the human race greatly offends the Creator every time we fail to appreciate so great a blessing." - Legend of Perugia 43" (http://www.franciscans.org.au/spirituality/)
The Church had held sway over medieval society for centuries, but it began to lose its grip in the fourteenth century. It was not only that it could not explain nor prevent the calamities that swept through the century, it was enduring its own calamities.
Ecologists formulate their scientific theories influenced by ethical values, and in turn, environmental ethicists value nature based on scientific theories. Darwinian evolutionary theory provides clear examples of these complex links, illustrating how these reciprocal relationships do not constitute a closed system, but are undetermined and open to the influences of two broader worlds: the sociocultural and the natural environment. On the one hand, the Darwinian conception of a common evolutionary origin and ecological connectedness has promoted a respect for all forms of life. On the other hand, the metaphors of struggle for existence and natural selection appear as problematic because they foist onto nature the Hobbesian model of a liberal state, a Malthusian model of the economy, and the productive practice of artificial selection, all of which reaffirm modern individualism and the profit motive that are at the roots of our current environmental crisis. These metaphors were included in the original definitions of ecology and environmental ethics by Haeckel and Leopold respectively, and are still pervasive among both ecologists and ethicists. To suppose that these Darwinian notions, derived from a modern-liberal worldview, are a fact of nature constitutes a misleading interpretation. Such supposition represents a serious impediment to our aim of transforming our relationship with the natural world in order to overcome the environmental crisis. To achieve a radical transformation in environmental ethics, we need a new vision of nature.
Our knowledge of the historical worth of certain religious doctrines increases our respect for them but does not invalidate our proposal that they should cease to be put forward as the reasons for the precepts of civilization. On the contrary! Those historical residues have helped us to view religious teachings, as it were, as neurotic relics, and we may now argue that the time has probably come, as