The greening of religion, although long overdue, is really a quite natural phenomenon. The texts of many faiths, indeed most, at some point reference the stewardship of this earth. More surprising is that today, secular environmental groups are seizing the opportunity to reach out to faith communities.
A Sierra Club report highlights faith-based environmental initiatives in all 50 states “spiritually motivated grassroots efforts to protect the planet.” One line leaps off the page: “Lasting social change rarely takes place without the active engagement of communities of faith.” Indeed. Think of the U.S. civil rights movement, Solidarity in Poland and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Social change does not stick without the glue of religion.
But as these two movements one based on the love of God, the other on the love of the earth intersect, we should celebrate the initiative while remaining aware of the challenges and inevitable spats that await this quite remarkable marriage.
Asherah, meet Yahweh.
isn’t that one of the modern environmental movement’s flaws? that it lacks the religous community support that Civil Rights, South Africa etc. had?
hey, thanks for posting; glad to see i am not alone anymore.
Chris, from what I have seen this isn’t about adding religion to environmentalism in order to make it more conformable to the faith. It is about adding environmentalism to religion and conforming that. Interpreting the orthodox faith through what was originally an alien secular religion/ideology is a good way to corrupt the faith. One can just as easily and speciously justify Marxism by showing Biblical injunctions about caring for the poor.