A Greener Faith

Religious Environmentalism and Our Planet's Future

Roger S. Gottlieb

First comprehensive account on religious environmentalism
Covers political activism, as well as theology and ethics
Written in an accessible and engaging style

A Greener Faith

Religious Environmentalism and Our Planet's Future

Roger S. Gottlieb

Description

In a time of darkening environmental prospects, frightening religious fundamentalism, and moribund liberalism, the remarkable and historically unprecedented rise of religious environmentalism is a profound source of hope. Theologians are recovering marginalized nature-honoring elements of traditional religions and forging bold new theologies connecting devotion to God and spiritual truth with love for God's creation and care for the Earth. Further, these innovative ideas are giving rise to far-reaching political action. The successes and significance of religious environmentalism are manifest in statements by leaders of virtually all the world's religions, in new and 'green' forms of prayer and ritual, in comprehensive religiously motivated criticisms of modern society's economy, politics, and culture, and in solid contributions to real world environmental struggles. A Greener Faith chronicles the promises of this critically important movement, illuminating its fundamental ideas, describing the work of its leading prophets, and detailing its important contributions to a global environmentalism.
Gottlieb shows that when religion engages in environmental action the customary boundaries of "religious issues" in political life are decisively broken. Asserting that environmental degradation is not only a health danger, economic catastrophe, and aesthetic blight, but also sacrilegious, sinful and an offense against God catapults religions directly into questions of social policy, economic and moral priorities, and the overall direction of secular society. Gottlieb contends that a religious perspective applied to the Earth provides the environmental movement with a uniquely appropriate way to voice its passion and hope. In a striking new fusion, the religious presence in environmental politics blurs distinctions between religion and politics, theology and social activism. Equally important, it helps develop a world-making political agenda that transcends the limited interests of one or another social special interest group. Environmentalism, Gottlieb shows, is not simply interest group politics applied to forests and toxic incinerators. Rather, the movement offers a comprehensive vision of what human beings are and how we should treat each other and the rest of life.

A Greener Faith

Religious Environmentalism and Our Planet's Future

Roger S. Gottlieb

Author Information

Roger S. Gottlieb, Professor of Philosophy, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

A Greener Faith

Religious Environmentalism and Our Planet's Future

Roger S. Gottlieb

Reviews and Awards

"For those who connect ecological writing with prohecies of doom and gloom, Gottlieb's book A Greener Faith comes as something of a tonic." - Tony Hodgson Rural Theology

"This book provides a valuable review of religious engagement with the environment...This book is written in a lively style, airing counter arguments followed by replies to such arguments in a way that helps build up the position the author is trying to make." - Celia Deane-Drummond, Science and Christian Belief

"nicely produced and attractively priced...A Greener Faith indicates that what is required now is to offer fuller accounts of the practical differences that religious environmentalism might make. That is, we need now to develop the religio-politics of religious environmentalism. That this book manages this double achievement is an indication of its importance and will ensure that is widely read." - Peter Scott, Ars Disputandi

"...this book is a provocatively useful contribution to the green public square, calling for its denizens to welcome the emergence of religion in their midst, and implicitly notifying religion scholars of its increasing importance." - Willis Jenkins, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

"Gottlieb's beautifully written and carefully researched work is essential reading for people of faith, environmentalists, scholars and anyone who is concerned about our planet's future." - Morning Star

"It is valuable reading for environmentalists, scholars and the many among us who are concerned about the future of our planet." - International Journal of Environment and Pollution

"...a very hopeful message and puts a whole new slant on the meaning of fundamentalism." - Northern Echo