Ecospirit: Religions and Philosophies for the Earth

Transdisciplinary Theological Colloquia

by Laurel Kearns (Editor), Catherine Keller (Editor)

We hope―even as we doubt―that the environmental crisis can be controlled. Public awareness of our species’ self-destructiveness as material beings in a material world is growing―but so is the destructiveness. The practical interventions needed for saving and restoring the earth will require a collective shift of such magnitude as to take on a spiritual and religious intensity.

This transformation has in part already begun. Traditions of ecological theology and ecologically aware religious practice have been preparing the way for decades. Yet these traditions still remain marginal to society, academy, and church.

With a fresh, transdisciplinary approach, Ecospirit probes the possibility of a green shift radical enough to permeate the ancient roots of our sensibility and the social sources of our practice. From new language for imagining the earth as a living ground to current constructions of nature in theology, science, and philosophy; from environmentalism’s questioning of postmodern thought to a garden of green doctrines, rituals, and liturgies for contemporary religion, these original essays explore and expand our sense of how to proceed in the face of an ecological crisis that demands new thinking and acting. In the midst of planetary crisis, they activate
imagination, humor, ritual, and hope.

Genres: Theology, Spirituality

544 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

Reviews

[Mark Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primary editor is a friend of mine, and I can't wait to get through this one. It's concerned with the growing "green" movement amongst the Christian community, which she had a lot to do with starting. If you're concerned about the Earth and our environment, you'd be interested in reading this and gaining perspectives that you perhaps hadn't considered, as well as knowing about a growing force that may really help us effect some of the changes we so desperately need to make in the next couple of decades.