Eco-theology and Earth-Ethics
March 2017 Presenter:
Laldanmawia
_________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Traditional Christian
theology is very much anthropocentric in nature. It does not pay sufficient
attention to environment and ecology, or the earth as a whole. Most theological
discourses concentrate more and more on human life and welfare, on the other
hand neglecting nature. The dangers of ecological crisis have contributed
significantly to a new awareness of environmental sustainability. In that
situation, the eco-theology came into existence promoting the earth ethics. It
promotes religious reflection on human relationship with the nature. This paper
tries to bring the emergence, perspective and issues of Eco-theology and
Earth-Ethics, viewing Indian context mainly.
1.
Theology with Ecological Perspective: A New Dimension
As said in the
introduction, Traditional dominant Western Christian theologies stressed
heavily on Christology as the focus and they were anthropocentric in its
approach with philosophical intellectualism in its language. Jesus Christ was mostly
confessed within the framework of the doctrine of Trinity, but from time to
time theology changes its paradigm. The shifts have been, according to K. Thanzauva,
eschatological-apologetic-mediative-rationalistic-reformation-liberal-evangelical-ecumenical-contextual
and liberation.[1]
Changes in paradigm happened in Christian history due to failure in addressing
the changing context. Thus, when it comes to the context of ecology, ecological
and environmental problems urge us to discern from secular and religious
perspectives.
Lynn Townsend White
published an article “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis” in 1967 to
critic Christian theology from ecological perspective. He argued that
Judeo-Christian theology was fundamentally exploitative of the natural world
because it asserts human’s domination over nature and thus it promotes a trend
of anthropocentrism.[2] This
article opened a debate on the relationship of theology to the modern
ecological crisis. Different interpretations in the Christian theology as well
as intensive nature disaster caused by global warming stimulated Christian
theologians to reexamine the core value of Christian religion, which led to the
emergence of a new dimension in Christian theology that we may call
Eco-theology.
Thus the emerging Eco-theology,
as a form of constructive theology, focuses on the interrelationships of
religion and nature, particularly in the light of environmental concerns. It is
an ecological approach to theology that means linking Christian faith and
spirituality with ecology. It is a theology that calls people not to concentrate
solely on the redemption theme of the Bible, but to broaden their perspective.[3] Generally it starts from the premise
that a relationship exists between human religious/spiritual worldviews
and the degradation of nature.
2. Biblical Bases for Eco-theology
and Earth-Ethics
2.1.
The Old Testament: We can see the beginning of the
eco-theology in the accounts of creation in Genesis. There is very close
relationship between human and the land, because the name ‘Adam’ is derived
from the term ‘Adama’ which is the
feminine gender meaning for the land or earth or ground. Therefore, we are from
the beginning, inseparable from the very stuff of creation (Gen. 3:19).[4] God
created human on the sixth day may be because He already knows that human is
dependent and he will starve for the needs. So God created all things first and
at last He created humans to have all these dependents realities.
We can also see the nomadic
and agricultural life in the stories of Cain and Abel, Lot and Abraham, Esau
and Jacob, etc. They were very much dependent on the creations for their
livelihood. God made a covenant with Noah after the great flood by which Noah
can be considered as the first deep Ecologist in the Bible because God made the
covenant with him and his fellow creatures. The book of Deuteronomy speaks of a
blessing to live on the land as long as the heavens are above the Earth
(11:21), which means a life on Earth. Here is a specific idea reflected that we
do not necessarily belong to the other – worldly life but to a life on earth.[5]
Humans can learn wisdom
from tiny creatures like ants (Prov. 6:6). The book of Proverbs ends with the
note that God is the ultimate power over nature. In the book of Ecclesiastes,
we can see that humans are not superior in many ways (Ecc. 3:18-21). The words
of Prophet Jeremiah emphasized on taking care of the land wherever the people
may be, whether it is in the time of Exile or any other time, because the Earth
belongs to God. In the book of Ezekiel, we can see that God claims his sovereignty
over the land and resources.[6]
Since God is sovereign who rule upon the earth, how can we predict to maintain
human-centredness on this Earth?
2.2.
The New Testament:
The
Gospel of Mark sees that Jesus was in a wilderness and was friendly with wild
animals after his forty days fasting. Jesus is seen as second Adam who lived
among the wild animals (Mark. 1:13). In
the Gospel of Matthew, we can see one of the beatitude that speaks, “Blessed
are the meek for they will inherit the Earth (Matt. 5:5). The people who are
gentle and soft towards the Earth are eligible to inherit the Earth. The author
recorded many ecological images in this gospel. ‘The harvest is plentiful but
workers are few’ (Matt. 9:37) depicts beautiful natural realities of that time
to convey many meanings. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ affirmation of all food
and John’s negation of food are beautifully connected with the understanding of
the Earth (Luke. 7:33-34). The nature is in control of the creator (8:22-25). [7]
We can see several
ecological concepts in Pauline epistles. His interpretations were Ecological.
While he was interpreting the baptism of the early Israelites, he says it was
kind of Ecological baptism.[8] In
Christ, creation is liberated. It is seen that Jesus’ resurrection is central to
God’s relationship with all humanity and the restoration of the cosmos. All the
creation has its relationship to God and its interconnection in the risen
Christ. Paul beautifully mentions that “Creation itself will be set free from
its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God
(Romans 8:21).”[9]
Thus the liberation of creation as a whole is the ultimate goal in which God
will usher and human beings can be stewards of Creation.
3.
Emergence of Eco-theology in Indian Christian contextual theology
The theology that the
missionaries brought to India was too metaphysical and exclusively
other-worldly oriented based on western systematic, rational and philosophical
system. Then Indian Christian theology emerged to re-appraise, re-imagine and
re-interpret Christian faith from Indian cultural tradition and history. Even
though it was constructed on the basis of Indian traditions, particularly the
dominant religious resources, it lacks to touch the life context of the people. The emergence of Latin American Liberation
Theology influenced much on the shift of India theological discourse. [10] Thus Theology became more concern with people
and their own context. This led to the formation of contextual theologies like
dalit, tribal, feminist, eco-theology, etc.
There was a tendency in
theology that ecology or environment would be too secular to deal in
theological circle. However as K. C. Abraham opines that ecology is spiritual
and ecological crisis is spiritual crisis, because God created heaven and earth
as an interdependent organism of unity, any disruption in this unity can be a
life danger.[11]
In line with him, Laji Chacko also says that we should move towards
eco-spirituality whereby our spirituality can discern the exploitation of
nature and we should consider caring nature as an act of our worship.[12]
They suggest that we cannot simply negate one part while focusing other. Theologians
began to reflect theologically and see the possibility of the salvation of all
creatures in the economy of God’s salvation. Thus liberation has been
understood as holistic in nature which includes the liberation of whole
creation, and theological articulation emphasizes more on the unity of human
beings and nature.[13] In
the context of this ecological scenario, George Nalunnakkal sees the urgent
need to find an alternative theology of ecology which can assimilate and
synthesize the related concerns of ecology, the poor, women, dalits and
tribals.[14]
Then eco-theology has been developed in responding to the eco-crisis and
shaping theology based on care and stewardship. Different approaches or
perspectives have been developed within the eco-theological circle. We will
deal with them later.
4.
Development of Perspectives in Eco-theology and Earth-Ethics in India
4.1.
Sacramental Spirituality:
Paulos
Mar Gregorios emphasizes the mediatory and participatory role of humanity in
relation to God and human in which human have to play a role of priest in the
creation. He affirms the deep interconnectedness of human and nature, their
interpenetrating, sacramental relationship between Cosmos, God and human gives
a vibrant model for an integral relational theology of nature.[15]
4.2.
Ethical and Theological Perspective: K. C Abraham is concerned about the
theological and ethical issues, especially the right of non-human nature,
involved in the ecological crisis and calls the church and people’s movements
for possible responses. According to him, oikos
is the root of three important words of relationships-economics, ecology and
ecumenics.[16]
The three terms are related, and oikos
in the ecumene is not only the world
of humans, but for all the living and non-living things-Earth.[17]
4.3.
Eco-feminist Perspective: Gabriel Dietrich, a
great contributor in eco-feminism discovers an affinity between subjugation of
nature and subordination of women. Feminist perspective engages in survival
struggles which are simultaneously struggles for the protection of nature,
women and nature are intimately related and so their dominance and liberation
similarly linked.[18]
She points out that human beings are called to an ecological task. The dualism
rooted in patriarchy is the major cause of injustice which leads to war,
militarism and the rape of earth. Just as women are seen as being appropriately
dominated by men, so also the earth is seen as an object to be conquered and
dominated to fulfill the greed of human.[19]
4.4.
Prophetic and Interreligious Perspective: Eco-theology
according to Felix Wilfred is inherently prophetic. It is praxis of struggle,
sustained by faith in God’s creation against the exploitative forces. He
further points that the prophetic nature of eco-theology cuts across religious
traditions, because it should be a common endeavor to challenge the destruction
of the environment and damage to the human community.[20]
4.5.
Subaltern Perspective: George Zachariah is concerned with
an alternative earth-thics, that is a theology from the grassroots and
subaltern people. An alternative subaltern ethic would call for a
non-anthropocentric anthropology that affirms the being and becoming of a new
humanity in the community of creation.[21]
4.6.
Indigenous Perspective: Wati Longchar is famous
for responding ecological crisis from indigenous perspective. He thinks that
the land is the basic of all realities-human selfhood and identity, because
there is no clear cut distinction between the sacred and the secular, religion
and non-religion, no dualism, it is holistic in thinking. Further he observes
that the Self of the Supreme Being is seen in creation, the sacred Power comes
out from the soil, that is why we cannot perceive God apart from creation as
God is in creation.[22]
5.
Some Issues in Eco-theology and Earth-Ethics
5.1.
Eco-justice as Hermeneutical Principle:
Society
of Biblical Literature (SBL) in their Earth Bible project mentions six
Eco-justice principles in their hermeneutics. Those are: (a) The
principle of intrinsic worth: the universe, Earth and all its components have intrinsic.
(b) The principle of interconnectedness: Earth is a community of
interconnected living things that are mutually dependent on each other for life
and survival. (c)
The principle of voice: Earth is a subject capable of
raising its voice in celebration and against injustice.
(d) The principle of purpose: the universe, Earth and all its components are part of a
dynamic cosmic design within which each piece has a place in the overall goal
of that design. (e)
The principle of custodianship: Earth is a balanced and diverse
domain where responsible custodians can function as partners with, rather than
rulers over, Earth to sustain its balance and a diverse Earth community. (f) The
principle of resistance: Earth and its components not only suffer
from human injustices but actively resist them in the struggle for justice.[23]
The above principles provided the basis for posing questions of the text from
an eco-justice or ecological perspective.
As Christianity
especially the Biblical command to human ‘to have dominion over earth and all
creatures in it’ is considered as root cause for environmental crisis, we need
to reflect on the question of Biblical hermeneutic from earth perspective, a
reading with Earth, where Earth as a subject. K. C Abraham thinks that this
kind of methodology is influenced by the liberationist and feminist reading of
the Bible. While Liberationist stands with the oppressed poor and feminist stands
with oppressed women, we stand with oppressed Earth concerning eco-justice,
justice for Earth. Our approach therefore can be eco-justice hermeneutic.[24]
5.2.
Building an Earth Community:
A
community, which is not merely human community, is dedicated to build right
relationships nurtured by divine love where relationship between humanity and
nature is focused.[25]
It is God’s will to create such a community that can bring healing and
wholeness to God’s creation. Jurgen Moltmann speaks about this community as
having God as its head, and having desire and active contribution towards
maintaining mutual respect among all creatures.[26]
The earth community that is eco-friendly teaches that human beings are
dependent on the ground for their existence, and the ground is dependent on
human beings for its productivity. And at last the relationship of reciprocal
love and respect will be developed between the earth and humanity.[27]
5.3.
Returning to the Mother Earth:
Despite
the cultural and ethnic diversities, the indigenous/tribal communities
perceived their cosmology in an organic way. Everything is organically related
to each other and linked together. This organic relationship is possible
because of, according to Wati Longchar, the Mother Earth, because the Mother
Earth is the foundation of cosmo-centric spirituality.[28] He
perceives that the earth is the temple of God, it is sacred and it is our
mother, he says, “Land is our identity
and life. We will not give our land. The land is a God-given gift to us. It is
our life and mother. We will not give our cultivable land. With our life and
blood, we will protect our homes.”[29]
But due to development and other modern forces, the relationship between land/the
mother earth and people have been broken. Since the land is the source of life,
all realities particularly for indigenous people, it is necessary to return to
the Mother Earth. However, today, critics argued the concept of Mother-Earth
that Indian women particularly mothers are servers in the house, they are
oppressed without having their voices, they are suppose to do the work
obediently. In that situation considering the earth as mother would raise a
tendency that the earth should serve to humans; even if it is exploited or
oppressed, there would be no protest, no response and no rising voice against
dominant power.
5.4.
Revaluing the life of People found in their Tales: Creation stories
and story related to ecology have been found in people’s tales. Particularly Tribal
and indigenous’ tales and myths play significant role in expressing their life
situation. There was a time when human beings and other creatures lived
together on Earth with having mutual and equal relationship. They talk to each
other, they help each other. Human beings did not dominate their world simply.
There was a strong relationship between humans and other creatures including
non living beings. It is difficult to know from when humans started dominating
over creation. We need to revalue the life that we found in our tales and myths
where there was peaceful life in the Earth community.
Concluding
Remarks
As mentioned earlier, Lynn
White blames the anthropocentric Christianity for the ecological crisis. Especially
in the Western form, Christianity in contrast to Ancient and Asian religions
has not only established a dualism of humans and nature but also insisted that
it is God’s will that humans should exploit nature for their proper ends. In
that situation, Christian theology with ecological concern would imply the
interconnectedness between renewal of society and renewal of the Earth.
Marginalized groups really struggles for their liberation, but the liberation
demands a liberation of the Earth from the over exploitation. We have to move
from the human face of theology to the cosmic face of theology. In that way a nature
of liberation theology is coming.
Thus Ecological crisis
must be given more serious concern in our Christian theology today in order to
bring justice for all the creations. We cannot neglect the importance of making
the earth community a creation-centred community, because it is the source of
redeeming the earth’s equilibrium. Therefore Eco-theology and Earth-ethics is
significant to reorient the faith community the necessity of keeping ecological
balances in the earth community.
Bibliography
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Mission. Allahanad: Servisage, 2000.
Abraham,
K. C. “Ecology: Some Theological Challenges” A Christian Response to Ecological
Crisis. Edited by
Thomas Samuel and Mathew Koshy Punnakadu. Thiruvalla: Christava
Sahitya
Samithi, 2009.
Abraham,
K. C. Transforming Vision:
Theological-Methodological Paradigm Shift. Tiruvalla:
CSS, 2006.
Bhagat,
Shantilal P. Creation in Crisis:
Responding to God’s Covenant. Illinois: Brethren Press,
1990.
Chacko, Laji. Introduction to Christian Theologies in
India. Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2014.
Dietrich,
Gabriel “Women’s Perspective on Ecology,” Religion
and Society (Vol. XXXVII, No.
2, June 1990):
55-56.
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A. Wati. Returning to Mother Earth
Theology, Christian Witness and Theological
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Nalunnakkal,
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Thanzauva,
K. Theology of Community: Tribal Theology
in the Making. Aizawl: Mizo
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[1] K. Thanzauva, Theology of Community: Tribal Theology in
the Making (Aizawl: Mizo Theological Conference, 1997), 55.
[2] Huang Po Ho, “A Paradigm Shift
in Theology: A Holistic Redemption to God’s Creation” Green Theology, edited by Wati Longchar (Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2014),
176.
[3] Maju K. M. and Vinod Wesly,
“Ecotheological Movement in India” Renewed
Faith for a Redeemed Earth: Eco-Theological Reflections., edited by Viji
Varghese Eapen and Allan Samuel Palanna (Chennai: CSI, UTC, CSS, 2014), 62.
[4] Diane Jacobson, “Biblical Bases
for Eco-Justice Ethics” Theology for
Earth Community: A Field Guide, edited by Dieter T. Hessel (New York: Orbis
Books, 1996), 45.
[5] Solomon Victus, Eco- Theology and the Scriptures (New
Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2014), 53-65.
[6] Solomon Victus, Eco-Theology and the Scriptures, 67-69.
[7] Solomon Victus, Eco-Theology and the Scriptures, 74-75.
[8] Solomon Victus, Eco-Theology and the Scriptures, 76-78.
[9] Shantilal P. Bhagat, Creation in Crisis: Responding to God’s
Covenant (Illinois: Brethren Press, 1990), 28.
[10] Maju K. M. and Vinod Wesly, “Ecotheological
Movement in India”, 62.
[11] K. C. Abraham, “Ecology: Some
Theological Challenges” A Christian
Response to Ecological Crisis, edited by Thomas Samuel and Mathew Koshy
Punnakadu (Thiruvalla: Christava Sahitya Samithi, 2009), 14.
[12] Laji Chacko, Introduction to Christian Theologies in
India (Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2014), 11.
[13] K. Thanzauva, Theology of Community: Tribal Theology in
the Making, 82.
[14] George Mathew Nalunnakkal, Green Liberation: Towards an Integral
Ecotheology (Delhi: ISPCK, 1999), xx.
[15] Maju K. M. and Vinod Wesly,
“Ecotheological Movement in India”, 63.
[16] K. C. Abraham, Transforming Vision:
Theological-Methodological Paradigm Shift (Tiruvalla: CSS, 2006), 187.
[17] K. C. Abraham, Eco-Justice: A New Agenda for Church’s
Mission (Allahanad: Servisage, 2000), 36.
[18] Gabriel Dietrich, “Women’s
Perspective on Ecology,” Religion and
Society, Vol. XXXVII, No. 2, June 1990, 55-56.
[19] Wati Longchar, “Ecumenical
Response to Ecological Crisis: A Critique from The Indigenous People’s
Perspective” Green Theology, edited
by Wati Longchar (Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2014), 243.
[20] Maju K. M. and Vinod Wesly,
“Ecotheological Movement in India”, 66.
[21] George Zachariah, “Towards a
Subaltern Earth Ethics: Perspective from India” Eco-Justice: Implication fir Faith and Theology, edited by Hubert
M. Watson (Mangalore: Indian Theological Alumni of the Universotat Regensburg
& BTESSC, 2011), 150.
[22] Wati Longchar, “Ecumenical
Response to Ecological Crisis: A Critique from The Indegenous People’s Perspective” Green Theology, edited by Wati Longchar
(Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2014), 252.
[23] Norman C. Habel, “The Earth Bible
Project” in https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/article.aspx?articleId=291
(accessed 21 March 2017).
[24] K. C. Abraham, “Ecology: Some
Theological Challenges”, 26.
[25] Santosh Sahayadoss,
“Reconsidering Theological Discourse on Creation, Redemption and Aspects of
Globalization in order to build an Earth Community that promotes Eco-Justice” Eco-Justice: Implication fir Faith and
Theology, edited by Hubert M. Watson (Mangalore: Indian Theological Alumni
of the Universotat Regensburg & BTESSC, 2011), 70.
[26] Jurgen Moltmann, God in Creation: An Ecological Doctrine of
Creation (London: SCM, 1989), 14.
[27] Santosh Sahayadoss,
“Reconsidering Theological Discourse on Creation, 70.
[28] Wati Longchar, “Green Theology:
Resources from Primeval Traditions” Green
Theology, edited by Wati Longchar (Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2014), 224.
[29] A. Wati Longchar, Returning to Mother Earth Theology, Christian Witness and Theological
Education An Indigenous Perspective (Kolkata: PTCA/SCEPTRE, 2012), 7.
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