Throughout the history of religions, spiritual practices have been sources of compassion, empathy, and hope for individuals and communities, especially in turbulent times. In this time of climate crisis, people are turning to new forms of spirituality or ecosprituality as responses to the degradation of ecological systems. It’s interesting to note that according to Google Books Ngram Viewer, the incidence of the term ecospirituality in English language books has grown sevenfold during 1985-2019. While the general term spirituality refers to many forms of spiritual practice, belief, and way of life, ecospirituality focuses on healing the rift between human and non-human life on our planet. Excellent books are available as introductions to the subject, for example Rachel Wheeler‘s Ecospirituality: An introduction. Here are couple of definitions I’ve found on the web:

Eco-spirituality is an approach to faith that celebrates humanity’s connection to the natural world. Eco-spirituality can manifest in any world religion, and usually seeks to link the tenets of a specific belief system to the sacredness of the earth. Those who practice eco-spirituality are compelled by their faith to care for other living things, respect the earth and its resources, consider their own role in the wider universe, and connect ecological issues to issues of faith. . . . Scholars who study the relationship between religion and the natural world propose that many ecological issues stem from the human notion that we are greater than nature, and that widespread acceptance of our role in nature will help us preserve our planet. [1]

Ecospirituality expresses the joining of spirituality with ecological perspectives. There are numerous types, traditions, expressions, and understandings of ecospirituality. It does not refer to any one set of beliefs, but to a range of ethical or moral, religious, spiritual, or agnostic beliefs, tendencies, or actions that relate to ecological concerns. Ecospirituality has evolved since the 1960s and is currently part of popular culture in North America. The connection between spirituality and the Earth has deep and historical roots in many religious traditions and in particular with those that have remained in tune with the rhythms and limits of the Earth, such as some indigenous traditions around the world. . . . Ecospirituality has many meanings, the first referring to a thirst for connection between spirituality and the Earth, given the extent of and the general lack of religious responses to the ecological crisis. There is a recognition that the ecological crisis threatens all life on Earth, and it is fundamentally a moral, spiritual, and religious problem. [2]

Ecospirituality connects the science of ecology with spirituality. It brings together religion and environmental activism. Ecospirituality has been defined as “a manifestation of the spiritual connection between human beings and the environment.” The new millennium and the modern ecological crisis has created a need for environmentally based religion and spirituality. Ecospirituality is understood by some practitioners and scholars as one result of people wanting to free themselves from a consumeristic and materialistic society. [3]

In her article for EarthBeat, A Project of National Catholic Reporter, Barbara Fraser wrote

The prefix “eco-” before “spirituality” comes from the Greek oikos, meaning home — a reminder that “this house is the only one we have, we’re all together, what happens in Kolkata affects New York, Santiago in Chile, and São Paulo,” Divine Word Fr. Fernando Díaz of Chile told EarthBeat.

“It really is a common home, and this common home is threatened,” Díaz added. “We’re all connected, and this is a way of understanding that home that demands that we look beyond the instrumental rationalism that has guided us in such a destructive way over the past century.”

Díaz, who has worked for years with Mapuche people in southern Chile, has found Indigenous people to have a more holistic view of the relationship between human and other-than-human beings that calls for “a different perspective … a way of understanding how we live and why we live in this home that is for everyone, and where everyone must have a place, which we must care for.”

He added, “That’s where ecospirituality comes in.”

The Mapuche way of life suggests that we have much to learn from Indigenous people and their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), but we will also need the knowledge provided by modern science, particularly the ecological and environmental sciences. However, our success in letting these forms of knowledge shape our everyday lives will in large part depend on how deeply committed we are to change our social and economic systems. The challenges to realizing such inner and outer transformation are enormous. According to Yale Divinity School Dean Gregory E. Sterling,

Among the many challenges we face, one of them threatens every human on our planet: the unsustainability of our current ecological course. Some think this is a scientific and technological problem. It is true that it cannot be addressed without science and technology, yet science alone will not solve the crisis. Gus Speth, former dean of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies at Yale, has been widely attributed to say: “I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed, and apathy.” Speth went on to say that “to deal with those issues we need a spiritual and cultural transformation – and we scientists do not know how to do that.” Speth was right. [5]

One aspect about ecospirituality which I find quite interesting is its appearance within and outside of traditional religions. According to one study:

This theme of connection between living beings and the environment was the major uniting point between those who identified as spiritual but not religious. While participants explained this interconnection with nature, the Earth, other humans and self in different terms and with different language, there was a consistent and pervasive emphasis and certainty in their belief in the interconnection of living things and nature. For instance, regarding nature and the environment, participants stated, “We are full-stop connected to nature,” “We’re connected to a tree, a rock, a bird, sand, so I think. I think that everything is connected,” ’’When I’m in nature, I feel an energy, a joy, a richness,” “Earth is one organism, we are part of the organism” or “I think there is some sort of energy out there. I don’t have a name for it. It could be nature.”[6]

Within traditional religions, theologians are reinforcing or revising their tradition’s beliefs in the goodness of the natural world. Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim of the Yale Forum on Religion and Environment write

How to adapt religious teachings to this task of revaluing nature so as to prevent its destruction marks a significant new phase in religious thought. . . . Indeed, the formulation of a new ecological theology and environmental ethics is already emerging from within several of the world’s religions. Clearly each of the world’s religious traditions has something to contribute to these discussions.[7]

Within Christianity, new theologies are being written and taught which argue that Christian beliefs and practices need to include a greater reverence for the earth.[8] Inspired by such theologies, Christians are joining others outside their tradition in the work of combatting climate change. The radical change needed to establish a flourishing relationship between human and more-than-human worlds will require a massive effort, and for many people some form of ecospirituality will play a essential role.

_____________________________________________________________

Sources

1. https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/what-is-ecospirituality/
2. “Ecospirituality .” Contemporary American Religion. Encyclopedia.com. 21 Feb. 2024 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecospirituality
4. https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/ecospirituality-more-ecology-and-theology-it-calls-us-reconnect
5. Gregory E. Sterling, “From the Dean’s Desk.” Reflections. Accessed March 2, 2024. https://reflections.yale.edu/article/crucified-creation-green-faith-rising/dean-s-desk
6. Jessica Eise, Meghana Rawat, “Spiritual but not religious seek unrestricted connection to selves, others, and earth: Formative research on the explosive growth of an ‘inactive public’ beyond the organization, Public Relations Review, 49, no. 1 (March 2023): 4.
7. Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, “World Religions,” Yale Forum of Religion and Ecology. https://fore.yale.edu/World-Religions. Accessed March 5, 2024.
8. We can see this development, for example, in the work of Elizabeth Johnson in her more recent books. See my post “You save animals and humans alike, O YHWH.” (Psalm 36:6).