Since Lynn White’s paper “The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis” was first published in 1967, it has been faced with a vast body of publications defending and scrutinizing its belief that Religion is a moving force in history and that Christianity caused ecological damage. In particular Elspeth Whitney’s paper “Lynn White, Eco theology, and History” raises several points that disagree and few that agree with White’s Belief. Starting with Whitney’s contention that non-Christian religions also contribute to ecological damage, followed by White’s questionable interpretation of Dominion in Genesis, and concluded with their agreement that religion as a whole is the source of environmental degradation.
Arising within the first few pages of Whitney’s paper is her contention that non-Christian religions can also do ecological damage and that Christianity did bring forth occidental culture characterized by capitalism, commercialism and this has an equal or even greater impact on environmental problems than medieval religion. Whitney’s argument is forward thinking and takes into account the economic boom of the 1990’s, something that White has failed to take into account. As a preamble to her argument she mentions that despite the secularist nature that the world is moving towards, Lynn continues to believe that medieval Christianity is still the main influence of our harsh attitude toward nature. White defends his point by mentioning the cause of Western technological “dynamism” as caused by medieval Christianity, stating that medieval Christianity creates an exploitative attitude toward nature. White uses tilling and its advancements during the medieval times to strengthen his point as follows; in order to increase efficiency of ...
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... agrees with White, the broadest extent. Religion acts as a moral compass for all of those who have faith regardless of the type of religion HELP***
“The Historical Roots of Our Ecological crisis” has been the spark of a long standing debate about the impact of religion on environmental degradation. Comparing White and Whitney’s respective essay’s brings together two different perspectives ultimately shaping ones opinion on this subject of matter. Conclusively I can say Whitney’s points are valid and interesting as they identify the crucial flaws that White fails to take into account. Unlike most response papers, Whitney’s agreements with White are superficial in the broadest sense. The points that contend White’s thesis are all points that I agree as they pertain to the generation that I live in and I can see where her ideas stem from in day to day life.
In the journal of Environmentalism as Religion, Paul H. Rubin discuss about how environmental is similar to religion. Rubin want everyone to know that the environment and religion are somehow similar in a way, which they both have belief system, creation stories and original sin.
Thesis Statement: These key events reforming religion are what shaped the world for good and for bad in the 14th to the 19th century.
Carl Henry, in his “The Uneasy Conscious of Modern Fundamentalism”, describes the evangelical’s lack of social and cultural engagement in the world as an embarrassing divorce. He laments that the evangelicals has failed to challenge the injustices of the totalitarianisms, the secularisms of modern education, the evils of racial hatred, the wrongs of current labor-management relations, and the inadequate bases of international dealings, they have ceased to challenge Caesar and Rome, as though in futile resignation and submission to the triumphant Renaissance mood. 1 As a result, the Gospel message stands divorced from a passion to right the world. This divorce between the Gospel message and the passion to right the world is related to the fact that modern Fundamentalism does not explicitly articulate the social implications of its message for the non-Christian world. While identifying himself within the premillennialism camp, Carl admits that premillennial thinking regarding the kingdom of God, which holds no hope for changing within society, has induced a pervasive mood of “prophetic despair,” whereas Protestant liberalism is at least concerned to address the problems attending social evil.2 This negligence or abandonment of Christian social imperative has made Fundamentalists to be more world-resisting than world-changing; consequently, out of this mindset it is impossible for any contemporary version of Augustine’s City of God to emerge.3 But this doesn’t have to be the end of the story,
Hitchens, Christopher. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. New York: Twelve, 2007. Print.
The teaching of the Bible should shape the church’s views on humanity. However, the teaching of the church should not be oblivious of the naturalist explanations of the important issues concerning Anthropology, because Christianity makes bold truth claims about the origin of humanity. It has to face the counter-claims with a fair consideration of their merits. For example the antiquity of humanity has been taken for granted for many years until only recently with the challenges coming from natural sciences. This forces Christians to re-evaluate their claims in order to reconcile what they have always believed with the new findings in science. In response, Christians have either rejected all anthropological data, or argued for the non-historical nature of the text of the Bible, or tried to reconcile biblical information with the scientific data.
Warren, K. J. (1995). The Power and the Promise of Ecological Feminism. In M. H. MacKinnon & M. McIntyre (Eds.), Readings in Ecology and Feminist Theology (172-195). Kansas City: Sheed and Ward.
The majority of this piece is dedicated to the author stating his opinion in regards to civilization expanding beyond its sustainable limits. The author makes it clear that he believes that humans have failed the natural environment and are in the process of eliminating all traces of wilderness from the planet. Nash points out facts that strengthen his argument, and quotes famous theologians on their similar views on environmental issues and policies. The combination of these facts and quotes validates the author’s opinion.
With his knowledgeable insight on the world and its origin, Whitney Harris’ belief that human existence is in peril imposes on my perspective of the world. Harris points out the logical points that modern day science has proven. The Earth was created by the explosion informally known as the “big boom”. What caused this eruption is still debated, but Harris claims it was the touch of God. He asserts. “To ignite the spark of life required the hand of God.” This challenged my personal beliefs because in my faith, God created the entire universe in seven legendary days. I was also raised to believe that God is forgiving and accepting to all. Harris challenges this, he believes that “...if man desires to destroy himself…God will not save him.” Murder and even suicide are both considered violations to the Fifth Commandment in the Catholic faith. Although it is a sin to disobey the Ten Comman...
Religion is considered as a pervasive force in this world. It shapes people as to how they behave and interact with almost everything present in the society. Influencing behavior, character formations, ideals, policies, standards are just among the dimensions and societal perspectives affected and impacted by religion. Because of these applications and implications in human lives and existence, religion should be understood deeply, particularly, on how it affects the world. Looking at the American perspective of the term "religion," it could be simply
“Christianity, along with all other theistic belief systems, is the fraud of the age. It serves to detach the species from the natural world, likewise, each other. It supports blind submission to authority[control of the masses].”(Zeitgeist 2007) In this essay, we will explore the different roots of religion and the plagiarism that Christianity and a number of different religions have committed.
When looking for a topic to dispute I found that I agreed with many of the assertions the authors presented. It was a struggle to find something I disagreed with. In my search, I chose to look at Robert D. Kaplan’s book, “The Coming Anarchy” again. The challenge that we all have is that no matter how critical and analytical we attempt to view a reading we all have our bias. My particular bias is that I cannot separate my view of the world and where it is going from my theology. In light of my theology, I struggled to find much I disagreed with in Kaplan’s writing. As I read Kaplan’s arguments a second time, I took a closer look at his section on the environment titled, “The Environment as a Hostile Power.” Though several authors dealt with the environment Kaplan has a much more assertive argument then the others.
“The environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole,” (C.V. 48). Whether it is one man or an entire nation that suffers from poverty, humans have the moral obligation to help those in need to make ourselves better. “The Church's social doctrine has always maintained that justice must be applied to every phase of economic activity, because this is always concerned with man and his needs,” (C.V. 37).
It influences morality becoming a key component in an individual 's ideas of right and wrong. Although religion is arguably less important in people’s lives now than it was a few generations ago, it still continues to exert considerable influence on our beliefs, values, and behaviors. Coming from a very religious family was quite tough, not being able to focus on my problems and resolve them and tackling school. Attending high school religion for me after stop from going to church had stopped and had a complete downfall an a effect on my life. I was unable to keep faith in my life and began to give up on hope,changes, and everything else in life I was facing as being a high school student and as a child .As I began to graduate I realized all the stress,struggles,pain, and suffering I owed everything to god on not failing me and letting me down because better was coming.I began shortly after graduation attending church more even as a college student. I began to see a change in my life,focused,and able to let my problems go. I started back to adhere religion for the sake of my soul, and regular participation in faith-based activities because it good for the body and mind to become happier,wiser,and
The documentary starts by giving a brief biographical introduction to Ellen White. Ellen Gould Harmon was born in Gorham, Maine on November 26, 1827. Her date of conversion to Seventh-Day Adventism occurred in March of 1840. Six years later in August 1864, Ellen Harmon married a young Adventist preacher named James White. Soon afterwards, the two were inspired by God to the life ministry not long after having four sons—Henry Nicholas, James Edison, William, and John Herbert. As a result of traveling with her husband in service to God, there children were often left in the care of someone else. Henry, their first born son, was left in the care of the Howlands, a trusted family friend of the Whites, for five years. Ten years later, in December 1863, Henry passed away from pneumonia. Despite Henry’s death, Ellen White continued to exercise insurmountable faith stating that she had hope in seeing her son in the coming resurrection.
Barbour, Ian G. Religion in an Age of Science. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990. Print. (BL 240.2 .B368 1990)