Religion and the Environmental Crisis

Abstract

The years 2020 and 2021 have confirmed that planet Earth is facing an environmental crisis due to global warming but augmented through industrial decimation of natural and wildlife areas, the consequences of pollution and even the ongoing population explosion. This chapter will examine religion and spirituality through four ideal types, namely the abrahamic, the dharmic, the secular and the pagan. How do individual religiosities conform to a relevant type, how do they contrast with one another and what similarities do they exhibit with each other? Further, what are the causes of the environmental crisis that our host planet is facing, what roles have the world’s religions played in causing or furthering the terrestrial catastrophe and most importantly, what might be the various contributions that could emerge from the spiritual frameworks possibly to alleviate ecological problems and even restore the planet’s natural balance? Specifically, what are the detriments and advantages to be noted in the world’s major religions?

The construction of environmental philosophy rooted in religiosity

“…approach based on sacred scriptures, we can find a holistic view of maintaining the balance of nature while fulfilling human needs. Holy scriptures such as the Qur'an, the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, and others contain principles that teach unity, simplicity and sustainability that can serve as a foundation for building an environmental philosophy (Dwivedi 1990;Foltz 2003;Nasr 1993;Taylor 2010;York 2022). Hence, constructing an environmental philosophy based on holy scriptures can be one of the answers to facing increasingly complex environmental issues while also forming a collective awareness of the importance of preserving nature for the sustainability of future generations (O'Brien 2011).…”