RELS 161 - Ecology and Religion

In this section we examine issues central to ecology and religion from a cross-cultural perspective (e.g., Native Traditions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity, science, etc.). Several readings challenge Western enlightenment thought and raise some interesting questions about Christianity's role in the violence and oppression of nature.

Date	Topics	Readings
Oct 27-30	Introduction to the Issues Traditional Cultures Is female to nature as male is to culture?; Christianity and ecology; the enlightenment and science; Newton, Galileo, and Copernicus; exploitation of nature; Saint Francis; Native traditions; Mistassini Cree; ethic of rapport and respect; interdependence; shamanic journey; stewardship; sacralization of land; reciprocity; sweat lodge; divination; Australian Aboriginals; dreamtime; initiation rites; Ainu and Koyukon; kamui; distant time; Navaho; vision quest	Lynn White (On Reserve); Kinsley, Chapters1-4
Nov 3-6	Asian Traditions Hindu tradition; maya; prakrti/purusa; Vedas; Agni (god of fire); hiranyagarbha (golden egg); sacred geography; Prithivi; Bharat-ma; micorcosm/macrocosm; yoga; monism; atman-brahman; reincarnation; samsara; karma;Chinese religions (Confucianism, Taoism); heaven and earth; interdependence, relationality, wholeness, and dynamism; ch'i; yin/yang; feng-shui (geomancy); shan shui (landscape painting); Confucian models of human behaviour; Taoist idea of wu-wei; Tao-te-ching; Lao Tzu; Chaung-tzu; Buddhism; bodhisattva ideal; ahimsa (non-violence); dukkha (suffering); meditation and self-analysis; Buddha nature; Shinto; kami	Kinsley, Chapters 5-7
Nov 10	Film: The Narmada Project
Nov 12-13	Christianity Biblical and Christian views of nature; anthropocentrism; domination of nature; rejection of pagan worldview; desacralization of nature; isnature; rejection of pagan worldview; desacralization of nature; is Christianity part of the problem or part of the solution?;Aquinas; Calvin and Martin Luther;Augustine; Francis of Assisi; Schweitzer	Kinsley, Chapters 8-9
Nov 17-20	The Modern View Bacon, Descartes and Newton; natural superiority of humans; mind-body dualism; the world as artifact; the myth of scientific objectivity; the myth of progress; nature as resource; the feminization of nature; Darwin; the growth of technology; Thoreau, Muir, and Leopold; communion with nature; simplicity; wilderness project; nature as mirror of the divine; land ethic	Kinsley, Chapters 10-11
Nov 24	Class Cancelled
Nov 26-end	Contemporary Issues, Ecofeminism, and Ecovisionaries Ecotheology; Weslely Granberg-Michaelson; creation as manifestation of God; divine-human relationship; Mathew Fox; creation spirituality; paradigmshift; Cosmic Christ; Douglas John Hall; stewardship; Thomas Berry; rethinking the myth of human dominance; Sallie McFague; earth as God's body; animal rights; Henry Salt; speciesism; deep ecology; egalitarianism; integrity of all life forms; prioritzation of ecosystems; whole greater than its parts; Arnold Naess; Asian influences; Gaia hypothosis; James Lovelock; Greenpeace; myth of the Rainbow warriors; Save the Whales campaign; Earth First; Dave Foreman; monkeywrenching Exploitation of nature and women; enlightenment; interconnectedness; Reuther; Wicca; Starhawk; Murray Bookchin; social ecology; Wendell Berry; impact of humans on nature; gaurdianship; care of the land; Gary Snyder; mutuality; food chain; Barry Lopez; land as redemptive; conclusions	Kinsley, Chapters 12-17 **In-class Test (November 27)

Department of Religious Studies

Part II - Ecology and Religion (5 weeks)

Schedule of Readings