reaction of christian scholars

• Victoria Harrison:

  • environmental issues pose an "immediate threat to the continuation of life on the planet"
  • resulted in eco-theology "which consists in an attempt to develop a theology that can respond to the environmental crisis"
• Lynn White Jr:

  • many of the problems at the root of the environmental crisis have been shaped in the Western world by religious tradition - particularly in belief that humans have dominion over the environment as a whole
• Sallie McFague:

  • current environmental crisis is largely a product of patriarchal Christianity, where God is seen as transcendent, which encourages humanity's subjection of nature
  • we need to develop new models of God, where God is immanent
• Pope Francis addressed environmental issues, rejecting an anthropocentric attitude + urging responsible care:

  • "we are not God. the earth was here before us and it has been given to us"
• many churches are being urged to promote eco-theology = an environmental approach creation a right relationship between religion and nature