(Quick Note: The Reeducation of a Gospel Pagan Concerning the Double-Space at the End of a Sentence Update: Exceedingly poor progress – i.e. no progress at all – is being made. I thank all double-space rebels for their kind words and support in favor of bucking the system and refusing to conform to single-space tyranny)
The Washington Posts’ blog series “On Faith” recently asked the question: International scientists have raised a new alarm about the dangers of global warming. Should care for the environment be a major priority for people of faith? Why or why not?
The resulting series of comments by people of a variety of faiths and theologies was generally “enviro-positive”, meaning most of the comments amounted to: “the Earth is good - let’s stop killing it so much, eh?” (Why yes, I do wildly generalize on occasion, why do you ask?)
This, for the most part, is heartening. Certainly there were theologies and approaches to the subject that I strongly disagreed with - but for the most part, this is good news. It’s good that people of faith in the world are examining these issues – that they’re showing An Inconvenient Truth in houses of worship across America, that the evangelical Christian movement is taking a strong stance on environmental issues, etc. The more we talk about ecotheologies in-depth in all faith traditions, with academics, clergy and laity, in home study groups and megachurches, the more we work towards a shift in worldview that perceives the environment as a religious issue. I’m also extremely impressed by web sites and organizations such as Quaker Earthcare Witness (as I am consistently impressed by the work of Religious Friends in a number of areas), and The Partnership for Earth Spirituality, which tackle a wide range of issues and actions in regards to the Earth.
Sure, I do have a tendency to be cynical about the efficacy of feel-good but do little actions like using reusable canvas bags for grocery shopping and replacing light bulbs with energy effecient alternatives (it should go without saying that I believe that much much more needs to be done in addition to these gestures), as some individuals and groups propose, but as I am also a believer in the moral imperative of these actions, I cannot complain when any religious group begins to deeply consider their theology in relationship to this very real, very enormous crisis and takes any form of action in response – from petitioning congress to buying organic to replacing light bulbs to recycling to tree-sits to prayer to education to non-violent protest and civil disobedience. If we are to make any difference, we must employ a wide range of tactics, and we must employ them in large numbers. We must each of us decide what we can do, and then we must do it – and if that conviction comes out of our passionate and deeply held religious beliefs, so much the better, I say.
So – in thinking about all this, I start to wonder – as Earth-Centered Pagans (and I recognize that not all of us identify this way – obviously, I do), would it be beneficial for us to establish our own organization(s) with the express purpose of disseminating information, resources, etc. on ecological issues and eco-polythea/ologies? Certainly I have seen individual Pagan religions/denominations focus on environmental issues at the denominational level (such as The Druid Network’s Environment Pages), and of course there is Starhawk’s outstanding continued work in political and ecological activism and permaculture education (in particular her incredible Earth Activist Training Program). Yet I’m unaware of any larger Pagan body that exists purely to develop Pagan earth-centered ecopolythea/ologies, disseminate research and resources in relation to how we enact these ethics and beliefs in our daily and religious lives – something not unlike the Quaker Earthcare Witness. Certainly there might be such an organization and I’m just unaware of it. But then, I also realize that it comes back down to the debate of institutionalized Paganism (which would allow for the organization, structure and funding of such a project) vs. the loose anarchic Pagan sea and all the advantages of remaining that way.
There are times that I wonder – who is keeping us accountable for our dedication to an Earth-Centered spiritual system? Would we benefit from an organization that acted as a clearinghouse for tackling, just for instance, some of the excellent issues brought up in Chas Clifton’s essay “Nature Religion For Real”, that was open to academics and clergy and laity – that worked on projects and initiatives for offering a solid, Pagan voice to the ecospiritual, ecoactivist and ecotheological movements?
Hecate Demetersdatter said,
February 16, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I’ve always loved the “loose anarchic Pagan sea and all the advantages of remaining that way” that you mention. I think I’m probably like someone going, “Well, yeah, all those little warm-blooded things skittering through the forest are nice, but I’ve always loved the dinosaurs.” In other words, i don’t expect Paganism to retain all the wild anarchy that I love so much. But there are plenty of ways to be involved with trying to save the environment that aren’t 100% Pagan and I kind of like it that some of our notion of the Earth as the sacred body of an immanent divinity has leaked into those groups.
gospelpagan said,
February 16, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Hecate,
Yes – we are definitely a presence in the environmentalist movement, particularly in the “notion of the Earth as the sacred body of an immanent divinity” that you mentioned (and in the Earth-centered year and other Pagan theologies/practices). And as you so rightly point out, there are so many many ways to be involved, but I wonder sometimes if our inherent anarchy doesn’t at the same time deprive us of the opportunity to focus our energies as a more cohesive whole on these issues…but then again, I’m still chewing on the idea myself.
-Sara
Rae said,
February 16, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Hello Sara! I found your blog through Jason at Wild Hunt and thought I’d pop in to say hello
I’ll be back to read more!! Fáilte!
Cathryn said,
February 17, 2007 at 12:05 am
The development and application of Pagan theology to form an ethical approach to environmental issues is, in my mind, imperative. We must address these issues in totality, because Earth is sacred, and as a pagan, I must cultivate that sacred awareness. The Earth does not need humans to confer sacradness upon Her – She is intrinsically sacred. This Earth-system that we can experience empirically is an embodiment of the larger system of the Great Body of the expansive universe of the concrete and tangible, as well as the abstract, metaphysical, and philosophical. We need to approach Earth with the humility of those who comprise but a tiny part of Her sacred body, and feel privileged that we have the capacity to experience the expansive interconnected system through Her. She certainly does not need us to do the same.
It is important to note, I think, that the canon of the universe includes thoughts and ideas as well as bodies and matter (and energy – that in-between lady).
As for a centralized body, I think it would be useful if consensus-based. I can’t imagine that one organization could be formed to represent the Pagan community writ-large. Perhaps a conglomerate of smaller organizations is doable. The beginning would be a greater awareness that ecotheo/alogy is our theo/alogy.
heather said,
February 18, 2007 at 5:04 pm
While in theory I think it is a good idea I have two concerns. Would we be reinventing the wheel by duplicating efforts of other groups? In effect would it be further dividing an already splintered environmental community? Also the sad fact is that Pagans are for the most part seen as freaks by the larger population. While the organization might be good for us, would there be any credibility to it on the outside? Environmentalists are already carictured as tree huggers. Imagine the uproar about actual tree worshippers. LOL.
All that being said, I’d join up. But it may be preaching the choir. The group that we really need to educate are people who call themselves pagan for the “fun” of spells and dressing up but don’t study the deeper thealogy.
gospelpagan said,
February 19, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Hi Rae! Thanks for saying hello!
-S
gospelpagan said,
February 19, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Heather and Catherine,
Thank you so much for these comments – some really excellent issues/questions to consider. I haven’t put together much of a thought process beyond this post and your comments are very helpful in my own mulling over of how to continue to develop ecothea/ology in a Pagan context both in the wider environmentalist movement and within Paganism itself…
-S
Jonah said,
February 21, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I haven’t given this a huge amount of thought, either, but I think that – based on my experience of the pagan community – a group such as you propose would be purely masturbatory. It wouldn’t even be preaching to the choir, more like bickering among the choir until they can’t even get their song out.
My advice would be for pagan individuals and covens to align themselves with existing groups. Not only does this give everyone an outlet for their eco-concerns, but it does so in a way that doesn’t require a huge upstart effort, doesn’t drop us into the same old patterns of in-fighting and non-doing, and does give us a chance to slowly expose people of many faiths to our deeply felt and passionate ideas about the sacredness of the Earth and the responsibilities that places upon us as Her children.