Environmentalism as Religion (Conclusion)

Concluding with more from the Judeo-Christian perspective is this from the Acton Institute’s Interfaith Council for Environmental Stewardship (2000):

“Many persons who are concerned about our impact on the environment believe that linear thinking and action violate the Creator’s intention of a permanent and stable natural order. However, this is a point where both revelation and man’s achievements—particularly in the arena of good science—will correct this misperception. Nature and human society are dynamic systems that depend on both change and continuity for their existence. In any faithful reading of either the book of nature or Scripture, we can see that, despite our concerns about what the short-term environmental effects of development might be, we must continually raise our eyes to the larger perspectives of God’s providence and his intentions for humanity. Environmental stewardship consists in discovering how to properly understand the relationship between cyclical processes and linear developments, present in both nature and human civilization, so that they coexist harmoniously, and direct us toward the ultimate good, which is God himself.

“Basing our existence upon cycles alone would be a great limitation on human civilization. The great Christian theologian, Saint Augustine, who was familiar with the cyclical views of antiquity, saw in the Christian vision a great liberation of the human race. He states, “Let us therefore keep to the straight path, which is Christ, and with Him as our Guide and Savior, let us turn away in heart and mind from the unreal and futile cycles of the godless.” (City of God 12.20)

“Elsewhere, Augustine speaks of God as marvelously creating, ordering, guiding, and arranging all things “like the great melody of some ineffable composer.” (Epistles, 138.1) As a reflection of this, the human person, who is made in the image and likeness of God, composes, writes, paints, dances, grows food, makes tools, manufactures, and brings forth many new things from the intelligibility inscribed into the very order of creation. Because man cannot create ex nihilo as God does, it is precisely the cycles and logic of nature that assist man in exercising his creative inclinations. In other words, while we depend upon the cyclical dimensions of nature for how we develop in our own earthly existence, we have within us the same creative thrust that set in motion the whole history of the universe. In effect, our creativity can bring nature to a higher degree of perfection. Thus we are faithful to the potential God has placed within us when we affirm what is intrinsically good in nature by developing new and previously unrealized goods.”

(Interfaith Council for Environmental Stewardship (2000) Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition: Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant Wisdom on the Environment. (Michael B. Barkley, Ed.) Acton Institute. Washington D.C. (pp.36-37)

Final Thoughts

Environmentalism, deep ecology, green politics, and the various perambulations of nature-based thinking claiming to be based on truth—whether scientific or spiritual—are based on thinking that is very old, stemming from first century Gnostic thought, the original heresy and still living attack on the Catholic Church, claiming a mystical connection to secret knowledge able to be possessed only by adepts and other spiritual favorites, usually connected to some guru, teacher, or master, who more often than not, takes much more from their followers than is ever given to them.

God’s earthly creation will provide all that the human summit of His creation require, fully embracing the multi-billions of human beings yet born—including the millions being destroyed by the horror of abortion, which we must end—as long as we continue encouraging the best minds of people of good will in the development and sharing of knowledge and technology able to help all people in the world live lives of peace and prosperity.