The Wildlife Professional - Spring 2010 2009

the presence of God in it” (Wilkinson 1991). The Eastern Church, from its earliest days, taught that the impact of God’s incarnation mattered for all of creation, not just humans. And more recently, Kuyperian Calvinism’s insistence that God’s redemptive work applies to everything has been the foundation for a theology that promotes care of the environment.

Bridging the Divide

Rich Biblical themes, such as stewardship, justice, and service, can serve as a foundation for building an environmental ethic. In recent years, several faith-based organizations have emerged to promote environmental activism. The Evangelical Environmental Network, for example, includes a climate change initiative and the provision of educational materials for churches. The Flourish collaboration sponsors an annual conference on expressing one’s faith in environmental care. The Au Sable Institute is a Christian organization that focuses on environmental education and advocacy. A Rocha Trust is an international organization with conservation projects throughout the world. And GreenFaith is a New Jersey-based group founded by Jewish and Christian leaders to connect diverse religious traditions to the environment.

Barriers to this movement exist. Certain faith-based groups, for instance, have launched counter-activism movements, which question the priorities of religious environmentalists. Another complication has been the re-emergence of a sci-ence-versus-religion paradigm, which champions the view that religion imprisons the human mind and science frees it. This standpoint was popularized as far back as the late 19th century with books like Andrew White’s A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom and, more recently, with Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion. Professionally closer to home, Jeffrey Lusk wrote in a book review published in The Journal of Wildlife Management, “spirituality and religiosity are ma-lignancies on human consciousness” (Lusk 2005).

Despite this tension, collaborations between science and religion on behalf of the environment are increasing. Renowned astronomer Carl Sagan, though a frequent critic of religion throughout much of his career, embraced a view toward the end of his life that religious communities need to be recruited to advocate on behalf of the environment. Similarly, in his 2006 book The Creation:

An Appeal to Save Life on Earth, E. O. Wilson wrote, “Science and religion are two of the most potent forces on Earth and they should come together to save the creation” (Wilson 2006). The Society of Conservation Biology has established a Religion and Conservation Biology Working Group, which seeks to span the “fields of theology and religion and the many aspects of conservation biology.” Currently, the working group is developing curricula for religious institutions to help their communities gain a better understanding of conservation biology and support conservation efforts.

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The Genesis mandate still resonates in some circles, but times are changing. Religious institutions are calling for repentance and conservation. Conservation groups are reaching out to religious organizations to promote their cause. Though a resurgence of anti-theism within science is an obstacle, scientific and religious communities alike are waking up to a need to collaborate on environmental initiatives.