Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Policies concerning environmental sustainability can never be completely driven by scientific reasoning nor technological innovation. The science of the environment and the meaning of the empirical assessments of our current situation will always be subordinate to narratives of value, identity, and purpose. Religion more than other ideological practices most directly addresses the relationship between human beings and the physical world. While a great deal has been written about religion and the environment – indeed, in 1967, Lynn White famously blamed Christianity for much of our environmental destruction – the focus has been at the very abstract level of theology. Very few people, however, are theologians – or even theologically literate – and so my interest in religion has always been at the level of practice. This paper investigates the use of religious reasoning in attitudes about sustainability by ordinary people. Data includes on-line reactions to news stories, interviews, and reactions to speakers on religious radio programming. The focus is primarily on attitudes in the United States but includes contrasts with others in the global community. U.S. attitudes are important because the nation is a major source of greenhouse gases and has strong influence (both positively and negatively) on the shape of international agreements.