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

Abstract

Historically, it is not uncommon for gods, spirits, ancestors (or some combination thereof) to be deeply concerned with how individuals and their communities treat the natural resources they depend on for survival. In the wake of the climate crisis and its unwavering threat to our current way of life, many of the world’s gods have become increasingly interested, or found a renewed interest, in how humans treat the natural world. Critically, this burgeoning concern appears to have a demonstrable effect on the mobilization of religious communities on behalf of protecting the environment in many parts of the world. What has sparked this renewed or newfound religious interest in environmental efforts? And more importantly, how might religiously motivated environmental movements create and sustain devoted commitment to environmental protection? This study reviews the intellectual history of these questions, drawing on longstanding and recent empirical evidence from across the social sciences in offering an account of why, how and with what consequences religious systems become concerned with how humans treat the natural world.