The Return of Gaia - The Greening of Religion

Is it possible that, in an age of globalism and science,Ecofeminism, Globalization and World Religions". In
our future rests with a goddess from mythology? Inbrief, patriarchal societies have led us down the
the 1960's, British scientist Richard Lovelock putgarden path and into the swamp of climate change.
forward the Gaia Theory. Named after the GreekAt the cultural and ideological level women are said to
Goddess Gaia, the theory said the earth was a livingbe closer to nature than men. Moreover, women are
organism. In mythology, Gaia was the Earth Mother,more aligned with body, matter, emotions, and the
the creator of the skies, the seas, and all life-forms.animal world than men are. Gaia is earth mother;
Lovelock updated the myth using scientific jargon.women are her descendants.
Lovelock captured one of the big ideas of the past"Nature as sacred" is the key phrase of the second
half century. Since he published, debates havetype. These religions include paganism, many
intensified. A major debate is about the role betweenindigenous religions, some New Age and New
religions, cultures and the earth's living systems.Religious Movements. Even popular culture gives us a
As the evidence of environmental degradationwarm and fuzzy "nature is sacred" message. An
increases, people have a growing sense of awe andexample is the 1995 Disney movie "Pocahontas."
fear. Gaia, mother earth, is at risk. Or least manyIndeed, this second type of green religion could be
signs say that it is. Flood, drought, and melting glacierscalled Gaia as Pocahontas. While the first two types
take on a Biblical significance. What does it mean forof green religion are supernatural, the third type is
religion? Are we to blame? Is an old goddess aboutnot. Some scientists argue that we should draw on
to deliver a comeuppance to modern ways? Is Gaiametaphors of the sacred to express how much we
looking for converts to green religion?value the biosphere. With type three, scientists are
Bron Taylor, Professor of Religion and Environmentalthe new prophets. Life itself is the godhead.
Ethics at the University of Florida and Editor of thePolitical theorist Dan Deudney, calls for a "terripolitan
Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, thinks so. Heearth religion" that transcends nation-states. Deudney
notes the "greening of religion" may be a necessarybelieves that, given its scientific credibility, "Gaian
first step to building societies that can sustainEarth Religiosity" is well suited to serve as the civic
themselves environmentally. Taylor sees three typesreligion for a federal-republican Earth. This is Gaia as
of "greening" underway. They could be calledspiritual president and chief scientist.
reformed tradition, new age spiritualists, and civicAre there common features to all three types? The
earth secularists.simple answer is yes. First is the belief that nature is,
Reform and renewal of traditional religions is the firstin some way, sacred. Second is that science has
type. Some feel traditional religions may be part ofbeen the source of revelation rather than prophets
the problem. For example, the old Christian view isor divinities. Indeed, Taylor wonders if science
that man has dominion over the earth and allundermines the supernatural foundations of both
life-forms. The new view is that humans have atraditional religions as well as the New Age ones.
stewardship role for the earth and all life-forms.Which type will win? Does it matter? This isn't a VHS
Theologian Rosemary Radford Reuther provides anversus Betamax debate. What is clear is that the
excellent survey of first steps of religions to addressgreening of religion is well underway. The
the environment in her book "Integratingenvironment wins.