Lau Man-cho. / Thesis (M.Div.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-51). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.1 / Introduction --- p.2-8 / Chapter Chapter 1: --- The relationship between Christianity and ecological crisis --- p.9-19 / Chapter 1.1 --- Anthropocentrism --- p.9-12 / Chapter 1.2 --- Biocentrism --- p.12-15 / Chapter 1.3 --- Theocentrism --- p.15-18 / Chapter 1.4 --- Summary --- p.18-19 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- The Being of God as communion of relationship --- p.20-24 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- The supportive evidences for relational approach in the eco-theological disscusion --- p.25-37 / Chapter 3.1 --- Sallie McFague and the body of God --- p.25-30 / Chapter 3.2 --- Denis Edwards and the Spirit of communion --- p.30-32 / Chapter 3.3 --- Jurgen Moltmann and God in Creation --- p.32-36 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.36-38 / Conclusion --- p.39-49 / Bibliograhpy --- p.50-51

Thesis advisor: Mary Ann Hinsdale / Thesis advisor: Richard J. Clifford / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Thesis advisor: Félix J. Palazzi von Büren / Thesis advisor: Colleen Griffith / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Thesis advisor: James T. Bretzke / Thesis advisor: Andrea Vicini / This thesis argues that, in order to address adequately the ecological crisis, humanity needs to change drastically soon from ecologically harmful to ecologically friendly attitudes and practices. In our Christian understanding, this change requires a conversion from ecological vices to ecological virtues. To do so, humanity needs to move away from its overtly anthropocentric concerns to a more genuine respect for creation. Drawing from Church tradition, this thesis establishes that creation has rights, endowed by the Creator, that need to be protected, if ecological integrity is to be preserved. This thesis suggests what these rights should be and the means that would allow their protection. I then argue that, for the necessary changes in human behaviour to take places, ecological conversion needs to begin with individual conversion before social transformation is possible. This thesis, therefore, proposes the ecological virtues needed for individual conversion, and then ecological social action and advocacy. Thus, this thesis charts a course forward from principles, to motivations, and finally, to action. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

When the Uniting Church formed in 1977, its Basis of Union envisaged a final reconciliation and renewal for all creation, not just humans. It did, nonetheless, reflect the anthropocentric assumptions of its day, as did other official documents released in the first decade of the Uniting Church’s life. Anthropocentrism assumes that human beings alone are created in the image of God, charged with dominion over Earth, and responsible for the fallenness of creation, though not necessarily through the actions of a literal Adam and Eve. This basic framework did not shift in the first decade, even though Earth began to be talked about not as an inanimate resource for human consumption, but something good and valuable in and of itself. In 1990 this anthropocentric paradigm began to be challenged, and during 2000-2002 two quite irreconcilable understandings of the relationship between God and Earth, and thus humans and other animals existed side by side in Uniting Church worship resources. Having listened carefully to the story of life as told by ecological and evolutionary scientists, I conclude that the traditional anthropocentric paradigm is no longer tenable. Instead I propose that all of life is the image of God, in its evolutionary past, ecological present and unknown future. All of life is in direct relationship with God, and exercises dominion of Earth. Evidence traditionally used as evidence of the fallenness of creation is instead affirmed as an essential part of life, though life on Earth has experienced a number of significant “falls” in biodiversity. Even the more biocentric thought in recent Uniting Church resources is inadequate, because its language implies that life is simple, static, benign, and to some extent designed by God. In order to be adequately consonant with the life sciences, theology must be able to accept that finitude (pain, suffering and death) is a good part of creation, for without it there could be no life. This is an emphasis of ecofeminism, which I extend to affirm not only individual death, but the extinction of whole species, including humans. I argue that the purpose of creation was not the evolution of humans, but to make possible God’s desire for richness of experience, primarily mediated through relationships. Whilst this idea is well established in process theology, it must be purged of its individualistic and consciousness-centric biases to be adequately consonant with the scientific story of life. The resulting biocentric paradigm has several implications for our understanding of Jesus. I argue that he offers salvation from the overwhelming fear of finitude, rather than finitude itself. Against the trend in ecotheology, I propose that this saving work is directed in the first instance to humans only. I tentatively propose that it is directed to only some humans. This, paradoxically, is more affirming of God’s relationship with the rest of creation than most ecotheology, which proclaims Jesus as a global or universal saviour. Salvation for some humans, and all non human creatures, happens only in a secondary sense, because this is the only sense in which they need saving. I then speculate on whether and how it might be possible for a Christian biocentric community to live out its salvation. Finally, I revisit the Basis of Union and argue that although the biocentric theology I have proposed goes well beyond the Basis, it is not at odds with the Basis’ directions and intentions. Biocentric theology is, rather, an extension of the trajectories already contained within the Basis, with its trust in the eventual reconciliation and renewal of all creation.

Bibliography: p. 307-341. / The prospect of global ecological disaster fundamental challenge to modernity as the poses a dominant contemporary socio-cultural matrix. This challenge can only be responded to through a radical socio-cultural transformation which favours those, human and otherkind, who have been marginalised and oppressed by modernity. This will include a change of human consciousness, and. the development of an alternative vision of society in which all humans live in community with each other and with otherkind. It thus has a profoundly religious character. The thesis argues that the central truth claims of the Christian gospel, particularly as they have been understood in the Reformed tradition, require the church to commit itself to working for such a socio-cultural transformation. However, the Reformed tradition can only contribute to this transformation once it is recognised that it has been deeply intertwined with modernity since its emergence, and has contributed to the legitimation of a culture which has degraded the environment. The thesis provides a self-critical exposition of the tradition in the light of the environmental crisis; in dialogue with other Christian traditions, and making use of insights from contemporary biblical scholarship. First, the socio-historical relationship between the Reformed tradition and the rise of modernity is examined. It is argued that, under particular social and economic conditions, the influence of the Reformed tradition accelerated the emergence of modernity. In this interaction with early modernity important components of the tradition were suppressed. Second, the tradition is re-examined to develop a Reformed ecotheology centred on the motifs of the Trinity, the covenant and the glory of God. This ecotheology makes a critical use of the theologies of important figures in the Reformed tradition, including John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Abraham Kuyper and Karl Barth. Third, a proposal is developed as to how this ecotheology can contribute to socio-cultural transformation. It does so by using insights gained from the role played by the South African church in the struggle against Apartheid. It argues that the environmental crisis ought to be understood as a kairos for the earth which must lead to a new way of being the church in the contemporary world.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study is situated in the context of Christian ecotheology, which offers both a Christian critique of ecological destruction and an ecological critique of Christianity. One dimension of Christian ecotheology involves ecumenical discourse on the content and ecological signi-ficance of the Christian faith. This calls for a reinterpretation of all the classic Christian symbols. The focus of this study is on the ways in which the nature of sin is understood in contemporary contributions to ecotheology. In the literature, this is done explicitly through a redescription of sin but is often also implicit in a discussion of the root causes of environmental destruction and reflections on the underlying question – what on earth has gone wrong with the world in which we live? – given the ominous signs of environmental destruction. This study is more specifically situated in a larger project entitled: “Redeeming sin: Hamartology, ecology and social diagnostics”, registered at the University of the Western Cape. This study investigates the positions of five distinct authors who have offered a redescription of the nature of sin through their contributions to ecotheology. These authors are John Chryssavgis (Greek Orthodox Church), Aruna Gnanadason (Church of India), Jesse Mugambi (Anglican Church in Kenya), Larry Rasmussen (Lutheran Church in North America), and Rosemary Radford Ruether (Roman Catholic Church, based in North America). Their understanding of sin is described and analysed on the basis of a close reading of primary and secondary sources. Similarities and differences between their positions on the nature of sin are then compared in order to capture the state of the contemporary debate in ecotheology and to consider emerging horizons for further discourse and research on hamartology and ecology. / 2023-12-01

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Marquette University, 2009. / Thomas Hughson, Jame Schaefer, Bryan Massingale, Pol Vandevelde, Advisors.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns the possibility of the Nkhoma Synod C.C.A.P. formulating its own ecotheological views as a way toward motivating its members to participate in addressing the ecological crisis in the Malawi. First the major issues in the study are introduced, namely what the ecological crisis is and what its causes and consequences are, globally as well as in Malawi. The other issue is whether the Nkhoma Synod may learn from existing ecotheological reflections, specifically those of Ernst M. Conradie and whether, in the process, elements of African culture (specifically that of the Chewa, who form the majority of the constituents of the Synod) that resonate with Conradie’s work may be taken into account to make the Synod’s ecological message more understandable and effective among its members. With regard to the causes of the ecological crisis, natural causes are identified, but it is shown that the current crisis is particularly the result of human action. Malawi, a very poor country, is shown to already be negatively affected by the crisis in different ways and on almost all levels of society. The reflection on the ecotheological thought of Ernst Conradie takes as point of departure his understanding of the term “church” as a locus of ecotheological reflection and action. Conradie’s theological understanding of the causes and consequences of the ecological crisis is explained and special attention is given to the most recent emphasis in his work, namely his understanding of the culture of consumerism as the root cause of the ecological crisis and what the theological implications and solutions to this may be. With a view to ascertain what Chewa culture may contribute to efforts by the Nkhoma Synod to formulate ecotheological principles for its members, the meaning and characteristics of culture are discussed as well as the important issue of what the relationship between it (culture) and theology/faith may be. Different elements of Chewa culture are then identified and explained, especially ecological sensitive elements in it. Finally these elements are brought into conversation with Conradie’s thought in an attempt to find ways in which the ecological sensitivities in Chewa culture may strengthen efforts by the Synod to motivate its members towards ecological responsibility and action on the basis of their faith. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraag wat staan teen die agtergrond van hierdie studie is die wenslikheid en moontlikheid al dan nie van die formulering van eie ekoteologiese insigte deur die Nkhoma Sinode C.C.A.P. in Malawi in die lig van die ekologiese krisis wereldwyd en in Malawi. Die kwessie wat eerste bespreek word is wat die ekologiese krisis is en wat die oorsake en gevolge daarvan is. ’n Ander kwessie is of die Nkhoma Sinode kan leer by bestaande ekoteologiese sienings, spesifiek die van Ernst M. Conradie en of dit, in die proses, elemente van Afrika-kultuur (spesifiek dié van die Chewa, wat die meerderheid van die Sinode se lede uitmaak) wat resoneer met Conradie se insigte in ag kan neem ten eiende ’n eie effektiewe en verstaanbare ekologiese boodskap te formuleer. Met betrekking tot die oorsake van die ekologiese krisis, word beide natuurlike en mensgemaakte oorsake uitgewys. Malawi, ’n baie arm land, word reeds negatief geraak deur die krisis op verskillende wyses en op bykans alle vlakke van die samelewing. Die bespreking van die ekoteologiese insigte van Conradie neem as vertrekpunt sy verstaan van die term “kerk” as locus van ekoteologiese refleksie en aksie. Conradie se verstaan van die teologiese oorsake en gevolge van die ekologiese krisis word verduidelik en aandag word veral gegee aan die mees onlangse klem in sy werk, naamlik sy verstaan van verbruikerskultuur as die kernoorsaak van die ekologiese krisis en wat die teologiese implikasies daarvan mag wees. Ten einde vas te stel hoe Chewa-kultuur mag bydra tot die Nkhoma Sinode se pogings om ’n eie ekoteologie te formuleer, word die betekenis en eienskappe van kultuur bespreek asook die belangrike kwessie van die verhouding tussen kultuur en toeologie/geloof. Verskillende elemente in Chewa-kultuur word dan geidentifiseer, veral mbt die eko logiessensitiewe aard daarvan. Uiteindelik word hierdie elemente in gesprek gebring met Conradie se insigte in ’n poging om maniere te vind waarin die ekologies-sensitiewe elemente in Chewakultuur mag bydra tot die pogings van die Nkhoma Sinode om die lede daarvan te lei tot groter ekologiese verantwoordelikheid en aksie gegrond op hul geloof.