330
L. Rydén
9 Civil Society Initiatives—Spiritual Ecology
Spiritual ecology is an emerging field recognizing that there is a spiritual side of all
issues related to conservation, environmentalism, and earth stewardship. Spiritual
Ecology ask for contemporary conservation work to include spiritual elements and
for contemporary religion and spirituality to include awareness of ecological issues.
Spiritual ecology is foremost established in the USA. Among the first organizations supporting this movement was the Lindisfarne association, established by
William Irwin Thompson in New York in 1973.
15 He was inspired by a long list
of spiritual and esoteric traditions, as well as by the philosophies of Alfred North
Whitehead and by Teilhard de Chardin.
Another of the supporting organizations is the Kalliopeia Foundation, based in
San Rafael in California.
16 It is “responding to a call—a global challenge—to take
spiritual as well as physical responsibility for our common home with projects which
support contemporary issues at their root, with the understanding that ecological,
cultural, and spiritual renewal are interdependent.” It strives to embody the following
core principles: “Life is sacred; Ecology, culture, and spirituality are inextricably
interdependent; Generate creative ideas and outcomes through simple, meaningful
engagement with others and the Earth; Embracing an ethic of care—the essential
and natural aspiration to respond to needs beyond our own.” It works by supporting
“young leaders and innovators who recognize the need to create a future that is not
driven by materialism and greed, but rooted in the spiritual values of reverence for
nature, interconnectedness, stewardship, compassion and service.”
Spiritual ecology maintains that ecological renewal and sustainability necessarily
depends upon spiritual awareness and an attitude of responsibility. Spiritual ecologists thus ask for both the recognition of creation as sacred and behaviors that honor
that sacredness.
10 Conclusions
The spiritual character of sustainable development has been recognized from its very
beginning in the 1970s. It has been discussed and expressed in a more systematic
manner in religious contexts, especially the World Council of Churches and its agenda
for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. In the environmental movement it
has been firstly dealt with as the foundation for environmental ethics and later in its
own right in the Earth Charter and the so-called Spiritual ecology movement.
Acknowledgements I am indebted to Professor Carl-Henrik Grenholm, Faculty of Theology of
Uppsala University, Bishop Emeritus Jonas Jonsson, Strängnäs, Sweden and Teol Dr. Bo Brander,
St. Ansgar Church Uppsala, Sweden for constructive discussions especially regarding the World
15 Lindisfarne association. http://www.lindisfarne-association.org/.
16 Kalliopeia Foundation. http://kalliopeia.org/.
L. Rydén
9 Civil Society Initiatives—Spiritual Ecology
Spiritual ecology is an emerging field recognizing that there is a spiritual side of all
issues related to conservation, environmentalism, and earth stewardship. Spiritual
Ecology ask for contemporary conservation work to include spiritual elements and
for contemporary religion and spirituality to include awareness of ecological issues.
Spiritual ecology is foremost established in the USA. Among the first organizations supporting this movement was the Lindisfarne association, established by
William Irwin Thompson in New York in 1973.
15 He was inspired by a long list
of spiritual and esoteric traditions, as well as by the philosophies of Alfred North
Whitehead and by Teilhard de Chardin.
Another of the supporting organizations is the Kalliopeia Foundation, based in
San Rafael in California.
16 It is “responding to a call—a global challenge—to take
spiritual as well as physical responsibility for our common home with projects which
support contemporary issues at their root, with the understanding that ecological,
cultural, and spiritual renewal are interdependent.” It strives to embody the following
core principles: “Life is sacred; Ecology, culture, and spirituality are inextricably
interdependent; Generate creative ideas and outcomes through simple, meaningful
engagement with others and the Earth; Embracing an ethic of care—the essential
and natural aspiration to respond to needs beyond our own.” It works by supporting
“young leaders and innovators who recognize the need to create a future that is not
driven by materialism and greed, but rooted in the spiritual values of reverence for
nature, interconnectedness, stewardship, compassion and service.”
Spiritual ecology maintains that ecological renewal and sustainability necessarily
depends upon spiritual awareness and an attitude of responsibility. Spiritual ecologists thus ask for both the recognition of creation as sacred and behaviors that honor
that sacredness.
10 Conclusions
The spiritual character of sustainable development has been recognized from its very
beginning in the 1970s. It has been discussed and expressed in a more systematic
manner in religious contexts, especially the World Council of Churches and its agenda
for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. In the environmental movement it
has been firstly dealt with as the foundation for environmental ethics and later in its
own right in the Earth Charter and the so-called Spiritual ecology movement.
Acknowledgements I am indebted to Professor Carl-Henrik Grenholm, Faculty of Theology of
Uppsala University, Bishop Emeritus Jonas Jonsson, Strängnäs, Sweden and Teol Dr. Bo Brander,
St. Ansgar Church Uppsala, Sweden for constructive discussions especially regarding the World
15 Lindisfarne association. http://www.lindisfarne-association.org/.
16 Kalliopeia Foundation. http://kalliopeia.org/.