Christianity and the Environment

In his article "The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis" Lynn write argues: "Christianity is the most anthropocentric religion the world has seen...Christianity made it possible to exploit nature in a mood of indifference to the feelings of natural objects." The article outlines the development of philosophies leading to the idea that man is the ruler of nature and focuses intently on the use of god to warrant this order. Like Lynn White's Article, Ryder identifies the links between the beginning of Christianity and the heightening of human status; "Man partook of animal nature, but he was, as Hamlet said, the 'paragon of animals,' the connecting link between angels and animals, the center and purpose of physical creation. Beasts existed only to serve his needs" (Ryder, 382). In one of his poems, Hopkins writes "To the father through the features of men's faces" (380). This quote reflects the belief that man is akin to divinity, he is the image of god. This is present in many ancient Christian art:
This painting shows a picture of a man with animals at his feet: a clear depiction of human supremacy. When humans are "granted" the power to do with animals what they will (whether actually or mythically), the results are unpredictable. Ryder shows this when he states "Beasts have been feared, loved, beaten, caressed, starved, stuffed, and ignored" (381). Simply looking at the landscape we live on shows the extent of our dominance. Urbanization removes people from the idea that they are a part of nature because it is so separate from the natural environment. The picture below reminds us of the extent to which we have dominated the land. In this picture, the tainted brown water is the only remaining piece of nature. I believe that the views of Christianity are the fundamental influences on opinions towards animals and the environment today. Even people who identify themselves as atheists often share the view that man is dominant, which shows the cultural influence of religion. White points out that "It is often hard for the historian to judge, when men explain why they are doing what they do, whether they are offering real reasons or merely culturally acceptable reasons." Although I strongly oppose the view that man is superior to nature, I understand that religion is a hard thing to fight against when there are so many ardent believers. Therefore, to change feelings towards animals, I have discovered that one approach is to reevaluate religious beliefs. Basically, instead of blindly accepting what we have been told since birth, we should question and examine our fundamental values. Once again, White makes this point when he states: "Since the roots of our trouble are so largely religious, the remedy must also be essentially religious, whether we call it that or not. We must rethink and refeel our nature and destiny."




Lynn White, Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis: http://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/ENV-NGO-PA395/articles/Lynn-White.pdf