Faith and the Environment

by John McLaughlin

I swear by Thy might, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all mankind… that I can hear from the whisper of the winds the sound of Thy glorification and praise, and can recognize in the murmur of the waters the voice that proclaimeth Thy virtues and Thine attributes, and can apprehend from the rustling of the leaves the mysteries that have been irrevocably ordained by Thee in Thy realm.

                                                                              Bahá’u’lláh (Prayers & Meditations, CLXXVI)

The Global Environmental Crisis

   It is well established that the world of nature, the natural environment, is under assault from human actions. Land, sea and air, all their ecosystems and all the plants and creatures inhabiting them are being negatively affected to some degree by human activities. Some of the harm has been done as result of innocent ignorance of consequences, while much harm is the result of willfully pursuing activities known to be harmful in pursuit of profit or unwillingness to sacrifice our comfortable materialistic lifestyle. At the same time harm is also being done by people in some parts of the world just struggling to survive or to rise up from poverty.

The Transformative Effect of Finding the Sacred in Nature

   Members and friends of Interfaith Grand River follow religions or philosophies that find the sacred in nature and acknowledge that we, humanity, have a duty to be good stewards of nature. Do an online search asking for the Christian view of nature, or the Bahá’í view of nature or the Sikh view of nature, etc. and you will discover a unity of thought among us all. And it is likely that based on your own experience of communion with nature you have an appreciation of the spiritual influence of such activity. You may also draw upon passages from your own scriptures similar to the one at the head of this article or contributions of thinkers from your faith or philosophy in further appreciating this concept. For example, the Jesuit theologian, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, spoke of communion with God through nature; that through the act of, “engaging with and appreciating nature, we can experience a deeper connection to God”, and that the natural world is a “sacred space” where the divine is revealed. Even non-religious natural scientists speak of the reverential awe they experience. For example, scientists attending a global forum on environment and development released a statement saying, “As scientists, many of us have had profound experiences of awe and reverence before the universe. We understand that what is regarded as sacred is more likely to be treated with care and respect. Our planetary home should be so regarded. Efforts to safeguard and cherish the environment need to be infused with a vision of the sacred .... Thus, there is a vital role for both religion and science.” And a statement by scientists participating in another global conference read, in part, “The world is in a deep environmental crisis. This crisis is rooted in global patterns of human behaviour that are ecologically unsustainable, socially alienating and economically unjust. We need a transformation of human purpose that unites material and spiritual realities and creates a common conscience... unity is essential if diverse people are to work towards a common future ....” And finally, Gus Speth, co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, famously stated, “I used to think the top global environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address these problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a spiritual and cultural transformation, and we scientists don't know how to do that.”

Our Role as People of Faith and Conviction

   Who, if not people of faith and conviction, should step up to assist with such a cultural and spiritual transformation? Religion is a potent force for educating, transforming consciousness, and mobilizing people. We have a part to play but the challenges are great. In addition to other urgent social and spiritual needs requiring our attention, there are also obstacles in the form of powerful commercial interests which prefer the status quo, regardless of consequences; and apathy within the general population, a symptom of the spiritual diseases of materialism and consumerism; as well as a lack of a sense of agency. No doubt, some of the lack of a sense of agency – powerlessness – is due to a lack of appreciation of the power of unity. However, perhaps this will change; current political events have awakened people to the power that unity generates. In His words of guidance on addressing the needs of our current age, Bahá’u’lláh stated, “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”

   On the positive side, we have examples of how united, global efforts have resolved grave environmental problems. To cite just two, acid rain, which came into prominence in the 1970s and 80s, and degradation of the vital protective ozone layer, were addressed through united global efforts and are no longer considered significant environmental problems. And there are others, all of which were achieved through people with diverse skills and perspectives finding unity of vision and action.

Finding the Sacred in Nature

   So, to bring this back to what we, as people of faith, can do to deliver the healing power of our religious and philosophical systems, we can, as previously mentioned, promote finding the sacred in nature. This does not imply promoting nature worship, but rather as seeing in everything a point of connection with God, an awareness that contributes to our personal spiritual development and actions.

Principles as Points of Unity and Sources of Guidance

   Another way we can contribute is, in our discussions and search for solutions to environmental problems, to first seek to identify and agree upon principles relevant to the topic. Once principles, especially spiritual principles, are identified and agreed upon, practical solutions can be found. For the individual, commitment to spiritual principles guides behaviour, providing moral reference points. For society, commitment to shared principles creates unity of purpose and provides a basis for agreement and a guide for action, thus facilitating problem solving. Some relevant principles are:

-          stewardship of the earth,

-          the value of diversity,

-          kindness to all beings,

-          responsible uses of science,

-          moderation, regarding which, Bahá’u’lláh, referring to material civilization, warned 150 years ago, “If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation.”

-          alleviation of poverty, - Environmental degradation is closely linked to poverty. Poverty, as much as excessive wealth, exerts extreme pressure on the earth’s ecological systems; for example, the desertification of Sub-Saharan Africa.

-          and finally, consciousness of the oneness of humanity, - acceptance of this principle is a prerequisite for the unity of thought and global cooperation necessary for the advancement of environmental stewardship and justice on a global scale.

Promotion of Peace and a Stable, Just World Order

    Another vital area of action in support of the environment, one which might at first seem surprising or unrelated, is promotion of peace and establishment of a secure and stable world order. Without going into great detail, lack of security is a major distraction and drain on the resources - financial, material and human - that could and should be directed towards addressing environmental concerns. Global defence spending reached $2.46 trillion USD in 2024, and has been increasing annually for many years. Imagine what could be done for the environment with even a fraction of this spending, not to mention how redirecting the human resources currently engaged in military enterprises and efforts to counter threats to the sovereignty of nation states could contribute to solving environmental problems.

Connecting With Others

   In closing, a difficult challenge that faces us is that engaging in discussions in private or public forums on the topics listed above implies encountering hearing ears. Establishing unity of vision and purpose begins with transformation of our own consciousness (we must teach ourselves first!) and extends within our own faith communities and beyond into the broader population where we hope to encounter and engage with those with whom we can collaborate and learn together. However, as University of Waterloo professor, Galen Watts, pointed out in his January 18 KW Record article, “How religion’s brand became unpopular in Canada”, a large proportion of the population, young people in particular, have a negative attitude towards religion, seeing it as backwards, anti-science, superstitious, and even foreign, and this to such a degree that to many it is socially unacceptable to be religious. Yet it is these same young people who are the ones who will be doing the heavy lifting in addressing the environmental crisis, so it is vital that we find ways to engage with them in public discourse and action. Can we discover existing spaces or create such spaces where such discourse and collaboration can occur? Until we meet this challenge we will be just preaching to the choir within a small bubble!