Pantheism and Ecology

Environmental ethics arises from the harmfulness of human beings with respect to non-human species and, more generally, to the environment. A common starting point for environmental ethics is that human beings are responsible for damaging nature. The famous four laws of ecology express this guilt on the part of human beings, who very often voluntarily violate the behavioral indications that emerge from nature itself. Eco-theology suggests when humans destroy the natural world, we are wounding God. Such an idea implies a possible coincidence of God with the natural world. From this assumption, various questions emerge: what is the kind of coincidence between God and the natural world? Are God and the ecosystem coextensive? If so, are we re-sacralizing the natural world and grounding intrinsic values in theological postulates and statements? These questions lead us to reconsider the cosmological assumptions that ground our environmental judgements. This book will focus on the cosmological assumptions of pantheism, discussing the symmetrical (or asymmetrical) relationships between God and the finite ways in which God manifests Godself. This book is divided into three parts: first, the question of pantheism is approached from different traditions and with a special focus on the main thinkers, from Greek Stoicism to the present day. Second, current ecological concerns are considered in relation to pantheistic cosmology: from the discussion of the different “pan-conceptions” to the problem of evil, to Anthropocene. Finally, the book will focus on ethical issues in the field of the current environmental crisis with a huge connection with the pantheistic cosmologies. This book is oriented to a wide public, interested in environmental issues and looking for an approach from different cultures and traditions. Evidently, due to its “academic” nature, this book is intended for researchers interested in eco-theology and the relationship between pantheism andecology.