Between Spirituality and Climate Change
By Emilie C. Parry
I believe that Climate Change is pressing upon us some great
existential questions. We are in the
midst of great upheaval, multiple and mass species extinctions, rising sea
levels swallowing countries whole, large swaths of formerly inhabitable land
left abandoned to the sun, tumultuous and unpredictable weather patterns
tossing us in its throws with intensity and frequency beyond previously known
scopes. People are dying, displaced and shattered, because climate change is
impacting us now.
I don’t believe this is a doomsday scenario, I don’t believe
the Gods and Goddesses must be angry and are reigning down their punishment
upon us. I do know that we humans have had a hand in making our planet sick,
tossing it out of balance. We have not lived in balance with the Earth and now
the Earth is rapidly changing because of us.
Already this change is affecting us, and the science of probabilities
and cause and effect tell us it is going to get worse before it gets better. We
will be changed with the earth. So the
existential questions asks us, “Who are we as humans on this planet? Who do we
wish to be? What values do we wish to
carry with us to shape and form our experiences as we walk through this change
together?” Loss, death, sweeping change is inevitable. How we guide this process and who we become
through it, that is up to us.
Without spirit, without meaning, why would it matter if
humanity and many species who share this planet us die out? To most of the world’s people, it does matter. We do matter. This life matters, as do all beings within
it. This is the realm of
spirituality, of religion, of faith and meaning. Across the world’s religions
large and small, from Buddhism to Christianity, Judaism to Hinduism, Islam and
the many Shamanic and animist peoples around the globe, we share scriptures, we
share teachings and we share a search for meaning. We collectively share faith-based and
spiritual values that honor our living planet and all beings upon. Commitment is renewed to protect and care for
our planet, and nature is symbolized across faith scripture, the Buddhavacana,
the Torah, the Koran, Shamanic oral storytelling, the Vedas and Upanishads:
from the Tree of Life to the Bodhi tree, cleansing waters, Jubilee, the dove
with the olive branch, the rhythms of the sun rising and setting, the first
rains and the bounties of harvest. We
as humanity honor our natural world, and we are committed to care and protect
it as we are a part of it and it is a part of us. Similarly, the basis of compassion, a sense
of social justice (liberation theology), and a span of faith practices, ask us
to care for and protect each other. As
many populations grow increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of changing and
extreme climates, the onus is upon us to act to protect others from harm, and
to walk together through suffering with our fellow living beings. As faith leaders and spiritual practitioners,
we must engage in education and outreach to our communities around climate
change, we must commit to activities to mitigation, biodiversity conservation,
and climate change adaptation. This responsibility is rooted in who we are and
who we claim we wish to be in the world. We cannot do other than engage.
“Asssuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is
greater than the creation of humankind: Yet most people understand not.” –Holy
Qur’an 40:57
“As we live in the forest, we are respectful of the
environment. When we farm, we don’t disturb the trees. We maintain the watersheds around springs.
When we hunt, we never kill females.
When we need timber, we cut the branch, not the tree. We are rooted in these values, and we instill
them in our children. We live with the environment, not in
competition with it.” -- Veddha chief
Uruwarige Wannila Aththo (Sri Lanka)
Buddhism: In the Agamas Sutras, the Buddha said that the
planting of trees create shade for others and merit for oneself. In Section Five of the Vinyay-matkra-satra,
it reads, “A bhiksu who plants three kinds of trees in honor of the Triple Gem
– a fruit, a flowering tree, and a leafy tree—cultivates blessings and is not
committing wrong.” Planting trees not
only beautifies the environment, it is also a form of practice. Throughout
history, Buddhist temples and monasteries have followed the Buddha’s teachings
by planting trees, growing flowers and caring for the great earth.
Participants work on a Buddhist Mandala during the INEB, or International Network of Engaged Buddhists, 2012 conference: Inter-Religious Dialogue to Address the Human Drivers of Climate Change, and Biodiversity Conservation
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