| HSEV 102 | William D. Dinges |
| Religion, Ethics and Ecology | Caldwell 445 |
| Spring | 202.319.6890 |
| Credit Hours: Three | Office Hours: |
| Class time: MW 2:10 p.m. | By appointment |
| 3:25 p.m. | Dinges@cua.edu |
WELCOME!
Course
Description: This course examines a number of interrelated issues on religion, ethics and the ecology. Topics include religious views of nature; theologies of creation; relations with other kind; religious perspectives on consumerism, bio-technology and environmental justice; the role of religion in promoting frugality and sustainability; and paradigms of ecological spirituality.
- Goals of the Course:
Knowledge of the . . .
- relevant literature/research/data;
-
foundational issues in the discourse;
-
state of the question and scope of opportunity.
II. Goals for Student Learning:
At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to identify key elements of the religious engagement with environmental issues. Students will know the relevant literature and be able to articulate the contributions of religious thinking and action to environmental concerns. The course experience will raise the student’s level of awareness so that s/he can intelligently discuss, critically evaluate, and responsibly act in addressing these complex and compelling issues. Through readings, classroom discussions and presentations, and the production of a research paper, students will hone academic skills appropriate to a higher education.
III. Instructional Methods:
Lecture, discussion, student presentations, research paper, Internet/AV material
IV. Course Requirements:
Students will do weekly readings and presentations, contribute to class discussions, and pass a mid-term and final exam. Four short exams will also be given randomly at the beginning of class throughout the semester. Each student will prepare a research paper on a topic germane to the course (detailed instructions to follow). Research papers will be evaluated on the quality of their analytical prowess and on the clarity and effectiveness of the student’s writing style. Written work must be devoid of errors of grammar and syntax. Research papers are due no later than
April
V. Classroom Operating Norms:
-
Attendance: Students are expected to come to class on time and to attend all classes. If you enter class after roll has been taken, you will be counted absent. Three unexcused absences will result in a drop in your cumulative letter grade.
- Class Participation: Passive listening or note-taking are weak and insufficient learning experiences. All students are expected to contribute to classroom discussions.
- Cheating/Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty: It is the student’s responsibility to be informed about proper citation and attribution methods and about what constitutes plagiarism. University policy and procedures in this regard can be found at:
Cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a grade of F for the course.
- Grades: The final grade will be based upon the mid-term (30%), the final exam (30%), the research paper/project (30%), and attendance/participation/short exams (10%). Exams will consist of objective and subjective questions.
The class grading scale is as follows:
A = 90% and above; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69%; F = 0-59%
Within each letter grade +/- distinctions will be made as allowed and as
appropriate.
E. Learning Experience: An academically educated person knows how to
think critically and express themselves logically and coherently. They
know how to conceptualize, analyze, and synthesize material, how to discuss
ideas civilly, and how to make informed judgments about them. This course
cultivates these skills.
VI. Campus Resources:
The university has a Writing Center and Counseling Center for your
assistance. The Theological Library is on the fourth floor of the library.
VII. Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a
disability should contact the instructor privately. Disability Services should also be
contacted to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented
disabilities. To read about services and policies, visit the website: https://disabilitysulpport.cua.edu
VIII. Required Reading:
1. Roger Gottlieb, 2nd ed. This Sacred Earth: Religion, Nature, Environment.
New York: Routledge, 2004. (ISBN 0-4156—94360-4)
2. Supplemental articles on-line (Blackboard [BB]).
IX. Course Topics:
January
. A. Environmental Issues as Religious Issues:
- Roger Gottlieb, “Introduction,” 3-15.
2. Roger Gottlieb, “No Place to Hide: Spirituality, Avoidance, and Denial,” in Gottlieb,
361-381. (BB #26 [Study Guide])
3. Thomas Berry, “The Ecological Age,” in The Dream of the Earth (San Francisco,
Sierra Club Books, 1988), 36-49. (BB #s 1 & 2 [Study Guide])
4. Lynn White, “The Historical Roots of the Ecological Crisis,” in Gottlieb, 192-202.
5. John Haught, “Christianity and Ecology,” in Gottlieb, 232-248. (BB #3 [Study
Guide])
6. “An Open Letter to the Religious Community,” (January 1990) (BB #4).
January & February
B. Religious Cosmologies, Creation Myths and Views of Nature:
B.1. Non-Western
7. Chatsumarn Kabilsingh, “Early Buddhist Views of Nature,” in Gottlieb, 130-134.
(BB #5 [Study Guide])
8. O.P. Dwivedi, “Satyagraha for Conservation: Awakening the Spirit of Hinduism,”
in Gottlieb, 145-158. (BB #5 [Study Guide])
9. Nawal H. Ammar, “An Islamic Response to the Manifest Ecological Crisis: Issues
of Justice,” in Gottlieb, 285-300. (BB #6 [Study Guide])
B.2. Indigenous
10. Vine Deloria, “The Problem of Creation,” God is Red (New York: Delta, 1975), 91-
111 (BB #s 7 & 8 [Study Guide])
11. G. Reichel-Dolmatoff, “Cosmology as Ecological Analysis: A View from the Rain
Forest,” Man ll, 3 (1976): 307-318. (BB #s 9 & [Study Guide] 10)
12. Stan McKay, “An Aboriginal Perspective on the Integrity of Creation,” in Gottlieb,
175-180.
February
B.3. Classical Judeo-Christian Biblical View
13. Hebrew Bible Selections in Gottlieb, 77-90; Luke 12: 22-34; John 1: 1-5;
Colossians 1:15-20.
14. Randall Smith, “Creation and the Environment in the Hebrew Scriptures: A
Transvaluation of Values,” in Tobias Wright, ed., Green Discipleship: Catholic
Theological Ethics and the Environment (Winona, Minn.: Anselm Academic,
2011), 74-92. (BB #28)
15. Anna Peterson, “In and of the World: Christian Theological Anthropology and
Environmental Ethics,” in Gottlieb, 113-124. (BB [Study Guide] #12)
February & March
C. Thinking about “Other Kind” (Animals):
16. Andrew Linzey, “The Theological Basis of Animal Rights,” in Gottlieb, 355-361.
(BB #13)
17. Gary A. Kowalski, “Somebody, Not Something: Do Animals Have Souls?” in
Gottlieb, 351-355. (BB #13[Study Guide])
18. “A Bill of Biotic Rights,” in James Nash, Loving Nature: Ecological Integrity and
Christian Responsibility (Nashville, TN: Abington Press, 1991), 186-191.
19. Paul Shepard, “From the Others: How Animals Made Us Human,” in Gottlieb, 505-
509.
D. American Nature Religion:
20. Part I. “The Moment of Seeing: Selections from Nature Writers Linking Nature and
Spirit,” in Gottlieb, 21-46.
March
E. Contemporary Religious Responses:
E.1. Religious Leaders
21. “Statement by Religious Leaders at the Summit on Environment,” in Gottlieb, 731-
735.
22. Pope John Paul II, “The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility,” in Gottlieb,
202-210. (BB #22 [Study Guide]; BB # 17 [Principles of Catholic Social
Teachings])
March & April
E.2. Eco-feminism
23. Rosemary Radford Ruether, “Ecofeminism: Symbolic and Social Connections of
the Oppression of Women and the Domination of Nature,” in Gottlieb, 383-388.
(BB #16 [Study Guide])
E.3 Other
24. Thomas Berry, The Dream of the Earth, 169-180 (BB #29).
25. Sallie McFague, “The Scope of the Body: The Cosmic Christ,” in Gottlieb, 262-
273. (BB #18 [Study Guide])
26. John Cobb, “Protestant Theology and Deep Ecology,” in Gottlieb, 248-262. (BB
[Study Guide] #19)
27. USCCB, “Catholic Social Teaching and Environmental Ethics,” in Gottlieb, 738-
745. (BB [Study Guide] #23)
28. Evangelical Environmental Network, “Evangelical Declaration on the
Environment,” in Gottlieb, 223-237.
April
F. Religion, Ecology, and Postmodern Spiritual Visions of Community and Sustainability:
29. Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ (BB #24) – student presentations
30. Johnson, “God’s Beloved Creation,” (BB #s 20 & 21 [Study Guide])
31. Thomas Berry, “Into the Future,” in Gottlieb, 492-497.
Important Dates:
1. February (tentative) Midterm Exam
2. April Research Papers Due
3. Friday Final Exam
Films/DVDs:
Anima Mundi Toxic Racism Living on the Edge
Sun Come Up Keeping the Earth
Eating Mercifully Renewal: Stories for America’s Environmental Movement