Teaching Environmental Activism and Ecological Hermeneutics
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Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 66
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
Teaching Environmental Activism and Ecological Hermeneutics
R. B. Hamon
https://hcommons.org/members/rbhamon/
ABSTRACT
This article argues that ecological hermeneutics, when taught in the biblical studies classroom, needs to draw
on its roots in environmental activism. It recommends prioritising the urgency of the contemporary crisis
alongside activist ways to respond to it over the teaching of the history and methodology of this approach.
Singling out two topics, overpopulation and extinction of species, the article provides suggestions for
resources on how to focus such teaching.
KEYWORDS
Environmental Activism; Ecological hermeneutics; Environmental humanities; Pedagogy
1. The Problem
One summer evening, when I was in my early twenties, I went to see rock band The
(International) Noise Conspiracy play at a small venue in my home city. For readers unfamiliar
with the band: aside from their music, they are perhaps best known for their left-wing and
anti-capitalist ideology, which pervades their song lyrics. I remember that the band played in
their typically passionate fashion that evening, stirring the audience, who shouted and
screamed along to the noise as it reverberated around the walls of the bar. After the show,
the audience dispersed out of the venue and, most surprisingly for me, some of this
contingent walked into a McDonald’s to get food. Aside from appreciating the irony of this
action, it struck me that in this instance there had been a failure of communication at some
point. Had the band failed to communicate clearly its anti-capitalist message to its audience?
Perhaps, the audience members visiting McDonald’s had failed to understand the message of
the band? Perhaps, they had understood the message, but remained unconvinced by it?
Perhaps they agreed with the anti-capitalist principles of the band up to a point, but were
indifferent to changing their behaviour?
Years later, as a teacher of ecological hermeneutics at a time of global environmental
crisis, I think about my experience with The (International) Noise Conspiracy and I wonder if
I have done enough to avoid a similar failure of communication with my students. This is not
to suggest that as a teacher, I am responsible for the actions that my students take as a result
of my teaching. Instead, I wonder if, whilst I have taught the principles of ecological
hermeneutics to students with passion and enthusiasm, I could have taught this topic in a
manner that more effectively conveys the urgency of the present environmental crisis and
the ways that we might respond to it.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 67
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
2. Proposing a Solution
In response to this situation, this article suggests how environmental activism may be
introduced alongside the teaching of ecological hermeneutics. It advocates a change in the
manner in which ecological hermeneutics is typically at present taught in universities, in order
that students may gain both an understanding of ecological hermeneutics in the context of
biblical studies, and the know-how of engaging in practical actions in response to the
environmental crisis that motivates this reading approach in the first place. This article will,
therefore, be of interest both to experts in ecological hermeneutics and to those teaching
ecological hermeneutics as part of a wider syllabus.
Before proceeding, it is prudent to delineate the scope of this study and to provide some
definitions. Whilst this special edition of JIBS is focused primarily on activism in relation to
human rights and the abolition of discrimination, I consider it important for three reasons to
contribute something on environmental activism. First, environmental activism, I believe, is
inseparable from human rights activism, because human life and rights cannot be separated
from the natural world: the natural world can survive without humans but humans cannot
survive without the natural world. Human rights, consequently, depend on ecological
wellbeing. Second, issues of human rights and discrimination are about acknowledging
minority voices, and indeed the voiceless, and I propose here an attempt to incorporate the
non-human realm, which also has no voice. Third, this study serves as an aid to those wanting
to incorporate environmental activism into their teaching of ecological hermeneutics, by
offering ideas of potential topics to focus on, and signposting to resources. This is because it
is increasingly becoming acknowledged that the rapidly unfolding environmental catastrophe
has to be addressed by activating all means available, including the forum of the biblical
studies classroom. I hope that the specific approach to teaching environmental activism that
I advocate below may be of practical relevance to those exploring how to incorporate the
teaching of activism into their own syllabus.
This study is based on my learning and teaching experiences in UK universities: the
context, perspective, and reference points, therefore, are largely UK-centric. I anticipate,
however, that the issues discussed here will be relevant and applicable to readers outside the
UK, too, given that environmental issues and environmental activism are important globally,
and that the teaching of ecological hermeneutics is undertaken in universities the world over.
The examples of ecological hermeneutics that I provide in this study are based on scholarship
of the Hebrew Bible, as this is consistent with my area of expertise.
For the purposes of this discussion, “environmental activism” is to be understood as any
action taken with the intention of benefitting the physical world; it therefore includes, but is
not limited to, actions such as signing petitions, making consumer choices, joining
environmentalist organisations, and supporting environmentalist causes financially. This
relatively broad definition of environmental activism is consistent with the definitionJournal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 68
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
employed by Justin Farrell in his quantitative study of participation in environmental activism.1
I have chosen to use this definition here, because, whilst it is rather broad, it captures a range
of actions and so, when applied in the context of teaching ecological hermeneutics, it
underscores the validity of a wide range of responses to the current environmental crisis.
Finally, I use the term “environment” throughout this article to refer to the world in
which we live. I am aware that from an environmental humanities perspective, this term holds
anthropocentric connotations, suggesting a non-human realm that is separate from the
human. This is, however, still the term favoured in the environmental sciences and in
generalist literature, so I shall use it here so that it is recognised by the diverse readership of
this journal.
2.1 The current teaching of ecological hermeneutics
In the context of biblical studies, ecological hermeneutics is the practice of interpreting
biblical text in a manner consistent with contemporary ecological theory.2 In my experience,
both as a taught postgraduate student and as a university teacher, ecological hermeneutics
is typically taught as part of a level two or level three undergraduate, or Masters level, module3
on the wider topic of critical approaches to reading the Bible. As such, one week of teaching
is typically allocated to ecological hermeneutics, and students will receive one lecture and
one accompanying seminar on the subject. In a lecture on ecological hermeneutics, typical
content will cover: its origins, the various different approaches to ecological readings of
biblical texts, and the current state of the sub-field. The corresponding seminar typically gives
students an opportunity to discuss previous ecological readings of biblical texts and to
practise ecological hermeneutics on selected Bible passages.
This approach is highly effective in teaching students what ecological hermeneutics is,
how it has been applied to biblical texts by scholars, and how they themselves might use it to
interpret biblical texts. But, as I raise above, this approach runs the risk of ignoring (let alone
responding to!) both the severity of the present environmental crisis and the environmental
1
Justin Farrell, “Environmental Activism and Moral Schemas: Cultural Components of Differential
Participation,” Environment and Behaviour 45.3 (2013): 406.
2
Not all practitioners of “ecological hermeneutics” describe their work using this term, but this is the
prevailing term and the one used throughout this study; David G. Horrell, “Ecological Hermeneutics:
Reflections on Methods and Prospects for the Future,” Colloquium 46.2 (2014): 141.
3
The undergraduate degree in England is usually of three-year duration. (In Scotland a standard
undergraduate degree is of four-year duration.) English university modules at levels two and three are,
consequently, upper-level modules. A module is elsewhere called a course, or a paper. Masters programmes
tend to be taught (unless they are specified as Masters by Research) and come after the undergraduate
degree. They are, therefore, often called “taught postgraduate” degrees.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 69
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
issues that motivate scholars like me to practise this interpretive approach in the first place.4
With this possibility comes the danger that, ironically, we teach ecological hermeneutics in a
manner that is disengaged from the wider physical world. In doing so, we fail to encourage
students to contribute towards the alleviation of the present environmental crisis and, thus,
miss a valuable opportunity.
2.2 Addressing the environmental crisis in the context of teaching ecological
hermeneutics
Given that ecological hermeneutics is typically taught alongside multiple other narrative-
critical or political reading approaches, such as feminist or gender or postcolonial or
ideological criticism, it is not practical to suggest that students should have more lectures on
ecological hermeneutics. Instead, in the time available, I propose that the typical content of
an ecological hermeneutics lecture (described above) can be condensed, thereby creating
more space to discuss contemporary environmental issues and practical responses to them.
This is facilitated in that recent articles by David Horrell and Tina Dykesteen Nilsen and Anna
Rebecca Solevåg offer summaries of the development of ecological hermeneutics; these
materials can be set as preparatory reading, creating more time in the classroom.5
For some teachers of ecological hermeneutics, this approach may feel like a regressive
step, as it reduces the amount of time dedicated to teaching the history and methodology of
this interpretive approach. The purpose of this is to create more time to discuss the
environmental crisis that gives urgency to this approach and to offer some practical advice
on engaging in environmental activism. Not to be overlooked here, is that ecological
hermeneutics has a historical, and continuing, association with environmental activism. Early
practitioners of ecological hermeneutics attempted to establish that the Bible contains a
message of responsible environmental stewardship and that those consulting this text for
religious guidance should be moved to care for the natural environment.6 More recently, too,
this concern for environmental wellbeing is evident as one motivation for publications such
4
Indeed, in the last few years, there have been several taught MA courses dedicated to the topics of
eco-theology, ecology, and spirituality, offered at a range of UK universities. From a brief survey of the modules
included in these programmes, it seems that the same can be said for these courses.
5
Horrell, “Ecological Hermeneutics”; Tina Dykesteen Nilsen and Anna Rebecca Solevåg, “Expanding
Ecological Hermeneutics: The Case for Ecolonialism,” Journal of Biblical Literature 135.4 (2016): 665–674.
6
Early examples of this include James Barr, Man and Nature: The Ecological Controversy and the Old
Testament (Manchester: John Rylands Library, 1972); Loren Wilkinson (ed.), Earthkeeping: Christian
Stewardship of Natural Resources (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1980). Indeed, Wilkinson’s
foundational Earthkeeping is structured with specific portions devoted to both ecological hermeneutics and
practical advice on environmentally responsible living.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 70
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
as The Earth Bible series,7 The Green Bible,8 and Ecological Hermeneutics.9 It is, therefore, not
only important but appropriate that as teachers of environmental hermeneutics, we
acknowledge the relationship between environmental hermeneutics and environmental
activism and devote teaching time to discussing contemporary environmental activism.
So, what environmental issues should you discuss in the context of an ecological
hermeneutics lecture? As Joseph Hong points out, the very practice of selecting or
prioritising particular environmental issues over others is an act of interpretation that is likely
to be informed by your own global and cultural perspective.10 I have no defence (or apology)
against the charge of selectiveness, but will suggest a list of environmental issues that may be
of relevance to a range of teaching contexts in the areas of biblical studies and theology. The
list below (footnote 11) is not intended to be exhaustive, but simply illustrative of the breadth
of topics you might discuss in relation to the current environmental crisis.11 Indeed, with the
limited time available in a lecture or seminar, you may choose simply to present a list such as
this, giving a few sentences explaining each issue and its consequences in relation to the
environment. The purpose here is not to dwell on the complexity of all of these issues, but to
raise awareness of their importance – and they are all important and all need to be
addressed. Selection of one or a few topics from the list, may, indeed, be a way to address a
sense of “crisis fatigue”: hence, while not all topics can be discussed fully, one or some are
manageable. Similarly, it is not possible to address every aspect of the environmental crisis,
but there are some things everyone can do. And, doing these things is active and activist.
For the benefit of those teaching ecological hermeneutics with no background in the
environmental sciences, I offer examples on the topics of population and the extinction of
species.
7
See, The Earth Bible Team, “Guiding Ecojustice Principles,” in Readings From the Perspective of
Earth, (ed. Norman C. Habel; The Earth Bible, volume 1; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000): 39–53.
8
The Green Bible is a "speciality Bible" that presents the text of the New Revised Standard Version
alongside a range of supplementary features that exhibit an explicit environmentalist ideology; The Green Bible.
(London: HarperCollins, 2008).
9
David G. Horrell, Cherryl Hunt, Christopher Southgate and Francesca Stavrakopoulou (eds.),
Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical and Theological Perspectives (London: Bloomsbury: 2010).
10
Joseph Hong, "The Green Bible: A Model For the Asian Context?" The Bible Translator 61.4 (2010):
213-214. See also, Dave Bookless, "Introduction," in The Green Bible (London, Harper Collins: 2008); David G.
Horrell, "Introduction," in D. G. Horrell, C. Hunt, C. Southgate and F. Stavrakopoulou (eds.), Ecological
Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical and Theological Perspectives (London: T & T Clark, 2010).
11
Possible environmental issues to use as examples: agriculture, animal welfare, climate change,
commercial fishing, deforestation, desertification, extinction of species, fossil fuel usage, mining, oceanic
plastics, population / overpopulation, rainforest depletion, resource consumption, soil erosion, waste / landfill
/ recycling, and water supply.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 71
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
2.2.1 Population
Contemporary ecological theory proposes that humanity is not separate from nature, but
rather an intrinsic part of the environment. The United Nations forecasts that the global
population may reach 9.8 billion by 2050.12 This population increase will take place in the
context of global demographic “megatrends” such as population ageing, migration, and
urbanisation.13 How might a global population of nearly 10 billion respond to issues such as
food scarcity, demand for medicines, the over-population of urban areas, environmental
refugees, and overstretched public resources? Following current trends of resource
consumption, the demand for human needs will be at the expense of the non-human world.
But what capacity does our planet have to sustain human life? At current rates of resource
consumption and using current levels of technology, as a global population we have already
exceeded the earth’s capacity to sustain our needs; we need the equivalent of 1.75 earths to
meet our 2020 resource demands.14
Genesis 1:26–29, one of the key verses for ecological hermeneutics, offers an interesting
perspective from which to explore the current global population explosion through an
engagement with biblical text. This passage features the instruction of God to the first humans
to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28, NRSV). Does this verse
suggest that the current population explosion is a result of humanity carrying out its divine
mandate to reproduce and dominate the earth? And if so, does this verse release humanity
from any obligation to respond to environmental and humanitarian crises arising as a result
of population explosion? In short, the answers to both of these questions is, “no”.
As David Horrell outlines, an engagement with contemporary ecological hermeneutics
demonstrates that Genesis 1:26–29 originates from a time and culture with a worldview and
technologies that are vastly different to those of contemporary Western culture. This passage
should be understood accordingly.15 Indeed, Richard Bauckham argues that before the
modern period, the world was considered fully adapted and ready for human use and that it
was only when the modern technological domination of nature began that the meaning of this
passage took on an environmentally deleterious meaning.16 According to contemporary
ecological hermeneutics, then, it is both illogical and anachronistic to attempt to reconcile a
literal interpretation of Genesis 1:26–29 with the current global population explosion and the
pressures that this exerts upon the finite resources of the earth. Such an engagement with
ecological hermeneutics, therefore, holds the potential to inform both our methodology for
12
United Nations, World Population Prospects: 2019 Highlights (New York: United Nations, 2019): 1.
13
United Nations, World Population Prospects: 2019 Highlights, iii.
14
Global Footprint Network, "World Footprint," 29 December 2019,
https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ ecological-footprint/.
15
Horrell provides a helpful summary of the contrasting scholarly opinions on the interpretation of
Gen. 1:26–26; David G. Horrell, The Bible and the Environment: Towards a Critical Ecological Biblical Theology
(Abingdon: Routledge, 2014): 23–36.
16
Richard J. Bauckham, God and the Crisis of Freedom: Biblical and Contemporary Perspectives
(Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002): 141.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 72
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
exploring further Bible verses and how we might respond to the global population explosion
in terms of activism. While there is insufficient space to expand upon these points here, I offer
(below) many examples of environmental activism that are relevant to this topic.
2.2.2 Extinction of species
In the past half-billion years our planet has experienced six mass extinctions. We are in the
middle of the sixth right now and we are witnessing the fastest rate of extinctions since the
loss of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.17 Whilst extinction is a natural process, the current
extinctions are precipitated by human activities: natural habitats are being destroyed as
humans repurpose land; global warming renders ecosystems uninhabitable to native species;
and the introduction of exotic species contributes to the extinction of native species.18 Why
is extinction important? Because all life is intimately interconnected; the extinction of one
single species can have severe consequences for all other species that depend upon it for
food, shelter, shade, medicine. Extinction of species is already affecting human food supplies,
and will continue to do so. Furthermore, the greater the biological diversity of an ecosystem,
the more adaptable it is to changes in climate; as the current global trend is for temperatures
to increase, ecosystems with less diversity will be more severely impacted, leading to further
extinctions and environmental detriments.
In respect to ecological hermeneutics, the Flood Narrative (Gen. 6:9–9:17) is ostensibly
the obvious starting point from which to begin exploring the topic of extinction of species in
the Bible. Indeed, both the present extinction of species and the “extinction” depicted in the
Flood Narrative can also, to some extent, be attributed to human actions (see Gen. 6:11–13).
However, upon a close examination of Genesis 6:9–9:17 it becomes clear that the destruction
of species that it depicts bears little relevance to current global extinctions. Ultimately in this
passage, no species become extinct as a result of the flood, as male and female specimens of
each species are preserved, precisely so that they can subsequently reproduce and
regenerate (Gen. 8:15–17). Furthermore, it would be anachronistic to expect to find reference
to the contemporary concept of extinction within the pages of the Hebrew Bible, given that
the Western scientific identification and taxonomy of animal and plant species and
understanding of the world is vastly different to that of ancient Israel.19 Nevertheless, some
notion of “sustainability” is evident: Deuteronomy 22:6–7 prohibits the capture of mature
birds so that they can continue to produce offspring whilst Exodus 23:10–11 and Leviticus 25:2–
7 specify that agricultural land should be given a year to “rest”. Although the latter two verses
are related to the wider concept of the Sabbath rest, they imply some knowledge of
sustainable farming practice. These verses, alongside less specific verses relating to the
17
Center For Biological Diversity, “The Extinction Crisis,” 29 December 2019,
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/ programs/biodiversity/elements_of_biodiversity/extinction_crisis/.
18
Center For Biological Diversity, “The Extinction Crisis”.
19
Ferdinand E. Deist, The Material Culture of the Bible: An Introduction (London: Sheffield Academic
Press, 2000): 118–142.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 73
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
welfare and the importance of the environment, such as Job 12:7–10; Psalm 50:10–12, intimate
the importance of the animal world and its connectedness to humanity and therefore, serve
to demonstrate how an engagement with ecological hermeneutics might inspire practical
responses to the present extinction crisis.
2.3 Environmental activism
Having underscored the severity of the current environmental crisis, you will be well placed
to discuss what we can do in response to some of these issues. Environmental activism takes
many forms, and the following is a list of ideas about how you can encourage students to
reduce their own environmental impacts. In the typical teaching format, where one lecture
and one seminar is allocated to the subject of ecological hermeneutics, some lecture time
may be devoted to presenting these possible actions, with some corresponding seminar time
allocated to allowing students to discuss how they might act in the light of this information.
There has been recent discussion in popular media that environmental activism should
target corporations rather than focus on changing the habits of individuals.20 The origins of
this notion can be traced to the Carbon Majors Report 2017, which concluded that just 100
(oil and petrochemical) companies have been responsible for the majority of global
greenhouse gas emissions since 1988.21 Whilst this is a compelling statistic, as individuals, our
consumption of fossil fuels and other environmental resources should not be understood as
separate from corporate consumption. Every time we upgrade our mobile phone, turn on the
central heating, buy clothing, take a flight, our consumption of environmental resources is
intrinsically connected to a wider network of corporate resource consumption. For this
reason, the suggestions below illustrate how individuals can participate in environmental
activism in a way that changes their own behaviour, but has wider impacts on corporations
and governments at local, national, and international levels.22
20
Martin Lukacs, “Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals,” The
Guardian, 17 July 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2017/jul/17/neoliberalism-has-
conned-us-into-fighting-climate-change-as-individuals.
21
CDP, The Carbon Majors Report 2017: 2, 9 February 2020,
https://www.cdp.net/en/articles/media/new-report-shows-just-100-companies-are-source-of-over-70-of-
emissions.
22
The writing of this article preceded the COVID-19 pandemic. The positive environmental impacts of
the crisis have received considerable media attention; for example, the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions
as a result of reduced travel as documented by Corinne Le Quéré, Robert B. Jackson, Matthew W. Jones, Adam
J. P. Smith, Sam Abernethy, Robbie M. Andrew, Anthony J. De-Gol, David R. Willis, Yuli Shan, Josep G. Canadell,
Pierre Friedlingstein, Felix Creutzig and Glen P. Peters, "Temporary reduction in daily global CO2 emissions
during the COVID-19 forced confinement," Nature 10 (2020). The pandemic has also raised awareness of
animal welfare issues and illegal animal trading due to the suspected origins of COVID 19 in 'wet markets'; Dina
Fine Maron, "'Wet markets' likely launched the coronavirus. Here's what you need to know." National
Geographic, 16 April 2020, https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/science-and-technology/2020/04/wet-
markets-likely-launched-coronavirus-heres-what-you-need-know. However, the question of whether theseJournal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 74
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
2.3.1 Political involvement
In UK politics there is a wide disparity between the environmental policies of the main political
parties. Your vote therefore carries serious environmental implications and you should factor
the environmental consequences of your vote into your decision making. Research the
environmental policies of the individuals and parties running for election in your constituency.
For UK voters, using a directory such as www.theyworkforyou.com allows you to access
public records of how your incumbent MP has historically voted in Parliament on specific
issues; their voting history may help you decide whether to support them in future elections.23
Look at upcoming bills in Parliament. If there are any environmental bills that you are
concerned about, contact your MP by email and discuss whether they will vote in a manner
that reflects your concerns.
The UK government website has a page dedicated to petitions; you can search all active
petitions and sign any (environmental) causes of interest.24 You are also able to circulate
petitions electronically to family and friends, to increase support for causes. Petitions
receiving more than 100,000 votes may be discussed in Parliament, and whilst there is a
relatively low success rate for petitions, they take less than one minute to sign.25
2.3.2 Environmental organisations
There are now thousands of environmental organisations, ranging from local to international
levels of focus and you can support these organisations in a range of activities: by subscribing
to emails, signing petitions, supporting them financially, promoting causes via social media,
volunteering, and employment. A range of organisations that may be of interest may be found
in Appendix 1.
2.3.3 Home energy use
It is now possible for domestic gas and electricity to be supplied from 100% clean and
renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind, hydro, biogas, and organic waste. These
sources of energy do not rely on the combustion of fossil fuels or nuclear power, so they have
impacts will exert a longer term legacy on carbon emissions, animal welfare and trading, and other related
issues is yet to be answered.
23
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mps/
24
https://petition.parliament.uk/
25
I was unable to find any official statistics on the success rate of UK petitions, though the figures
provided in the volume Political Turbulence give some illustration; Helen Margetts, Peter John, Scott Hale, and
Taha Yasseri, Political Turbulence: How Social Media Shape Collective Action (Oxford: Princeton University
Press, 2016): 81. Incidentally, the UK badger cull, an animal welfare and environmental issue was the most-
signed petition during the period surveyed.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 75
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
zero carbon dioxide emissions and zero radioactive emissions. Note that some companies
offer “green” energy tariffs that provide a percentage of renewable energy that is
supplemented by energy from nuclear and fossil fuel sources; if you decide to switch to a
renewable energy provider be sure to check that their gas and electric is from 100%
renewable sources.
2.3.4 Clothing
After the oil industry, the textile industry is the world’s largest source of pollution, exerting a
tremendous environmental impact, including through cotton farming, animal skins, water
usage, transportation, and manufacture.26 It may not be possible to buy all your clothes from
ethical manufacturers, but make informed decisions about where you are buying your
clothes: how far have they travelled, which materials are used in making them, whose labour
has been used, how long do you anticipate using the item? Try to buy ethical clothes and
invest in quality pieces that will last years. Sustain Your Style (www.sustainyourstyle.org) and
Ethical consumer (www.ethicalconsumer.org) both have directories of environmentally-
friendly fashion retailers, with the latter offering information on a range of consumer
products.
2.3.5 Travel
Personal travel has a tremendous influence on your carbon footprint (the volume of
greenhouse gases that you are responsible for releasing into the atmosphere, expressed in
equivalent tonnes of carbon dioxide). You can estimate your personal carbon footprint at
www.carbonfootprint.com. If you are a student, you will more than likely live close to campus
and use public transport, rather than your own car. But maybe you commute to work by car
and take one or more holidays by plane each year. Environmental activism can be as simple
as paying to offset the carbon emissions of your flight (many airlines offer this as an option at
checkout) or choosing to cycle instead of drive.
2.3.6 Food
How far has the food on your plate travelled? If you live in the UK, do you really need to eat
fresh strawberries in December? To what extent do you eat seasonally? Do you eat local
produce? Was your food farmed using practices that are not deleterious to the land? Are
there any animal welfare implications of the food you are eating? Organisations such as the
UK Food Ethics Council (www.foodethicscouncil.org) and People for the Ethical Treatment
26
Sustain Your Style, “Fashion’s Environmental Impact,” 30 December 2019,
https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/old-environmental-impacts.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 76
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
of Animals (PETA; www.peta.org) can help you think about the environmental impacts of your
food more clearly, with the latter having a section of their website dedicated to students.
2.3.7 Consumer goods
Fridges, cookers, washing machines, televisions, mobile phones, laptops: these all require an
inordinate amount of natural materials and energy to manufacture, transport, market, and
deliver to your home. In the context of contemporary Western lifestyles, it is unrealistic to
suggest that we can live without these products altogether, but we can make informed
decisions about their reliability, longevity, and environmental impacts. Consumer guides such
as Which? (www.which.co.uk) and Ethical Consumer (featured above) can help with this. It
may also be appropriate to consider reconditioned or used items, which reduce landfill and
the environmental impacts of manufacture.
3. Environmental activism in the seminar room
The information above can facilitate the incorporation of some material on the present
environmental crisis and environmental activism into a lecture on ecological hermeneutics.
Assuming that you have a corresponding seminar on the topic, I suggest allocating some time
to discussing activism by using questions such as the following:
• How concerned are you about the current state of the environment?
• Does the Bible say anything about looking after the environment?
• Do any biblical texts refer to environmental activism?
• In respect to environmental activism, what types of practical actions appeal to you?
• Do you think environmental activism is effective?
• Will you do anything in response to the environmental crisis?
4. Summary
I established above that whilst ecological hermeneutics arose out of a response to urgent
environmental issues, typically, the teaching of ecological hermeneutics in UK universities is
far-removed from discussing these issues, let alone encouraging real-world practical action
in response to them. This paper presents a possible solution to this problem. I advocate a
shift in teaching style from exclusively describing and critiquing ecological hermeneutics as
an interpretive approach, to encouraging students to think about ecological hermeneutics in
the context of the wider environmental crisis and to reflect on the practical and tangible steps
that they can take towards protecting our planet. This is not only because such action is vital
and life-preserving but because it is (or can be made) relevant to the study of the Bible.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 77
Vol 2.1 (Autumn 2020)
Whilst the approach advocated in this study may be critiqued for reducing the teaching
time devoted to exploring the history and methodology of ecological hermeneutics, I hope to
have made it clear that environmental activism has always been part of ecological
hermeneutics and so the teaching of this approach should also reflect this connection. My
hope is that this approach of promoting activism in the classroom will inspire practical steps
towards alleviating the present environmental crisis also outside of the classroom.
Works Cited
Barr, James. Man and Nature: The Ecological Controversy and the Old Testament.
Manchester: John Rylands Library, 1972.
Bauckham, Richard J. God and the Crisis of Freedom: Biblical and Contemporary
Perspectives. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.
Bookless, Dave. “Introduction.” Pages I-17-I-24 in The Green Bible (NRSV). London: Harper
Collins, 2008.
Center For Biological Diversity. “The Extinction Crisis.” 29 December 2019.
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/elements_of_biodiversity
/extinction_crisis/.
CDP. The Carbon Majors Report. 9 February 2020. https://www.cdp.net/en/articles/
media/new-report-shows-just-100-companies-are-source-of-over-70-of-emissions.
Deist, Ferdinand E. The Material Culture of the Bible: An Introduction. London: Sheffield
Academic Press, 2000.
Farrell, Justin. “Environmental Activism and Moral Schemas: Cultural Components of
Differential Participation.” Environment and Behaviour 45.3 (2013): 399–423.
Global Footprint Network. “World Footprint.” 29 December 2019.
https://www.footprintnetwork.org/ our-work/ecological-footprint/.
Hong, Joseph. “The Green Bible: A Model For the Asian Context?” The Bible Translator 61.4
(2010): 208–216.
Horrell, David G. “Introduction.” Pages 1–12 in Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical
and Theological Perspectives. Edited by David G. Horrell, Cherryl Hunt, Christopher
Southgate and Francesca Stavrakopoulou. London: T & T Clark, 2010.
Horrell, David G. The Bible and the Environment: Towards a Critical Ecological Biblical
Theology. Abingdon: Routledge, 2010.
Horrell, David G. “Ecological Hermeneutics: Reflections on Methods and Prospects for the
Future.” Colloquium 46.2 (2014): 139–165.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 78
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Horrell, David G., Cherryl Hunt, Christopher Southgate and Francesca Stavrakopoulou
(eds.). Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical and Theological Perspectives.
London: T & T Clark, 2010.
Le Quéré, Corinne, Robert B. Jackson, Matthew W. Jones, Adam J. P. Smith, Sam Abernethy,
Robbie M. Andrew, Anthony J. De-Gol, David R. Willis, Yuli Shan, Josep G. Canadell,
Pierre Friedlingstein, Felix Creutzig and Glen P. Peters. "Temporary reduction in daily
global CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 forced confinement." Nature 10 (2020):
647-653.
Lukacs, Martin. “Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals.”
The Guardian, 17 July 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-
north/2017/jul/17/neoliberalism-has-conned-us-into-fighting-climate-change-as-
individuals.
Margetts, Helen, Peter John, Scott Arthur Hale, and Taha Yasseri. Political Turbulence: How
Social Media Shape Collective Action. Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2016.
Maron, Dina Fine. "'Wet markets' likely launched the coronavirus. Here's what you need to
know." National Geographic, 16 April 2020.
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/science-and-technology/2020/04/wet-
markets-likely-launched-coronavirus-heres-what-you-need-know.
Naturewatch. "The Compassionate Shopping Guide." 30 December 2019.
https://naturewatch.org/compassionate-shopping/compassionate-shopping-guide1
Nilsen, Tina Dykesteen and Anna Rebecca Solevåg. “Expanding Ecological Hermeneutics: The
Case for Ecolonialism.” Journal of Biblical Literature 135.4 (2016): 665–683.
Sustain Your Style. “Fashion’s Environmental Impact.” 30 December 2019.
https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/old-environmental-impacts.
The Earth Bible Team. “Guiding Ecojustice Principles.” Pages 39–53 in Readings From the
Perspective of Earth. Edited by Norman C. Habel. The Earth Bible, volume 1; Sheffield:
Sheffield Academic Press, 2000.
The Green Bible. London: HarperCollins, 2008
United Nations. World Population Prospects: 2019 Highlights. New York: United Nations,
2010
United Nations. "The 17 Goals." 30 December 2019. https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
Wilkinson, Loren (ed.). Earthkeeping: Christian Stewardship of Natural Resources. Grand
Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1980.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 79
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Appendix 1: Environmental Organisations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) www.ipcc.ch
An intergovernmental body of the United Nations that assesses the science relating to
climate change and seeks to presents findings in a manner that are objective rather than
prescriptive.
Naturewatch Foundation www.naturewatch.org
The Naturewatch Foundation is an animal welfare charity that works to prevent abuse of
animals and increase animal protection. Their Compassionate Shopping Guide, now in its
14th edition, is a thorough guide to cruelty-free products.27
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) www.rspb.org
The RSPB is a UK-based organisation whose scope is international and concerned with the
preservation of all species. The organisation has ambitious international conservation plans
that extend beyond 2030.28
World Wildlife Fund www.wwf.org
A global environmental protection and restoration charity, working to establish green
corridors for wildlife, restore major river flows, protect forests and oceans, and advocate
global commitments to end the illegal trade in wildlife.29
The following are faith-based environmental organisations (FBO’s). The work of these
organisations is particularly relevant to this discussion as they demonstrate a direct
connection between ecological hermeneutics and environmental activism:
A Rocha www.arocha.org
An international Christian organisation focusing on environmental conservation. A Rocha
undertakes practical conservation work and provides education for individuals and
resources for churches.
Hazon www.hazon.org
27
Naturewatch, "The Compassionate Shopping Guide," 30 December 2019,
https://naturewatch.org/compassionate-shopping/compassionate-shopping-guide1
28
2030 is the target year for the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda of the United Nations. The
aim of this agenda is to transform our world for the better and includes sixteen aims. Among them are clean
water, affordable clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production,
climate action, and protecting life below water and on land; United Nations, "The 17 Goals", 30 December 2019,
https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
29
Illegal trade in wildlife and animal welfare issues have come into sharp focus with the worldwide
COVID-19 crisis of 2020, which is widely believed to have begun when in late 2019 live animals, crammed
together at the congested wet market of Wuhan in China infected a human. As with the SARS outbreak of
2002, another coronavirus outbreak, there is a hypothesis that this virus originated in bats and was passed on
to humans through an intermediary animal, possibly a pangolin. The near-extinct pangolin is illegally traded for
its meat and the claimed medicinal properties of its distinctive scales.Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies ISSN 2633-0695 80
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A Jewish environmental charity based in the USA that focusses on improving environmental
sustainability, primarily through educating individuals and communities to choose ethically
and sustainably produced foods.
Plant with Purpose www.plantwithpurpose.org
Plant with Purpose is a Christian organisation with the specific aim of supporting
impoverished rural communities that have been impacted by deforestation; the organisation
is currently active in eight countries.You can also read
