Emily Anstett 11/20 Religion and Climate Change Article Reflection

 https://insideclimatenews.org/news/27062022/religion-climate-change/

This article describes how some Rabbis are beginning to advocate for climate action and bring the problem of climate change to their congregation’s attention.  They are trying to “bridge the gap” between faith and climate.  I am interested in how western religions can adapt to incorporate more ecologically conscious views and practices.  I also think it is important to reconsider how religions dictate interactions with the environment.  For instance, the way that people interpret God giving dominion over the earth can have important implications.  For instance, does that mean that people are free to exploit and do whatever they see fit with God’s dominion? Or should humans work to cultivate this? I think this may be a point of contention that has significant ramifications on human-nature interactions.  For instance, if humans view themselves as a part of the dominion God created, then it may correlate with more mutual and reciprocal interactions with nature.  However, if people view themselves above nature, as masters of it, then the human-nature relationship is alienated and strained.  Part of solving the climate crisis may lie in reconfiguring this understanding where humans are a part of ecological interactions, not distinct from.  By viewing ourselves as a part of this interaction we are no longer commanding nature but contributing to a wider collaboration of many living and non living things. 


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