Environmental Humanities and Theologies: Ecoculture, Literature and the Bible

Description

Many ways of thinking about and living with ‘the environment’ have their roots in the Bible and the Christian cultural tradition. Environmental Humanities and Theologies shows that some of these ways are problematic. It also provides alternative ways that value both materiality and spirituality. Beginning with an environmentally friendly reading of the biblical story of creation, Environmental Humanities and Theologies goes on to discuss in succeeding chapters the environmental theology of wetlands, dragons and watery monsters (including crocodiles and alligators) in the Bible and literature. It then gives a critical reading of the environmental theology of the biblical book of Psalms. Theological concepts are found in the works of English writers of detective and devotional stories and novels, American nature writers and European Jewish writers (as succeeding chapters show). Environmental Humanities and Theologies concludes with an appreciation for Australian Aboriginal spirituality in the swamp serpent. It argues for the sacrality of marsh monsters and swamp serpents as figures of reverence and respect for living bio- and psycho-symbiotic livelihoods in bioregions of the living earth in the Symbiocene. This is the hoped-for age superseding the Anthropocene. * Environmental Humanities and Theologies is aimed at those who have little or no knowledge of how theology underlies much thinking and writing about ‘the environment’ and who are looking for ways of thinking about, being and living with the earth that respect and value both spirituality and materiality. It is a new text nurturing sacrality for the Symbiocene. Tags: Bibles, English Standard Version, Study, Literary Criticism, General, Nature, Ecology, Philosophy, Religious, Poetry, Subjects & Themes, Inspirational & Religious, Religion, Biblical Commentary, Christian Theology, Theology Environmental Humanities and Theologies- Front Cover Environmental Humanities and Theologies Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Acknowledgments PART I: Sacred Earth and evil beings Chapter 1: In the beginning — was the wetland Four elements Nature’s womb Water Sacred earth and evil beings Theologies of times and places Introducing Environmental Humanities and Theologies Notes References Chapter 2: Theology of wetlands and marsh monsters Beowulf’s monstrous fens Tolkien’s Dead Marshes Kingsnorth’s The Wake References Chapter 3: Theology of dragons and monstrous serpents Beowulf’s earth dragon St George’s swamp dragon Malory’s marvellous dragons Colonna’s serpentine dragon Milton’s draconian Satan Anatomy and physiology of the dragon Tolkien’s earth dragon Notes References Chapter 4: Theology of watery monsters: Leviathan and crocodiles Freud and the smelly uncanny Muir and the terror-stricken mouthful Bartram and the greedy monster Plumwood and great-toothed jaws Monstrosity to mutuality References Chapter 5: ‘The Earth is the Lord’s, and its inhabitants’: the Psalmists’ environmental theologies God the dominator Declaring the glory of God Nature in the Psalms Rider on the storm Water beings in the Psalms Life and death in the Psalms Notes References PART II: Theologies of times and places Chapter 6: Pilgrim’s Progress through the Slough of Despond and the Valley of the Shadow of Death Melancholy and madness in the marsh The Slough of Despond The grim domains of Giant Despair Dreary impressions of solitude and decay Great Grimpen Mire The valley of the shadow of death A fountain of writhing and reptilian life The parasite-infested swamps of nowhere References Chapter 7: God’s and Nature’s nation: John ‘the Baptist’ Muir and US national parks Cathedrals of the Modern World God’s national parks Or the Great Goddesses’? Writing the word of nature Notes References Chapter 8: Looking back on destruction and being at home in one’s time, body and place: Lot’s wife and the Angels of History, Geography and Corporeality Lot’s wife Looking back Home is here Dialectical image Sin city Notes References Chapter 9: Rainbow Serpent anthropology, or Rainbow Spirit theology, or swamp serpent sacrality and marsh monster maternity? Rainbow Serpent Rainbow Spirit theology The Symbiocene Notes References Index