Implications of Theology and Ecological Conversion for Responding to Biodiversity Loss
Start Date
2023 3:40 PM
Location
Alter Hall 206
Abstract
While the intersection of theology and ecological issues has been growing in interest, within this topic, there has been less attention given to the issue of biodiversity. This is especially true for smaller organisms such as insects, which tend to be overlooked and understudied, despite their importance and the ecological threats they face. In my research, I reviewed some of the existing literature on theology and biodiversity, and sources dealing with ecological issues more broadly to see how these foundations could apply to biodiversity in a way that accounts for those creatures which too often go unnoticed. One such source was Laudato Si, in which Pope Francis discusses the need for “ecological conversion.” I first explored the ways in which this would require beliefs and value systems to change. Next, I investigated what might motivate people to reach these changes, including perspectives from the field of psychology regarding pro-social and pro-environmental emotions and behaviors. I discuss the implications that these insights have for our approach to biodiversity loss, and how they relate to theological traditions and concepts. Finally, I attempted to bridge the gap between individual pro-environmental behaviors and collective action.
Implications of Theology and Ecological Conversion for Responding to Biodiversity Loss
Alter Hall 206
While the intersection of theology and ecological issues has been growing in interest, within this topic, there has been less attention given to the issue of biodiversity. This is especially true for smaller organisms such as insects, which tend to be overlooked and understudied, despite their importance and the ecological threats they face. In my research, I reviewed some of the existing literature on theology and biodiversity, and sources dealing with ecological issues more broadly to see how these foundations could apply to biodiversity in a way that accounts for those creatures which too often go unnoticed. One such source was Laudato Si, in which Pope Francis discusses the need for “ecological conversion.” I first explored the ways in which this would require beliefs and value systems to change. Next, I investigated what might motivate people to reach these changes, including perspectives from the field of psychology regarding pro-social and pro-environmental emotions and behaviors. I discuss the implications that these insights have for our approach to biodiversity loss, and how they relate to theological traditions and concepts. Finally, I attempted to bridge the gap between individual pro-environmental behaviors and collective action.
