Contemporary environmentalism as a current of spiritual post-secular practice

Authors

• Laura Wickström Åbo Akademi University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67425

Keywords:

Religious change, Postsecularism, Secularism, Environmentalism, Spirituality, Green movement, Social movements, Identity, Climatic changes, Ecology, Feminism, Ecotheology, Environmental ethics, Nature, Globalization, Environmental justice, World view

Abstract

Contemporary spirituality often bears the stamp of an eco-discourse. It is characteristic of post-spiritual practices that there is a blurring of the boundaries between the sacred and profane and in this sphere, influenced by the eco-consciousness, nature and the body can be sacralised. In this article the author looks into environmentalism as a current in spirituality. First spirituality as a concept is discussed. Second follows a section on aspects of contemporary environmentalism, dealing with new social movements, new identity and the main directions of environmentalism. After that, the distinction between environmentally motivated spirituality and spir­itually motivated environmentalism is presented. At the end there is a short discussion of post-secular issues concerning environmentalism. Worldviews are no longer necessarily either religious or secular, but may also combine elements of rational secularity with enchanted spirituality. The blurring of the boundaries between secular and religious views and motives occur, as well as the separation of mind and body, rationality and belief, and human and nature.