JS-34
Religion, Environment, and Social Movements
Abstract Submissions Closed
RC22 Sociology of Religion (host committee)
RC24 Environment and Society
RC48 Social Movements, Collective Actions and Social Change
Language: English and Spanish
Session Type: Oral
A growing number of studies discussed the "greening of religion" and “religious environmentalism,” as well as a "spiritualisation of ecology." For instance, Father Sean McDonaugh, SSC published “Greening the Christian Millennium” (1999). Many social scientists and theologians acknowledged the increasingly significant role of religious actors, religions, and spiritualities in addressing environmental problems. The book, How the World’s Religions are Responding to Climate Change: Social Scientific Investigations (Veldman, Szasz, and Randolph Haluza‐DeLay 2014) discusses different responses to the most challenging environmental problem.
Since poverty and vulnerability to extreme weather events are the critical social and environmental concerns that need urgent response, some religious leaders have publicly stood by environmental groups and taken the cudgels for their partner marginalized sectors. New-found alliances between the environmental civil society organizatons and religious actors have emerged. Religion have been expected to kick-start or strengthen the environmental movement.
In June 2015, Pope Francis issued a trailblazing encyclical, Laudato Si': On the Care for Our Common Home. Addressing more than just climate change, this papal encyclical is a call for solidarity in light of the common ecological crisis humanity faces. A few world leaders articulated their enthusiastic reception about this encyclical. The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC), Christiana Figueras affirmed: “Pope Francis’ encyclical underscores the moral imperative for urgent action on climate change to lift the planet’s most vulnerable populations, protect development, and spur responsible growth.”
This joint session welcomes papers that discuss the nexus of religion, environment, and social movements.
See more of: RC24 Environment and Society
See more of: RC48 Social Movements, Collective Actions and Social Change
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