Links Between Faith and Environmental Thinking
Add caption 1. Baha’i Founded by the Persian Baha’u’llah. Believes all religious leaders are manifestations of God and all scripture sacred. Nature and Scripture are the “two books” of revelation. Shoghi Effendi, Baha’u’llah’s great-grandson, noted: “Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it.” 2. Buddhism Teaches respect for and interconnectedness of nature; plants and animals are included in schemes of salvation. Gautama Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and died under trees. Sacred trees are decorated and revered. Buddhism advocates protection, such as ridam in Bhutan, an annual prohibition on entering a designated mountain forest. 3. Christianity Teaches that all creation is a loving act of God and that humanity may not destroy God’s creations without the risk of destroying itself. St Francis was an early proponent of ecological stewardship. There have been statements by Christian leaders in response to the e...