WORKSHOP BASIC INFORMATION WEATHER: By May Lima is covered in a blanket of clouds, mist and fog. ... more WORKSHOP BASIC INFORMATION WEATHER: By May Lima is covered in a blanket of clouds, mist and fog. On many winter days morning and evening drizzle, locally called garúa, is a common occurrence. Temperatures in winter reach around 17°C/62°F by day and 11°C/52°F by night. But please don't let yourself be fooled by these quite moderate numbers. There is always a difference between the real and the felt temperatures. Grey sky for weeks, high humidity, no heating in most buildings and once in a while drizzle makes winter in Lima at least for Limeños, a quite clammy and cool experience. We advise one pack a nice, warm sweater and a pair of thick socks. CURRENCY: Peru's currency is the Nuevo Sol, and its value in relation to the U.S. Dollar tends to fluctuate quite a bit. Automated teller machines (ATMs) are the best way of getting cash in Peru; they're found in most towns and cities, although not on every street corner. ATMs allow customers to withdraw money in either Peruvian soles or U.S. dollars. Screen instructions are in English as well as Spanish. Some bank ATMs dispense money only to those who hold accounts there. Visa and MasterCard ATM cards are the most widely accepted. Always opt for a machine inside a bank or airport. Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and up market shops, but are generally used less than in western countries. For purchases of snacks, drinks, meals and small items, it is always best to use cash. Should you use a credit card in Peru, it is usual to pay a local commission of 5 percent.
The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize t... more The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize the limited capacities of nation states and have reanimated interest in cosmopolitanism and in global ethics, that is, the idea that people are directly responsible to each other rather than indirectly through collective agencies such as states. This article describes problems that attend the shift from states to persons as the kinds of agents most suited to respond to climate change. It argues for more philosophical attention to the levels of organization and scales of analysis that make sense in the context of global challenges.
Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspe... more Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspects. Insofar as climate change is entangled with humans, it is also entangled with all the ways in which religion attends human ways of being. Scholarship on the connections between religion and climate change includes social science research into how religious identity figures in attitudes toward climate change, confessional and constructive engagements of religious thought with climate change from various communities and traditions, historical and anthropological analyses of how climate affects religion and religion interprets climate, and theories by which climate change may itself be interpreted as a religious event. Responses to climate change by indigenous peoples challenge the categories of religion and of climate change in ways that illuminate reflexive stresses between the two cultural concepts.
Devoted to Nature explores the religious underpinnings of American environmentalism, tracing the ... more Devoted to Nature explores the religious underpinnings of American environmentalism, tracing the theological character of American environmental thought from their Romantic foundations to contemporary nature spirituality. During the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, religious sources were the central conceptual ingredients of the American environmental imagination, shaping ideas about the natural world, establishing practices of engagement with environments and landscapes, and generating new modes of social and political interaction. Following a lineage of environmental historians who acknowledge the movement’s religious roots, this study offers a potent theoretical corrective designed to clarify how such religious characteristics remained publicly vital components of the movement well into the 20th century. In particular, Berry argues that an explicitly Christian understanding of salvation grounded the environmental movement’s orientation toward the natural world. Theologically derived concepts about salvation, redemption, and spiritual progress not only provide the basic context for Americans enthusiastic about the out-of-doors, they also establish the horizons of possibility for the national environmental imagination.
This paper presents basic empirical research about the role of religion and religious actors in t... more This paper presents basic empirical research about the role of religion and religious actors in the global politics of sustainability. Drawing on insights from three overlapping fields of study—environmental politics, religious transnationalism, and religion and ecology—this study analyzes data gathered through ethnographic interviews with representatives of religious non-governmental organizations at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as Rio+20. These interviews asked respondents to discuss their understanding of the meaning, role, and position of religion within civil society efforts to address sustainability concerns. Content analysis of interview responses suggests that religious actors hold divergent views about the salience of religion to global sustainability politics. The central finding is that the boundary between religious and secular civil society groups is a permeable one.
Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspe... more Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspects. Insofar as climate change is entangled with humans, it is also entangled with all the ways in which religion attends human ways of being. Scholarship on the connections between religion and climate change includes social science research into how religious identity figures in attitudes toward climate change, confessional and constructive engagements of religious thought with climate change from various communities and traditions, historical and anthropological analyses of how climate affects religion and religion interprets climate, and theories by which climate change may itself be interpreted as a religious event. Responses to climate change by indigenous peoples challenge the categories of religion and of climate change in ways that illuminate reflexive stresses between the two cultural concepts. [pre-publication proofs; cite from the final paper at Annual Reviews]
The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize t... more The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize the limited capacities of nation states and have reanimated interest in cosmopolitanism and in global ethics, that is, the idea that people are directly responsible to each other rather than indirectly through collective agencies such as states. This article describes problems that attend the shift from states to persons as the kinds of agents most suited to respond to climate change. It argues for more philosophical attention to the levels of organization and scales of analysis that make sense in the context of global challenges.
This essay aims to offer a rudimentary map of the subfield of religion and ecology by describing ... more This essay aims to offer a rudimentary map of the subfield of religion and ecology by describing three distinct scholarly responses to the challenge leveled by Lynn White's influential 1967 article. It articulates an organizational view of the field by accounting for the three most prevalent perspectives on the antagonism between religion and environmentalism. The first, ecotheological apologism, looks to resuscitate "Judeo-Christian" theology from the critique that it is inherently anti-ecological. The second, sociological operationalization, forgoes normative engagement in favor of descriptive measurement, seeking to describe in empirical terms the environmental beliefs and behaviors of religious individuals in contemporary society. The third, theoretical functionalism, works to soften the very distinction between religious tradition and ecological morality. Examining the sources and outcomes of these scholarly divergences provides a reasonable account of the development of religion and ecology as an area of study and brings to the fore the challenges presently facing the subfield. In conclusion, the essay describes the exchanges among these scholarly threads and suggests how they might be woven together more closely.
In social scientific examinations of religious pluralism, the typical scale of analysis is the na... more In social scientific examinations of religious pluralism, the typical scale of analysis is the nation state, though considerations at the community or neighbourhood level are also common (e.g., Mislin in Saving Faith: Making Religious Pluralism an American Value at the Dawn of the Secular Age. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 2015; Phan in The Joy of Religious Pluralism: A Personal Journey. Orbis Books, Maryknoll, 2014). Scholars have devoted considerable energy to the task of understanding the dynamism of the so-called ‘religious marketplace’ in the United States or to the status of minoritarian traditions in nations with established religious institutions.
WORKSHOP BASIC INFORMATION WEATHER: By May Lima is covered in a blanket of clouds, mist and fog. ... more WORKSHOP BASIC INFORMATION WEATHER: By May Lima is covered in a blanket of clouds, mist and fog. On many winter days morning and evening drizzle, locally called garúa, is a common occurrence. Temperatures in winter reach around 17°C/62°F by day and 11°C/52°F by night. But please don't let yourself be fooled by these quite moderate numbers. There is always a difference between the real and the felt temperatures. Grey sky for weeks, high humidity, no heating in most buildings and once in a while drizzle makes winter in Lima at least for Limeños, a quite clammy and cool experience. We advise one pack a nice, warm sweater and a pair of thick socks. CURRENCY: Peru's currency is the Nuevo Sol, and its value in relation to the U.S. Dollar tends to fluctuate quite a bit. Automated teller machines (ATMs) are the best way of getting cash in Peru; they're found in most towns and cities, although not on every street corner. ATMs allow customers to withdraw money in either Peruvian soles or U.S. dollars. Screen instructions are in English as well as Spanish. Some bank ATMs dispense money only to those who hold accounts there. Visa and MasterCard ATM cards are the most widely accepted. Always opt for a machine inside a bank or airport. Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and up market shops, but are generally used less than in western countries. For purchases of snacks, drinks, meals and small items, it is always best to use cash. Should you use a credit card in Peru, it is usual to pay a local commission of 5 percent.
The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize t... more The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize the limited capacities of nation states and have reanimated interest in cosmopolitanism and in global ethics, that is, the idea that people are directly responsible to each other rather than indirectly through collective agencies such as states. This article describes problems that attend the shift from states to persons as the kinds of agents most suited to respond to climate change. It argues for more philosophical attention to the levels of organization and scales of analysis that make sense in the context of global challenges.
Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspe... more Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspects. Insofar as climate change is entangled with humans, it is also entangled with all the ways in which religion attends human ways of being. Scholarship on the connections between religion and climate change includes social science research into how religious identity figures in attitudes toward climate change, confessional and constructive engagements of religious thought with climate change from various communities and traditions, historical and anthropological analyses of how climate affects religion and religion interprets climate, and theories by which climate change may itself be interpreted as a religious event. Responses to climate change by indigenous peoples challenge the categories of religion and of climate change in ways that illuminate reflexive stresses between the two cultural concepts.
Devoted to Nature explores the religious underpinnings of American environmentalism, tracing the ... more Devoted to Nature explores the religious underpinnings of American environmentalism, tracing the theological character of American environmental thought from their Romantic foundations to contemporary nature spirituality. During the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, religious sources were the central conceptual ingredients of the American environmental imagination, shaping ideas about the natural world, establishing practices of engagement with environments and landscapes, and generating new modes of social and political interaction. Following a lineage of environmental historians who acknowledge the movement’s religious roots, this study offers a potent theoretical corrective designed to clarify how such religious characteristics remained publicly vital components of the movement well into the 20th century. In particular, Berry argues that an explicitly Christian understanding of salvation grounded the environmental movement’s orientation toward the natural world. Theologically derived concepts about salvation, redemption, and spiritual progress not only provide the basic context for Americans enthusiastic about the out-of-doors, they also establish the horizons of possibility for the national environmental imagination.
This paper presents basic empirical research about the role of religion and religious actors in t... more This paper presents basic empirical research about the role of religion and religious actors in the global politics of sustainability. Drawing on insights from three overlapping fields of study—environmental politics, religious transnationalism, and religion and ecology—this study analyzes data gathered through ethnographic interviews with representatives of religious non-governmental organizations at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as Rio+20. These interviews asked respondents to discuss their understanding of the meaning, role, and position of religion within civil society efforts to address sustainability concerns. Content analysis of interview responses suggests that religious actors hold divergent views about the salience of religion to global sustainability politics. The central finding is that the boundary between religious and secular civil society groups is a permeable one.
Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspe... more Understanding the cultural dimensions of climate change requires understanding its religious aspects. Insofar as climate change is entangled with humans, it is also entangled with all the ways in which religion attends human ways of being. Scholarship on the connections between religion and climate change includes social science research into how religious identity figures in attitudes toward climate change, confessional and constructive engagements of religious thought with climate change from various communities and traditions, historical and anthropological analyses of how climate affects religion and religion interprets climate, and theories by which climate change may itself be interpreted as a religious event. Responses to climate change by indigenous peoples challenge the categories of religion and of climate change in ways that illuminate reflexive stresses between the two cultural concepts. [pre-publication proofs; cite from the final paper at Annual Reviews]
The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize t... more The intensifying processes of globalization have forced scholars and policy-makers to recognize the limited capacities of nation states and have reanimated interest in cosmopolitanism and in global ethics, that is, the idea that people are directly responsible to each other rather than indirectly through collective agencies such as states. This article describes problems that attend the shift from states to persons as the kinds of agents most suited to respond to climate change. It argues for more philosophical attention to the levels of organization and scales of analysis that make sense in the context of global challenges.
This essay aims to offer a rudimentary map of the subfield of religion and ecology by describing ... more This essay aims to offer a rudimentary map of the subfield of religion and ecology by describing three distinct scholarly responses to the challenge leveled by Lynn White's influential 1967 article. It articulates an organizational view of the field by accounting for the three most prevalent perspectives on the antagonism between religion and environmentalism. The first, ecotheological apologism, looks to resuscitate "Judeo-Christian" theology from the critique that it is inherently anti-ecological. The second, sociological operationalization, forgoes normative engagement in favor of descriptive measurement, seeking to describe in empirical terms the environmental beliefs and behaviors of religious individuals in contemporary society. The third, theoretical functionalism, works to soften the very distinction between religious tradition and ecological morality. Examining the sources and outcomes of these scholarly divergences provides a reasonable account of the development of religion and ecology as an area of study and brings to the fore the challenges presently facing the subfield. In conclusion, the essay describes the exchanges among these scholarly threads and suggests how they might be woven together more closely.
In social scientific examinations of religious pluralism, the typical scale of analysis is the na... more In social scientific examinations of religious pluralism, the typical scale of analysis is the nation state, though considerations at the community or neighbourhood level are also common (e.g., Mislin in Saving Faith: Making Religious Pluralism an American Value at the Dawn of the Secular Age. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 2015; Phan in The Joy of Religious Pluralism: A Personal Journey. Orbis Books, Maryknoll, 2014). Scholars have devoted considerable energy to the task of understanding the dynamism of the so-called ‘religious marketplace’ in the United States or to the status of minoritarian traditions in nations with established religious institutions.
Though currently only partially understood, evolving interactions among Latin American communitie... more Though currently only partially understood, evolving interactions among Latin American communities of faith, governments, and civil societies are a key feature of the popular mobilizations and policy debates about environmental issues in the region. This edited collection describes and analyses multiple types of religious engagement with environmental concerns and conflicts seen in modern Latin American democracies.
This volume contributes to scholarship on the intersections of religion with environmental conflict in a number of ways. Firstly, it provides comparative analysis of the manner in which diverse religious actors are currently participating in transnational, national, and local advocacy in places such as, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico. It also considers the diversity of an often plural religious engagement with advocacy, including Catholic, Evangelical and Pentecostal perspectives alongside the effects of indigenous cosmological ideas. Finally, this book explores the specific religious sources of seemingly unlikely new alliances and novel articulations of rights, social justice, and ethics for the environmental concerns of Latin America.
The relationship between religion and environmental issues is an increasingly important topic in the conversations around ecology and climate change. This book is, therefore, a pertinent and topical work for any academic working in Religious Studies, Environmental Studies, and Latin American Studies.
Devoted to Nature explores the religious underpinnings of American environmentalism, tracing the ... more Devoted to Nature explores the religious underpinnings of American environmentalism, tracing the theological character of American environmental thought from their Romantic foundations to contemporary nature spirituality. During the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, religious sources were the central conceptual ingredients of the American environmental imagination, shaping ideas about the natural world, establishing practices of engagement with environments and landscapes, and generating new modes of social and political interaction. Following a lineage of environmental historians who acknowledge the movement’s religious roots, this study offers a potent theoretical corrective designed to clarify how such religious characteristics remained publicly vital components of the movement well into the 20th century. In particular, Berry argues that an explicitly Christian understanding of salvation grounded the environmental movement’s orientation toward the natural world. Theologically derived concepts about salvation, redemption, and spiritual progress not only provide the basic context for Americans enthusiastic about the out-of-doors, they also establish the horizons of possibility for the national environmental imagination.
Two-day conference at Woolf Institute, Cambridge, 2018
The concept of religious pluralism has been at the centre of major political developments and dis... more The concept of religious pluralism has been at the centre of major political developments and discourse in recent years. The rise of the Hindu right in India has contributed to an increasing sense of marginalisation amongst non-Hindu minorities, and Muslims in particular. Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric and persistent attempts to impose a Muslim travel ban have similarly left Muslim minorities in the U.S. feeling targeted. In war torn countries throughout the Middle East, the place of the dwindling Christian communities looks ever more precarious, and the rich tradition of pluralism seems to be disappearing. Across Europe controversial attempts, both legal and political, to manage the challenge of religious diversity have led to heated debates on how to deal with difference. At the heart of these developments, the very ideal of religious pluralism itself is being contested. But how have changing realities on the ground informed the ideal of religious pluralism itself?
This two-day interdisciplinary conference looks to explore the emergent conceptions of, and commitments to, the ideal of religious pluralism in different parts of the world.
Proposal Deadline: 14 December 2018 The ISSRNC welcomes papers, panels, and proposals from all di... more Proposal Deadline: 14 December 2018 The ISSRNC welcomes papers, panels, and proposals from all disciplines that address the intersections of religion, nature, and culture. For this conference we especially welcome proposals that focus on religious and cultural responses to and conceptions of climate weirding, especially concerning water and climate change. The anthropogenic destabilization of global climate systems elicits responses from religious actors, but also precipitates religious questions. Of particular interest are places, ecosystems, and environmental processes where climate-induced hydrological changes have religious ramifications: coastal communities, desertification, wetlands, sea level rise, erratic rainfall, melting permafrost and glaciers, intensifying tropical storms, mangroves, fishing and fishermen, etc. By partnering with our hosts at the University College Cork, the ISSRNC seeks to advance conversations about the interconnections between water, climate, religion, and culture. This conference advances the ISSRNC's mission to " promote critical, interdisciplinary inquiry into the relationships among human beings and their diverse cultures, environments, and religious beliefs and practices. " At this conference, we hope to develop linkages between scholars of religion and other fields in the environmental humanities and social sciences that explore human ecology in its cultural complexity, critically engaging the patterns of social, economic, and religious organization that precipitate environmental degradation and identify emerging alternatives.
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Papers by Evan Berry
This volume contributes to scholarship on the intersections of religion with environmental conflict in a number of ways. Firstly, it provides comparative analysis of the manner in which diverse religious actors are currently participating in transnational, national, and local advocacy in places such as, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico. It also considers the diversity of an often plural religious engagement with advocacy, including Catholic, Evangelical and Pentecostal perspectives alongside the effects of indigenous cosmological ideas. Finally, this book explores the specific religious sources of seemingly unlikely new alliances and novel articulations of rights, social justice, and ethics for the environmental concerns of Latin America.
The relationship between religion and environmental issues is an increasingly important topic in the conversations around ecology and climate change. This book is, therefore, a pertinent and topical work for any academic working in Religious Studies, Environmental Studies, and Latin American Studies.
This two-day interdisciplinary conference looks to explore the emergent conceptions of, and commitments to, the ideal of religious pluralism in different parts of the world.