In western society, there is the notion that nature is something to be used by us, not something we inhabit, and which we are ultimately part of. This is not really surprising, given that the Bible, a sacred text of the major monotheistic religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam tells us that humans will have dominion over the rest of creation (cf. Genesis 1:26). That is a problem, given that we are consuming and destroying nature, not to mention ourselves with it! I don’t mean this to be a blog devoted primarily to theological reflection, but it is still something difficult to avoid when we consider our relationship with nature and our present predicament. There are some that would argue that western religion is the problem, and an obstacle the must be overcome if we are to change course and learn to live in harmony with nature, and not continue to destroy the world with such reckless abandon.

I don’t think that’s necessary, or even desirable. That is simply a matter of repeating old errors, albeit in the name of a different ideology. Instead, we need to respect one another’s views, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, humanist, and so forth. We won’t always agree, but if we can at least honor the right of others to believe and worship as they do, that is a good first step. We then need to find a way to talk to each other about issues affecting all of us. Finally, we need to be self-critical and willing to challenge our own assumptions. That’s not easy for anyone.

A Christian, for example, may believe we are stewards over the earth, and by continuing to destroy it, we are poor stewards. A Native American may see Earth as our Mother, and believe that dishonoring or harming Her is unthinkable. Is it possible to find a common belief system that encompasses both of these perspectives? Not likely. But perhaps we can agree that certain actions are right or wrong, albeit for different reasons. Perhaps we can set common goals and find ways to work together. We may end up rethinking some of our assumptions, but actions come before ideas.

• Environment