Religion and Ecology, Integral Ecology, and Scientific Ecology: Shared Worldviews, Constructive Cooperation, or Divergence?

Media applications of the term “ecology” have become increasingly cultural and conflated with “environment(al).” Analysis of the World Religions and Ecology series, edited by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, found engagement with ecological issues but limited participation by ecologists. Adopting Ken Wilber’s objections to philosophical naturalism, the humanities-based integral ecology of Sam Mickey, Sean Kelly, and Adam Robbert critiques scientific ecology’s materialistic models and crypto-reductionism. It classifies restoration ecology as Exterior-Individual-It, which is inconsistent with the communitarian and spiritual aspects of restoration practice. Focused on social ethics, the Laudato Si’-based integral ecology of Dennis O’Hara, Matthew Eaton, and Michael Eaton seeks intentional engagement with science and criticizes political attacks on climate change research while asserting that science and technology must develop a greater awareness of their human implications. Religious appropriation of ecology affects the scale and foci of environmental problem analysis. Religious scholarship could benefit from in-depth explorations of scientific ecological conceptualizations of scale, disturbance, systems, risk assessment, and health.