Religion and environmental crisis, a comparative study of Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Lynn White's point of view with an emphasis on White's classic article

Master thesis in the field of religion

Abstract:

The relationship between religion and environment is one of the controversial relationships in modern times. There are two claims regarding this relationship; One is the positive role of religion and the other is its destructive and negative role. Some, like Lynn White, referring to the first chapter of the journey of Genesis, have considered the roots of the environmental crisis to be from Judeo-Christian teaching, and accordingly, White's view is among the negative views on the environment. Seyyed Hossein Nasr is among those who see the roots of the environmental crisis in the spiritual crisis of man and the distance from religion, and according to this, Nasr's view is considered a positive view of religion. The studies indicate that despite the fact that both theories have supporters, but the positive role of religion in preserving the environment is preferred according to the analysis of Nasr's opinion. In this research, which consists of four chapters, the generalities of the research are presented in the first chapter. The second chapter is dedicated to the theoretical foundations and important concepts of the research as well as the background of the research. The third chapter has started with the introduction of Lynn White and Seyed Hossein Nasr and their most important works, and then the translation of White's article entitled "Historical roots of our environmental crisis" is presented along with the conceptual analysis of his views. In the following, according to the scope of Seyed Hossein Nasr's works, his views on the roots of the environmental crisis are presented based on two books, Religion and the Order of Nature and Man and Nature. Finally, the views of both of them are compared and the similarities and differences of Nasr's and White's views are pointed out. In the fourth and final chapter, the conclusion and appropriate solutions are given.

Key words: religion, environment, environmental crisis, Lynn White, Seyed Hossein Nasr, the historical roots of our environmental crisis, religion and the order of nature, man and nature: the spiritual crisis of modern man.

Destroying the natural environment means failing to fulfill the role of humanity, this work means committing a real crime against the world of creation, because: Glory be to Him He glorifies God in praise, but he does not understand that they glorify him, but they are gentle and forgiving (Al-Isra: 44). They say that there is nothing in the world except that it is engaged in glorifying God Almighty, but you do not understand their glorification. Indeed, He is tolerant and forgiving."

1-1- Introduction

Contemporary social developments and trends - the process of development, expansion of urbanization and industrialization - have transformed the world around us. According to scientific estimates (Poyman, 1384: 16), humans have been living on earth for more than a hundred thousand years. However, in less than 200 years, humans have been able to seriously change the entire biosphere. These changes have caused alarming environmental consequences, so that "today we are in an unprecedented critical situation. The people of other ages have certainly suffered from widespread famine, social unrest and devastating war as much as we are. But it is only in our time that the survival of man and other living beings is under threat. The poisoning of the climate, the destruction of forests, whose existence plays a vital role, the irreparable destruction of the soil, the specter of nuclear war, and a large number of ecological issues threaten the world. (Wolf, 2016: 33). Also, issues such as global climate change are affected by human activities and achievements. Therefore, human activities have had destructive effects on the Earth's atmosphere. Based on this, the necessity of global action to respond to environmental issues is inevitable (cited by Singer, 1388: 48).This attention has been given considering the age of religion throughout history as well as the teachings contained in the text of religion and its impact on human life. Among the researches and investigations done on the role of religion, many references to Lynn White's article can be seen. An article that examines the historical roots of the environmental crisis. Lynn White believed that human interaction and relationship with nature depends on human attitude and worldview. According to him, this attitude and worldview is derived from culture and religion. He assessed the relationship between man and nature as destructive by reviewing the lifestyle of man throughout the ages - especially the Middle Ages and the Renaissance - as well as the factors that shaped the crisis. Since people's belief shapes their behavior with their environment, he considered the root of this destruction in believing in Judeo-Christian teaching. The belief that God created all creation only for human purposes and that man, who was created in the image of God, is superior to other creatures and can exploit nature according to his goals. White sees the current crisis as a religious issue, so he considers the solution to the current situation also religious; That is, it is religion that can save the environment from crisis. Turning to a new religion or restoring the old religion is the solution that White presents ((White, 1967: 1206).

Seyd Hossein Nasr is one of the leading experts on the role of religion in the environmental crisis and is one of the first people who looked at the environmental issue from a new angle. References to Nasr in the encyclopedia of religion and nature edited by Taylor and attention to the messages His environmentalism shows the importance of his views on the current crisis. As long as we don't think about the roots and foundations, he also considers the appearance of the crisis as important, with the difference that the environmental crisis is rooted in the spiritual crisis of man (Nasr, 2007). Metaphysics (science of the sacred)[1] and the destruction of the relationship between man and nature occurred in the West, while such knowledge has continued to exist in the East; therefore, it specifies the necessity of turning to the Eastern traditions. That is, as a source for discussing religion and environmental crisis. Nasr's point of view, which was put forward shortly before White, although it is less famous than White's point of view, but it has been put forward in books and world conferences about religion and environmental crisis. Both views consider it necessary to pay attention to the roots of the crisis in solving it, and hence they have studied the roots and foundations of the environmental crisis.

[1]. What is meant by the holy matter is everything that shows the Almighty and makes Him manifest and is somehow related to it. As a result of holy science, science is right.

Abstract:

Relationship between religion and the environment is one of controversial relations in the modern era. in this regard two claims are raised, one of them is the positive role of religion and the other one is it's destructive and negative role. Some scholars like Lynn White on the basis of the first chapter of Genesis, see that the roots of environmental crisis rose up from the Jewish-Christian teachings, so his viewpoint is one of the negative perspectives. Seyyed Hossein Nasr is one of those who believe that the environmental crisis comes from man's spiritual crisis and religious aversion. So Nasr's viewpoint is one of those positive ones. Investigations show that both of these theories have followers, but the positive role of religion is preferred. This research is composed of four chapters. In the first chapter the general issues posed.