Celia Deane-Drummond

This book analyses the wide-ranging changes occurring across Christian theology as religious environmental activists and advocates understand their part in ‘saving the planet’. As the planet’s climate changes, so are the theologies of the Christians working to address it. Amongst the Christian organisations taking bold action to tackle the climate crisis, creative theological ideas are emerging that motivate their critical environmentalist work. The volume describes the creative theological thought of six Christian organisations in the UK, including activist and campaigning groups, an international development agency, and Protestant and Catholic church dioceses. The authors identify significant emerging ecotheological themes within Christian environmentalism, including a greater emphasis on the immanence of God in creation, a more egalitarian view of the kinship of all creatures, the influence of notions of land and place from indigenous practice, an ethics of prophetic ministry alongside an ethics of stewardship, increased practice of mystical spirituality, and a broadening of eschatology. The chapters outline these views and consider their relevance for the future of climate theology. Changing Climate, Changing Religion is valuable reading for those across the humanities and social sciences interested in the crucial role that religions occupy in addressing the world’s environmental crises, and the creative theological thought that underpins it.

In this book, Jewish, Muslim and Christian scholars explore the question: what can it mean to love Planet Earth? Many people will profess casually that 'I love nature', but can that love make an actual impact on the life of our distressed and ravaged world? The writers consider how love might be, not just an emotional extravangance, but a practical response to the ecological crisis into which the human and non-human world is plunged at the present time. Correspondingly, they enquire whether this love can be reciprocated by non-human forms of life and even by apparently inanimate objects. As believers from three main Abrahamic faiths they ask how this love for nature connects both with the act of loving God and with receiving the love that God bestows on all creation. Thus they dare to maintain that love of God can be a practical response to environmental emergency.

Humanity's relationship to nature is central to the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, an influential priest and scientist of the twentieth century. Teilhard believed that spiritual development must be viewed alongside material development and that evolutionary theory lies at the heart of humanity's understanding of its place in the world. 'Pierre Teilhard de Chardin on People and Planet' argues that Teilhard's cosmic mysticism and intense interest in both cosmological and evolutionary sciences are highly relevant to current debates about how best to construct a meaningful spirituality. The book offers a critical revision of Teilhard's thought in the light of current debates in evolutionary science, eco-theology and environmental ethics. The essays present fresh interpretations of Teilhard's work and point to the significance of his thought in the contemporary study of science and religion.

A sophisticated theological anthropology that takes into account evolutionary theories and our relationships to other animals In this book Celia Deane-Drummond charts a new direction for theological anthropology in light of what is now known about the evolutionary trajectories of humans and other animals. She presents a case for human beings becoming fully themselves through their encounter with God, after the pattern of Christ, but also through their relationships with each other and with other animals. Drawing on classical sources, particularly the work of Thomas Aquinas, Deane-Drummond explores various facets of humans and other animals in terms of reason, freedom, language, and community. In probing and questioning how human distinctiveness has been defined using philosophical tools, she engages with a range of scientific disciplines, including evolutionary biology, biological anthropology, animal behavior, ethology, and cognitive psychology. The result is a novel, deeply nuanced interpretation of what it means to be distinctively human in the image of God.

Humanity's relationship to nature is central to the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, an influential priest and scientist of the twentieth century. Teilhard believed that spiritual development must be viewed alongside material development and that evolutionary theory lies at the heart of humanity's understanding of its place in the world. 'Pierre Teilhard de Chardin on People and Planet' argues that Teilhard's cosmic mysticism and intense interest in both cosmological and evolutionary sciences are highly relevant to current debates about how best to construct a meaningful spirituality. The book offers a critical revision of Teilhard's thought in the light of current debates in evolutionary science, eco-theology and environmental ethics. The essays present fresh interpretations of Teilhard's work and point to the significance of his thought in the contemporary study of science and religion.

In the immediate future we are likely to witness significant developments in human genetic science. It is therefore of critical importance that Christian ethics engages with the genetics debate, since it affects not just the way we perceive ourselves and the natural world, but also has wider implications for our society. This book considers ethical issues arising out of specific practices in human genetics, including genetic screening, gene patenting, gene therapy, genetic counselling as well as feminist concerns. Genetics and Christian Ethics argues for a particular theo-ethical approach that derives from a modified version of virtue ethics, drawing particularly on a Thomistic understanding of the virtues, especially prudence or practical wisdom and justice. The book demonstrates that a theological voice is highly relevant to contested ethical debates about genetics.

In the immediate future we are likely to witness significant developments in human genetic science. It is therefore of critical importance that Christian ethics engages with the genetics debate, since it affects not just the way we perceive ourselves and the natural world, but also has wider implications for our society. This book considers ethical issues arising out of specific practices in human genetics, including genetic screening, gene patenting, gene therapy, genetic counselling as well as feminist concerns. Genetics and Christian Ethics argues for a particular theo-ethical approach that derives from a modified version of virtue ethics, drawing particularly on a Thomistic understanding of the virtues, especially prudence or practical wisdom and justice. The book demonstrates that a theological voice is highly relevant to contested ethical debates about genetics.

This accessible and timely book uses a Christian perspective to explore ethical debates about nature. A detailed exploration of humanity’s treatment of the natural world from a Christian perspective. Covers a range of ethical debates, including current controversies about the environment, animal rights, biotechnology, consciousness, and cloning. Sets the immediate issues in the context of underlying theological and philosophical assumptions. Complex scientific issues are explained in clear student-friendly language. The author develops her own distinctive ethical approach centred on the practice of wisdom. Discusses key figures in the field, including Peter Singer, Aldo Leopold, Tom Regan, Andrew Linzey, James Lovelock, Anne Primavesi, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Michael Northcott. The author has held academic posts in both theology and plant science.

This accessible and timely book uses a Christian perspective to explore ethical debates about nature. A detailed exploration of humanity’s treatment of the natural world from a Christian perspective. Covers a range of ethical debates, including current controversies about the environment, animal rights, biotechnology, consciousness, and cloning. Sets the immediate issues in the context of underlying theological and philosophical assumptions. Complex scientific issues are explained in clear student-friendly language. The author develops her own distinctive ethical approach centred on the practice of wisdom. Discusses key figures in the field, including Peter Singer, Aldo Leopold, Tom Regan, Andrew Linzey, James Lovelock, Anne Primavesi, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Michael Northcott. The author has held academic posts in both theology and plant science.

This book offers a new theology of nature based on wisdom christology. The author argues that an exaggerated emphasis on mere information has deprived modern science of its capacity to respond adequately to the moral dilemmas resulting from our increased power over nature. Dr. Deane-Drummond proposes a theology of creation that is in tune with recent developments in biological science, including genetics and ecology, and points to a new ethical approach to developments in biological science. Clearly and accessibly written for those without a science background, this is a truly multi-disciplinary study, drawing on Christian theology, biological science, feminism, biblical studies, philosophy, ethics and sociology.