Creation in Church History
A number of environmental scientists and theologians view the Judaeo–Christian tradition with suspicion, even hostility, and some lay the blame for the current environmental situation at the door of Christianity. This chapter begins with a discussion of the origins of these perceptions, apart from a general antipathy towards religious belief itself. In particular, it looks at Lynn White Jr.'s 1966 white paper entitled ‘The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis’, where she severely criticizes Judaeo-Christian religious beliefs for their contribution to the emerging environmental crisis. The chapter then discusses theological perspectives on creation, the early Church, contrasting perspectives in the Middle Ages, and the maginalization of creation theology in Reformation thought.
Keywords: Judeo–Christian tradition, religious belief, environmental issues, Middle Ages, Reformation
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