A prominent scientist and scholar documents and explains the thoughts, actions, and legacies of spiritual ecology's pioneers from ancient times to the present, demonstrating how the movement may offer the last chance to restore a healthy relationship between humankind and nature.An internet search for "Spiritual Ecology" and related terms like "Religion and Nature" and "Religion and Ecology" reveals tens of millions of websites. Spiritual Ecology: A Quiet Revolution offers an intellectual history of this far-reaching movement. Arranged chronologically, it samples major developments in the thoughts and actions of both historic and contemporary pioneers, ranging from the Buddha and St. Francis of Assisi to Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement and James Cameron's 2010 epic film Avatar.This foundational book is unique in that it provides a historical, cross-cultural context for understanding and advancing the ongoing spiritual ecology revolution, considering indigenous and Asian religious traditions as well as Western ones. Most chapters focus on a single pioneer, illuminating historical context and his/her legacy, while also connecting that legacy to broader concerns. Coverage includes topics as diverse as Henry David Thoreau and the Green Patriarch Bartholomew's decades-long promotion of environmentalism as a sacred duty for more than 250 million members of the Orthodox Church worldwide. For more information, visit spiritualecology.info.

ForewordPrologue1. What's in a Tree?I. ROOTS2. Enchanted Nature, Animism3. The Original Spiritual Ecologists, Indigenous Peoples4. Ecologically Noble or Ignoble?5. Natural Wisdom and Action, The Buddha6. Medieval Radical, Saint Francis of AssisiII. TRUNK7. The Spirit of Walden, Henry David Thoreau8. Wilderness Disciple, John Muir9. Spiritual Science, Rudolf SteinerIII. BRANCHES10. Nature as Thou, Martin Buber11. Challenging Christians, Lynn White, Jr.12. SupernovasIV. LEAVES13. Can a Poet Save Nature? W.?S. Merwin14. Reconnecting, Joanna Macy15. Green Patriarch, Bartholomew IV. FLOWERS, SEEDS, AND FRUITS16. To Plant a Tree, Wangari Maathai17. Desert Spirituality, Burning Man18. Avatar, Opening Pandora's Box, James CameronVI. HAZARDS19. Atheist Spiritual Ecology, Donald A. Crosby20. Natural Theology, Alister E. McGrath21. Secularization of the Sacred, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of TibetEpilogueNotesAppendix: Selected List of Contributors to Spiritual EcologyBibliographyIndex