EARTHKEEPING NEWS
A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY

Volume Twelve, Number Three
Fall 2003

Deep Ecology

Minnesota Church Finds Its Spirituality in Nature

Adapted from the Church of Deep Ecology, PO Box 16075, St Paul MN 55116

Recognizing nature as the true root of our spirituality, we will work to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle based in exploring and celebrating the interconnectedness of all living things and the Earth.

What is Deep Ecology?

Deep Ecology is the belief that everything has the right to exist, that no one species is more important than another. According to Judi Bari, "Nature does not exist to serve humans. Rather, humans are a part of nature, one species among many. All species have the right to exist for their own sake, regardless of their usefulness to humans."

We agree with this statement. Biodiversity is essential for the continued existence of the Earth. As part of this biodiversity, humans must learn to live within nature, according to natural law, and learn to accept our role as one among many.

We know that Deep Ecology is a radical philosophy, and we embrace it because it gets back to our roots. Not our roots as humans living in a modern society, but as members of something much larger, where our every action affects those around us. We embrace Deep Ecology as a return to nature-based living, rather than the capitalist-based society we have come to know.

The Eight Principles of Deep Ecology

Revised January 21, 2000
as written by Arne Naess and George Sessions

  1. The well-being and flourishing of human and non-human life on Earth have value in themselves. These values are independent of the usefulness of the non-human world for human purposes.
  2. Richness and diversity of life forms contribute to the realization of these values and are also values in themselves.
  3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital needs.
  4. The flourishing of human life and cultures is compatible with a substantial decrease of the human population. The flourishing of non-human life requires such a decrease.
  5. Present human interference with the non-human world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening.
    6. All species have the right to exist for their own sake, regardless of their usefulness to humans.
  6. Policies must therefore be changed. The changes in policies affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures. The resulting state of affairs will be deeply different from the present.
  7. The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating quality (dwelling in situations of inherent worth) rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of the difference between big and great.
  8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directly or indirectly to participate in the attempt to implement the necessary changes.

Why a Church of Deep Ecology?

What is a church but a group of individuals gathered together to worship in a common way? The beliefs of Church are basic to our very nature. We come from various backgrounds — both religiously and otherwise — but have come to the realization that nature is the root of our spirituality.

We have formed a church so as to have these convictions recognized as the sacred beliefs that they are. These beliefs are just as sacred to us as are the beliefs and teachings of other religions to their followers.

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