What if it's too late to save ourselves from climate crisis? And if so, what are the spiritual resources that might help us reframe our relationship with the Earth and accept our finite future? For the first time in history, we are on the verge of making our planetary home uninhabitable. Due to pollution and climate change, the Earth is rapidly progressing towards an environment that cannot sustain human life. Despite ample warnings from scientists to change our behavior before it is too late, we find ourselves on brink of no return. We may now have to accept that the small window of time we had to reverse our fate has finally closed. While humans have risen to rule our world in the Anthropocene era, we may not be powerful enough to reverse the effects of our own dominance.
More than 99% of all species that have ever lived on the planet are now extinct. Why is it so hard to believe that our own extinction is on the horizon? Religion has played a significant role--specifically the Christian belief in human exceptionalism and our godlike dominion over the planet, which has led us to pillage and destroy communities, nations, and the Earth itself. Beal strips back the layers of interpretation that mask the core values of the Bible, exploring how these and other indigenous religions may help us reframe our relationship with the Earth and live our finite human future in a more humble, mindful, and meaningful way.
