Log | School News
New Course Looks at Spirituality and Environmental
Ethics
Ted L. Purcell sees the environmental crisis
as a spiritual and a religious issue. You might think that
is a natural view for someone who is the Duke University Baptist
campus minister.
But, Purcell says, the ecological predicament is religious
in the sense that, in this time of unprecedented danger to
the planet we share, several inescapable questions emerge
with renewed intensity:
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How does the plight of the earth reflect a crisis of
moral values and religious faith?
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What spiritual resources do the various religious and
ethical traditions hold for us at such a time as this?
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What do the different traditions have to say to one
another that may clarify what it means to have a proper
respect for the earth in our personal and social choices?
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And how do religious traditions need to be reevaluated
and reconstructed in light of our increasing environmental
difficulties?
It is from this perspective that he will launch his new six-
week course this fall for Nicholas School students: Environment
298 Spirituality and Ecology: Religious Perspectives on Environ-mental
Ethics.
Purcell said the course goal is to assist students in developing
a functional personal and social environmental ethic that
includes religious and spiritual values. The class will include
reflection on the Earth Charter, an international and interfaith
ethical vision for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful
global society.
Students will be expected to keep a journal and write brief
papers in response to readings, and they will have opportunities
for small group interfaith dialogues and to hear guest speakers.
One scheduled speaker is a Lumbee Indian who will talk about
Native American traditions in connection to the natural world.
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