Blessed Are Those Who Care for the Earth: Discerning an Ecological Consciousness in the Sermon on the Mount

Ecology is the science that studies the function of communities of life within ecosystems. These systems are bound by an affirmation of relationship. Such relationships are very complex and every part of them is dependent on every other part if they are to maintain the integrity of nature that allows us all to survive. The adoption of the four principles of ecology: everything is connected to everything else; everything has to go somewhere; nature knows best; and there is no such thing as a free lunch have been suggested to ensure that all manner of creation thrive. However, scientific findings of both environmental problems and lasting solutions have had little impact on the way humans conduct their lives. Embodying an ecological consciousness will require a change in the values people commit to and the lens of ethics we apply to environmental situation. This book explores the core of ecological thought and the principles of the Beatitudes to determine how an application of the Beatitudes can induce a spiritual/behavioral paradigm shift sufficient to make a lasting and positive effect on the life of the earth.