Jewish Environmentalism in the Post-Secular Age : Earthly Spirituality

Presenting Jewish environmentalism as a case study of contemporary post-secularism, this book exemplifies the responses of world religions to the global ecological crisis and situates Jewish environmental spirituality historically, socially, theologically and politically.

Presenting Jewish environmentalism as a case study of contemporary post-secularism, this book exemplifies the responses of world religions to the global ecological crisis and situates Jewish environmental spirituality historically, socially, theologically, and politically. Discussing key figures, texts, and organizations that have given Jewish environmentalism its distinctive character as “earthly spirituality”, the book explains how science and technology functioned in the secularization of Judaism, on the one hand, as well as in the counter process of sacralization of nature. It explores the various dimensions of Jewish environmentalism: official statements of Jewish denominations, eco-theologies, eco-hermeneutics, eco-feminism, and public theology; and also links Jewish environmentalism to main forces in modern Jewish history - Zionism, and Americanization. Finally, the study explores the contribution of “non-Jewish Jews” to American environmentalism and explains how “radical Jews” of Leftist orientation became Spiritual Progressives who promoted the ecological wisdom of Judaism to address the social ills of American society as well as the global ecological crisis. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of Jewish studies, religious studies, secularism/post-secularism studies, religion and ecology, and religion and science.