The understanding of nature is at the heart of European self - understanding, while in Asia the terms of life and energy play a similar central role. Globally, many institutions and movements have made the protection of the environment and climate a top policy priority. Given the urgency of environmental problems the lack of reflections about the human and especially the spiritual dimension of environmental problems is striking. Environmental - and - climatic change transforms not only culture, politics, and economy, but also religion. Religious traditions have on the one hand always been dependent on human ecologies; on the other hand they vibrantly affect our perceptions of nature and sociocultural practices with(in) it. If life and religion change dramatically at present, how could religion make a change? How are religious and ecologic processes gendered, and how can ecofeminism deepen our understanding of justice? What are the life - enhancing spiritual resources in the East and the West? How can Christian theology contribute to the necessary eco - cultural revolution ahead of us? And how can Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and Christian spiritualities cooperate in a common space and future? Questions like these are reflected upon by scholars of religion and theology from Korea, Canada and Scandinavia. Their chapters emerge from an international workshop, which was arranged and convened by the editors 2007 in Yecheon on the Korean countryside and in Seoul.

Valuing Lives, Healing Earth: Religion, Gender, and Life on Earth analyzes and amplifies advocacy for gender and ecological justice in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, focusing on women who embody commitments to healing the earth and valuing lives rendered vulnerable by problematic social systems. The volume features essays from leading scholars Ivone Gebara (Brazil), Aruna Gnanadason (India), Rosemary Radford Ruether (U.S.), and Sylvia Marcos (Mexico) among renowned, established, and emerging scholars concerned with religion, environment, gender, and the many intersections between them in real life. The volume highlights scholarship on practical work by women globally, who labor toward greater justice for a diverse humanity and biodiverse nature, exerting collaborative solidarity, grounded love, and realistic hope for the future. This timely book presents compelling arguments of the intimate connections between gender, ecology, colonialism, indigeneity, and Christianity from global perspectives. Pertinent case studies, rigorous social analyses, and sound theological reflections make this book a must read for scholars, activists, Christian leaders, and students. In the gloomy days of record temperature, wildfires, and tropical storms, the authors offer hope and vision to fight climate change. Kwok Pui-lan, Dean's Professor of Systematic Theology, Candler School of Theology at Emory UniversityRosemary Radford Ruether's contribution to ecofeminist theology cannot be overestimated. This signal volume, including voices from all over the world, is a fitting unfolding of the trajectory Rosemary set ... in her pioneering effort to value each living creature, human and otherwise, and to heal Earth of the wounds inflicted by a ruthless human(un)kind. These essays ... provide a partial roadmap for moving forward as a global community. From diverse starting points, the authors explore crucial issues that a great theologian projected. What a legacy, what a challenge! Mary E. Hunt, a feminist theologian, is co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER) This timely collection is an homage to Rosemary Ruether's foundational work linking social and environmental justice. A collaboration of diverse feminist writers from both the Global South and the Global North, the book delivers a sophisticated and nuanced engagement with current critical issues involving climate, biodiversity, and human diversity in its complexity. The alleviation of human suffering and healing the earth emerge as important components of the pursuit of justice. Frida Kerner Furman, Professor Emerita, Religious Studies, DePaul University

Ecologically oriented visions of God, the Sacred, the Earth, and human beings. The proposed handbook will serve as the definitive overview of these exciting new developments. Divided into three main sections, the books essays will reflect the three dominant dimensions of the field. Part I will explore

The moral values and interpretive systems of religions are crucially involved in how people imagine the challenges of sustainability and how societies mobilize to enhance ecosystem resilience and human well-being. The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Ecology provides the most comprehensive and authoritative overview of the field. It encourages both appreciative and critical angles regarding religious traditions, communities, attitude, and practices. It presents contrasting ways of thinking about "religion" and about "ecology" and about ways of connecting the two terms. Written by a team of leading international experts, the Handbook discusses dynamics of change within religious traditions as well as their roles in responding to global challenges such as climate change, water, conservation, food and population. It explores the interpretations of indigenous traditions regarding modern environmental problems drawing on such concepts as lifeway and indigenous knowledge. This volume uniquely intersects the field of religion and ecology with new directions within the humanities and the sciences. This interdisciplinary volume is an essential reference for scholars and students across the social sciences and humanities and for all those looking to understand the significance of religion in environmental studies and policy.

In an era which many now recognise as ‘post-secular’, the role that religions play in shaping gender identities and relationships has been awarded a renewed status in the study of societies and social change. In both the Global South and the Global North, in the 21st century, religiosity is of continuing significance, not only in people’s private lives and in the family, but also in the public sphere and with respect to political and legal systems. The Routledge Handbook of Religion, Gender and Society is an outstanding reference source to these key topics, problems and debates in this exciting subject area. Comprising over 40 chapters by a team of international contributors, the Handbook is divided into 3 parts: Critical debates for religions, gender and society: theories, concepts and methodologies Issues and themes in religions, gender and society Contexts and locations Within these sections, central issues, debates and problems are examined, including activism, gender analysis, intersectionality and feminism, oppression and liberation, equality, bodies and embodiment, space and place, leadership and authority, diaspora and migration, marriage and the family, generation and aging, health and reproduction, education, violence and conflict, ecology and climate change and the role of social media. The Routledge Handbook of Religion, Gender and Society is essential reading for students and researchers in religious studies and gender studies. The Handbook will also be very useful for those in related fields, such as cultural studies, area studies, politics, sociology, anthropology and history.

A comprehensive overview of the interdisciplinary field of Women's and Gender Studies, featuring original contributions from leading experts from around the world The Companion to Women's and Gender Studies is a comprehensive resource for students and scholars alike, exploring the central concepts, theories, themes, debates, and events in this dynamic field. Contributions from leading scholars and researchers cover a wide range of topics while providing diverse international, postcolonial, intersectional, and interdisciplinary insights. In-depth yet accessible chapters discuss the social construction and reproduction of gender and inequalities in various cultural, social-economic, and political contexts. Thematically-organized chapters explore the development of Women's and Gender Studies as an academic discipline, changes in the field, research directions, and significant scholarship in specific, interrelated disciplines such as science, health, psychology, and economics. Original essays offer fresh perspectives on the mechanisms by which gender intersects with other systems of power and privilege, the relation of androcentric approaches to science and gender bias in research, how feminist activists use media to challenge misrepresentations and inequalities, disparity between men and women in the labor market, how social movements continue to change Women's and Gender Studies, and more. Filling a significant gap in contemporary literature in the field, this volume: Features a broad interdisciplinary and international range of essays Engages with both individual and collective approaches to agency and resistance Addresses topics of intense current interest and debate such as transgender movements, gender-based violence, and gender discrimination policy Includes an overview of shifts in naming, theoretical approaches, and central topics in contemporary Women's and Gender Studies Companion to Women's and Gender Studies is an ideal text for instructors teaching courses in gender, sexuality, and feminist studies, or related disciplines such as psychology, history, education, political science, sociology, and cultural studies, as well as practitioners and policy makers working on issues related to gender and sexuality.

Ecofeminists in the North must listen carefully to women in the South since common problems can only be solved by understanding cultural and historical differences. When women of the South reflect on ecological themes, these questions are rooted in life and death matters, not in theory, nor statistics. As Ruether writes, "Deforestation means women walking twice as far each day to gather wood ....

How one of the world's most important religions, Christianity, shaped one of the important issues of our time, the environment.

Discusses ecofeminism in the context of the social, political and ecological consequences of globalization. The book includes case studies, essays, theoretical works, and articles on ecofeminist movements from many of the world''s regions including Taiwan, Mexico, Kenya, Chile, India, Brazil, Canada, England and the United States.