Contemplative Ecology

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

In his encyclical on the environment, Laudato si, Pope Francis wrote that "more than in ideas or concepts as such, I am interested in how such a spirituality [an ecological spirituality] can motivate us to a more passionate concern for the protection of our world. A commitment this lofty cannot be sustained by doctrine alone, without a spirituality capable of inspiring us, without an "interior impulse which encourages, motivates, nourishes and gives meaning to our individual and communal activity." This course will explore the resources for such a "contemplative ecology" from both Christian writers and non-Christian ones, with a focus on the United States. It aims to be integrative in nature, covering works in theology and Christian spirituality, but also from the genres of nature-writing, poetry and film, and an experiential component. A principal question will be how considering the natural world by contemplative practices complements using the lenses of science and engineering. The course concludes with a close reading of sections of Pope Francis's Laudato si and Querida Amazonia, enriched by the consideration of resources unearthed earlier in the course. Two short papers and a final exam, as well as a journal reflecting on our theme against the background of the beautiful natural landscapes of Ireland