Eco-Spirituality in Environmental Action

Abstract


 There is a rising debate about the religious dimensions of environmentalism. A prominent approach to this phenomenon is Bron Taylor’s Dark Green Religion. Taylor assumes that Dark Green Religion is a globally growing phenomenon which involves “para-religious” perceptions and feelings towards nature. Followers of Dark Green Religion would experience feelings of connectedness to nature, consider it to be sacred and of intrinsic value, and reject anthropocentrism. I discuss Taylor’s argument in the light of a study on an urban energy transition process in Northern Germany. Interviewing actors strongly participating in this process, I find some evidence for features of Dark Green Religion while also revealing their ongoing anthropocentric orientations. The findings suggest a need for more in-depth studies to improve our understanding of eco-religious worldviews among environmentally engaged actors and their impact on sustainability transitions.