Abstract
ABSTRACT This paper explores the entanglements of religion, spirituality, and environmental sustainability in the alpine province of South Tyrol (Italy), where the presence of Catholicism is strong. Referring to ethnographic data gathered through informal and formal interviews with Catholics, spiritual practitioners, and environmental activists, I will engage in ongoing debates about the greening of religion, the ecologization of spirituality, and the spiritualisation of ecology. I argue that an ethnographic approach is essential to assess whether the environmental discourses embraced by Pope Francis in the last ten years are reflected in the everyday discourses and practices of Catholics. Regarding the ecologization of spirituality, I argue that it is important to pay attention to local contexts considering to what extent alternative forms of spirituality are present and how much visibility they have in the public domain. As for the spiritualisation of ecology, attention should be paid to the reticence of environmental activists to talk about their spiritual experiences they feel could undermine the scientific rigour of their environmental agendas.
Published Version
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