People of Place, Ethics of Earth: Indigenous Nations, Interfaith Dialogue, and Environmental Sustainability
People of Place, Ethics of Earth: Indigenous Nations, Interfaith Dialogue, and Environmental Sustainability
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地方人民、地球伦理：土著民族、宗教间对话和环境可持续性
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发表时间：
2015
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通讯作者：
A. Bahr
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作者：
A. Bahr
关于全球气候变化现实的争论已经结束，但关于如何促使人类行为发生必要变化以确保环境可持续性的争论才刚刚开始。由于全球超过五分之四的人口都是宗教团体的成员，宗教有机会也有义务帮助引导世界走向可持续发展。这项工作已经开始了，研究人员致力于缓解科学与宗教之间的（感知的或真实的）冲突，气候问题上的跨宗教行动主义开始引起人们的注意。因为可持续性是一个全球性问题，不同信仰之间的努力似乎是解决这个问题的最佳途径。在一个宗教多元的世界里，没有任何一种宗教能够独自推动公众的思想和行动，特别是在持相反观点的宗教阻碍进步的情况下。此外，由于接受可持续的生活方式需要创新的措施，这些措施将在各种各样的社会和文化环境中发挥作用，因此，构建可持续地球的愿景和实现这一愿景的政策属于那些对宗教、文化和意识形态多元化感到满意的人。宗教、文化和意识形态之间的斗争阻碍了需要完成的工作。科学本身也不能代替跨信仰的工作，因为现代科学是客观知识的来源和技术创新的温床，但它不是整体设计的来源，也不是激励人类生活方式决定的灵感和伦理信念的来源。远见和动力不是来自科学，而是来自艺术和宗教。宗教对话已经从普世主义（基督教间和基督教内部的工作）扩展到宗教间、文化间和意识形态间的对话形式。然而，尽管对话的领域已经变得越来越广阔，但在宗教方面，它几乎只关注所谓的“世界宗教”。很少有人关注部落/土著/土著宗教。(5)然而，随着环境可持续性作为一个全球公民需要共同解决的问题的出现（因为我们都共享一个星球，拥有相互关联的水、大气和食物链），我们有必要重新审视部落文化中与生态相关的思想和做法。世俗活动人士和研究人员也常常因为忽视了土著在可持续发展问题上的声音而感到内疚。例如，最近一部关于简单生活意义的文化史只包括了一个非西方人物（甘地），甚至他也接受过西方教育。书中没有关于印第安人或其他土著群体的章节。(6)我的目的是鼓励土著代表参加解决可持续性问题的普世和宗教间对话。为了向不熟悉它的人介绍本土思想，我在这里简要介绍与环境可持续性相关的三个主题：(1)宇宙：本土的创造观挑战了现代科学和西方宗教的宇宙观，但也补充了它们。(2)本土科学：在过去的二十年中，一些美国本土学者将对自然世界的传统理解与量子物理学结合起来，形成了一种关系性的、创造性的、包容性的和伦理的环境观。(3)动物：土著居民吃肉，但他们也视动物为亲戚、老师和英雄。在讨论这些问题之前，我将首先讨论土著人民是如何以及为什么是独特的，因为正是他们的独特性使他们难以进入一些构建可持续性问题的共同方式。土著民族在许多重要方面与民族国家不同，土著宗教也在许多重要方面与世界宗教不同。在进行双方都能理解的对话之前，需要了解这一点。…
Introduction The debate over the reality of global climate change is over, but the debate over how to motivate the changes in human behavior necessary to ensure environmental sustainability is just beginning. With more than four-fifths of the global population identifying as a member of a religious group, (1) religions have an opportunity and an obligation to help guide the world toward sustainability. This work has already begun, with researchers working on easing (perceived or real) conflicts between science and religion, and interfaith activism on climate issues is beginning to attract attention. (2) Because sustainability is a global issue, interfaith efforts seem best designed to address it. In a religiously plural world, no one religion is capable of moving public thought and action on its own, especially if religions with opposing views impede the progress. Furthermore, because the acceptance of sustainable lifestyles requires innovative measures that will work in a wide variety of social and cultural settings, the work of framing a vision of a sustainable planet and the policies for attaining it belong to those who are comfortable with religious, cultural, and ideological pluralism. Battles between religions, cultures, and ideologies impede the work that needs to be done. Nor can science alone substitute for interfaith work, because modern science is a source of objective knowledge and a seedbed of technological innovation, but it is not a source for holistic design, nor is it a source of the inspiration and ethical convictions that motivate human lifestyle decisions. Vision and motivation come not from science but from art and religion. Religious dialogue has expanded from ecumenism (inter- and intra-Christian work) to interreligious, intercultural, and interideological forms of dialogue. However, as expansive as the terrain of dialogue has become, in its religious aspects, it has focused almost exclusively on what are called the "world religions." (3) There has been little attention paid to tribal/aboriginal/indigenous (4) religions. (5) However, with the emergence of environmental sustainability as a problem that global citizens need to solve together (because we all share one planet with its interconnected waters, atmosphere, and food chains), it behooves us to take another look at the ecologically relevant ideas and practices of tribal cultures. Secular activists and researchers, too, are often guilty of neglecting indigenous voices on sustainability issues. For example, a recent cultural history of what it means to live simply includes only one non-Western figure (Gandhi), and even he was Western-educated. There are no chapters on Native Americans or other indigenous groups. (6) My purpose is to encourage indigenous representation in ecumenical and interfaith dialogues that address sustainability issues. By way of introducing indigenous thought to those unfamiliar with it, I offer here a short introduction to three topics relevant to environmental sustainability: (1) The Cosmos: The indigenous view of creation challenges but also complements both modern scientific and Western religious cosmologies. (2) Native Science: In the past two decades, some Native American scholars have married a traditional understanding of the natural world with quantum physics, resulting in a relational, creative, inclusive, and ethical view of the environment. (3) Animals: Indigenous people eat meat, but they also view animals as relatives, teachers, and heroes. Before proceeding to these topics, I will first discuss how and why indigenous peoples are unique, for it is their uniqueness that makes it difficult for them to enter into some of the common ways of framing sustainability issues. Indigenous nations differ in important ways from nation-states, and indigenous religions also differ in important ways from world religions. This needs to be understood before a mutually intelligible dialogue can proceed. …