- Apr 30, 2013
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According to the late medieval historian Lynn white, Christianity is largely responsible for environmental destruction associated with the spread of western culture. What's noteworthy about Lynn White, besides being a medieval historian (and not an Earth scientist), he was also a devout Presbyterian, the son of a pastor. But he still put the blame for environmental exploitation on Christianity, especially the creation mandate in Genesis, but also the dualistic thinking that places soul and spirit above the physical world. In many cases, Christians were active involved in the destruction of older, nature-based religions, which respected nature as a place of residence of various spirits that had to be considered in any affairs of humanity- sacred groves and springs were particularly common in pre-Christian Europe.
White does point out that there were exceptions, such as St. Francis, who had positive views of the natural world, but his voice was marginalized by the Church and has little influence over the average Christian.
White does point out that there were exceptions, such as St. Francis, who had positive views of the natural world, but his voice was marginalized by the Church and has little influence over the average Christian.
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