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Archive for the ‘Earth Ethics Quarterly’ Category

Money, Ecology, and Spirituality: Toward a Holistic Framework for Social Development, by Richard M. Clugston. A report on the World Summit for Social Development.

Women’s Vision of a Just Social Order, by Janet Hunt. Excerpts from a paper prepared for the Asian Regional Consultation on Sustainable Livelihoods.

Report from Cairo, by the United States Department of State. Essentials from the State Department Report on the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development titles Bringing Cairo Home: Peace, Prosperity, and Democracy, Conference Discussion Guide. Read the rest of this entry »

Eco-phobia, by David Sobel. Prematurely asking children to deal with problems beyond their control, argues Sobel, cuts them off from their unique sources of strength. Sobel proposes primary education that cultivates children’s sense of connection to nature and their burgeoning imaginations.

Education for Earth Literacy, by Mary Evelyn Tucker. The author outlines important requirements for achieving an environmental ethic in higher education, including ending the separation of religion and science and of the sciences and the humanities, and encouraging and athropocosmic outlook. Read the rest of this entry »

The approaching millennium heralds the possibility of great change. Hopefully, it will mark a major shift in worldviews, lifestyles, and social policies grounded in spirituality and sustainability. To contribute to this transformation, CRLE has joined with St. Thomas University in sponsoring an annual conference in Assisi, Italy. This issue contains excerpts from some of the major presentations at the 1996 International Conference on Spirituality and Sustainability.

An Ecologically Sensitive Spirituality, by Thomas Berry. As Saint Thomas saw so clearly: The integrity of the universe is the ultimate and noblest perfection in things. Read the rest of this entry »

Global Ethics, International Law, and The Earth Charter, by Steven C. Rockefeller. This article discusses the history, resources, need for, and development of the Earth Charter to date. It also lays out the continuing development process ending in affirmation by the United Nations and provides a copy of the “Statement of Principles” proposed to guide the Charter preparation.

Population, Poverty and Sustainable Development, by Daniel Maguire. In considering the most complex and seemingly insurmountable problems of the current age, Maguire notes that “a look at the earth, most of which is a slum, witnesses to our perverse and persistent choice of death” when we are called to dance the dance of joy on an earth we cherish. Read the rest of this entry »

Ethics and Spiritual Values and the Promotion of Environmentally Sustainable Development. Articles by James Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank, Ismail Serageldin, Vice President for Environmentally Sustainable Development, Maurice F. Strong, Secretary General of the 1992 United National Conference on Environment and Development, and John A. Hoyt, President of CRLE. Excerpted from presentations to the World Bank/CRLE cosponsored conference.

Ethical Economics and Sustainable Development, by Denis Goulet. Raising four practical/ethical questions that must be answered by efforts to provide sustainable development Read the rest of this entry »

CRLE and St. Thomas University hosted the third annual Conference on Spirituality and Sustainability in Assisi, Italy, in July of 1997. This issue presents the major papers from this conference, which explore the challenges of sustainability, and the spiritual and community responses necessary to meet these challenges..

Spirituality: Key to a Humane Society, by Donald W. Cashen. Touching the deep spirituality of noted writers from the English Romance period and philosophers who followed them, Cashen weaves a biblical, literary, and deeply spiritual journey. Read the rest of this entry »

A firm commitment on the part of all nations and peoples to a new integrated ethical vision is essential if humanity is to achieve the goal of sustainability and ensure the well being of people and the larger community of life. The objective of the Earth Charter is to give inspiring expression to the most fundamental principles of this ethical vision. This issues of “Earth Ethics” is dedicated to the Earth Charter and that vision.

The Earth Charter Benchmark Draft - Earth is our home and home to all living beings. Earth itself is alive. We are part of an interdependent community of life with a magnificent diversity of life forms and cultures. Read the rest of this entry »

The “Soul of Agriculture” project was initiated by CRLE in 1996. A major conference to develop a new production ethic for farming took place in Minneapolis in November, 1997. Paul Thompson’s keynote speech describes the framework that inspired the project. This issue includes the draft “Charter for a Shared Farming Ethic” which emerged from the conference, as well as other papers presented at the conference..

A Revitalized Production Ethic for Agriculture, by Paul B. Thompson. Proclaiming the [agricultural] “production ethic of bygone days” simply broken, the author finds the basis for identifying the weaknesses of the traditional farming world view in the world of emerging environmental ethics. Read the rest of this entry »

The Earth Charter is an integrated ethical framework to guide us toward “good” globalization and sustainable living. Developed through a ten-year worldwide consultative process, it was completed in 2000. Hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals have endorsed the Charter and are promoting its affirmation and implementation at the World Summit for Sustainable Development and beyond. This issue contains a range of background materials and reflections on the Earth Charter that can assist us in developing global Earth ethics. Read the rest of this entry »

This issue of Earth Ethics serves as the proceedings of an academic symposium entitled “Teaching for the Environment in Higher Education: The Promise of the Earth Charter.” Summary by Richard Clugston and Peter Blaze Corcoran. From May 17-19, 2002, higher education stakeholders gathered at the Chewonki Foundation in Maine for the Thomas Berry award ceremony on Friday, May 17th, and the academic symposium. The promise of the Earth Charter provides an integrated ethical vision of sustainable development, building on a broad global consultation and assisting in the articulation of a new framework for economic and social policies and practices. Read the rest of this entry »