Tro om miljö: En studie av miljöetiska förhållningssätt i svenska kyrkosamfund

Abstract

One of the important aspects of sustainable development is the ethical dimension. By providing ethical frameworks and worldviews, religious ideas are central for shaping the way we think and act in relation to nature and environmental issues (Stenmark, 2000:18). The aim of this study is therefore to explore the different environmental ethical approaches that are conveyed among Christian denominations in Sweden, and how these relate to the type of environmental engagement that is encouraged and considered self-evident. Three congregations are included in the study: Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan), Uniting Church in Sweden (Equmeniakyrkan) and the Pentecostal Church in Sweden (Pingst – fria församlingar i samverkan). Ideal types of theological environmental ethics are constructed based on previous research (Kearns, 1996; Peifer, Ecklund & Fullerton, 2014) and used to analyze empirical material in form of texts and informant interviews. The result shows that a variety of environmental ethic approaches are salient within Christian community in Sweden, and that these construct different subjects in relation to the environment, creating limits and possibilities for environmental engagement and action. The conclusion is that further research is needed to deepen the understanding of different environmental ethical perspectives within Christian communities in Sweden and globally, and how it relates to local and global churches’ engagement and involvement regarding environmental issues and sustainable development.