Publication details
From Steward to Sibling : The Future of Environmental Metaphors
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Communio Viatorum |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://web.etf.cuni.cz/ETFN-578.html |
| Keywords | environmental theology; environmental metaphors; Christocentrism; stewardship |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This article attempts to answer the following question: What is the role of environmental metaphors in Christian theology? On the one hand, these metaphors which seek to express a proper human attitude toward nature have been criticised by some scholars because of their assumed anthropocentric or patriarchal character. On the other hand, they have been accepted by others quite uncritically. One of the major problems connected with environmental metaphors is their varied theological use. Different scholars understand them differently, and this leads to diverse practical conclusions. This article analyses theological interpretations of environmental metaphors in their variety and comes to a threefold conclusion or suggestion: first, environmental metaphors should be grounded in Christology so as to be less ambiguous; second, environmental metaphors cannot be replaced by a purely conceptual language or reduced to one or more dominant metaphors; and third, environmental metaphors are useful not only because of their orientating and motivational value, but also because they enrich and critique one another. |