Religion and Ecology is a relatively new field of study that has
developed over a period of time. Within the last 20 years, it has seen
more rapid development and garnered a great deal of interest and
attention. In his book Ecology and Religion, David Kinsley
describes the convergence of the two areas as (1) philosophical,
theoretical, or structural, and (2) moral, ethical, or spiritual. Kinsley
uses the term ecological spirituality to further define this area
as ethical, moral, or religious tendencies relating to ecological
issues. Great strides have been made in acknowledging that
this is a credible and important academic and cultural area of study, and
it is now being recognized as an academic field. Some academic
institutions offer specialized studies through the departments of religion
and anthropology, as well as in other academic programs. This article
offers an explanation of the various aspects of the emerging field of
Religion and Ecology (note that more attention will be paid to
Christianity).