Religious perspectives on ecology examined

Despite hopes that a multi-faith dialogue on religious perspectives concerning the environment would attract a large turnout, attendance at Sunday's event proved disappointing. "We are at a university of 20,000 people and only a few are present," said College freshman and student organizer Miriam Yondorf. Approximately 35 students and faculty members attended the conference, entitled "For the Love of Creation: Religious Perspectives on Ecology." The event, which was held in Houston Hall, brought together speakers representing Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions. Rabbi Arthur Waskow, the Rev. Hal Taussig and Imam Hakim Amir described how their respective religions understand the natural world and why the present ecological crisis is a moral and religious problem. First-year Religious Studies graduate student Alan Lowenschuss, who assisted with the coordination and planning of the conference from its inception, said he hoped the conference would "bring to the Penn and broader community's awareness that the environment is a religious issue." "We have this environmental crisis today because of a spiritual crisis, because of misunderstanding our real relation to nature," Lowenschuss added. College junior Afsaan Saleem, who served as student moderator, said the purpose of the conference was to challenge the view that man has free reign over the environment. "Religion doesn't necessarily have to be the path which almost serves as justification for exploiting or hurting the environment," Saleem explained. Wharton and Engineering freshman Steve Blum, who helped organize the event, affirmed the link between ecology and religious faith. "The environment is inherently a religious topic. I personally believe that it was given by God, and is the most tangible manifestation of God," Blum said. "So if we're not respecting a manifestation of God, then we're not respecting God." College junior Shabeer Abubucker, another planner of the event, serves as president of the Muslim Student Association. "It's very important that the Penn community become aware that there needs to be a sense of spirituality in our lives," Abubucker said. Preliminary discussions about the conference began when Penn Hillel Foundation Program Associate Amy Meltzer learned of funds available from the Coalition on the Environment in Jewish Life. The event's organizers decided to utilize the money for the interfaith dialogue on the environment. "Students who are interested in the environment can begin to see the spiritual side of it, and those who are religious will see the connection with the environment," Meltzer said. Waskow, director of the Shalom Center, which is a division of the Alliance for Jewish Renewal, discussed the relationship between man and nature according to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible and one of the holiest Jewish texts. "Human beings haven't been taking a rest," he said. "The only time American cities make Shabbat is during blizzards." Taussig, who serves as minister of the Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church, began by asking for forgiveness for the harm Christianity has brought to the environment. "Christianity focused more on the process of redemption than the process of creation," he said. "It's almost a contradiction in terms that Christians think about ecology." Taussig emphasized the "reign of God" as a theme of Jesus' teachings. Amir, a Philadelphia resident and a member of the Nation of Islam, quoted from the Koran to emphasize his message. "One of the underlying tenets of Islamic thought is that God maintains total and complete control," Amir said. A question and answer period followed the three speeches. College junior Owen Farbman said he attended the conference to learn more about the correlation between religious tradition and ecology. "It's important to start with college students, when we're still forming our values," Farbman said. "If people associate the environment with religion, then awareness becomes a daily part of life." The Christian Association, Connaissance, Hillel, the Muslim Student Association and the Penn Environmental Group co-sponsored Sunday's event. Attempting to cross religious boundaries, Waskow challenged the conference's attendees to preserve the environment. "You can't just use the environment, because it doesn't last for all generations," he said. "The wisdom of the past is the wisdom for the future."