Earthkeeping and Character: Book Review

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) and Francis Schaeffer’s Pollution and the Death of Man (Tyndale, 1970) awakened many of us to realize our responsibility to care for the Earth.  Since that time environmental issues like climate change and pollution have captured the headlines and attracted the attention of government policymakers.  Still, skeptics wonder if many who speak loudly on behalf of the environment have personally adopted environmentally friendly lifestyles.

A recent longitudinal study by M.P. Hall and colleagues at the University of Michigan surveyed people who “talked the talk” about climate change to determine if they actually “walked the walk” with lifestyles that promote environmental sustainability.  The study, entitled “Believing in Climate Change, But Not Behaving Sustainably,” found that those claiming to be “Highly Concerned” about climate change were more likely to support government climate policies than those who were “Skeptical.”  However, these same individuals were less likely to have adopted sustainable lifestyles than those claiming to be “Skeptical of Climate Change.”

The University of Michigan study appears to have exposed an ethic that rests on “do as I say, but don’t do what I do.”  If this is true, it may explain why government policymakers and activists have only limited influence on whether or not the average American chooses to adopt an Earth-friendly lifestyle.  Perhaps we should be asking, “What is the most effective approach to influencing a person’s beliefs and value systems?”  Or, “How can we effectively challenge and if necessary alter the environmental ethic which governs a person’s lifestyle choices and actions?

Why Should We Care about the Earth?
Steven Bouma-Prediger, professor of reformed theology at Hope College, and author of Earthkeeping and Character:  Exploring a Christian Ecological Virtue Ethic (Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI), provides an excellent survey of the ethical systems which justify human valuing of planet Earth.  In fact, if I were still teaching environmental ethics, I would make Bouma-Prediger’s thoughtful, scholarly treatment of the discipline one of my required readings.  However, the author’s purpose for readers goes beyond simply learning about environmental ethics.  His aim is to inspire readers to integrate “Earthkeeping” into the very fabric of who they are with respect to their character and values.

Most of us tend to respond to environmental issues in one of several ways.  Some choose to ignore or deny their importance.  Others “talk the talk” about caring for the environment, but show little interest in changing their lifestyle or participating in social action.  Finally, there are some who actually demonstrate by their lifestyle and political activism that they care about the Earth.  These environmentally conscious individuals are motivated either by a sense of duty toward the Earth; or, by a fear of the consequences of not caring for Earth.  Prof. Bouma-Prediger explains that the latter two motivations represent two principal ethical systems:  duty ethics (deontology) and consequentialist ethics (teleology).

Both deontological and consequentialist ethics justify making the decision to move beyond “talking the talk” to taking action to care for the Earth.  In Chapter 1, “Mapping the Territory,” Bouma-Prediger provides a detailed summary of both of these ethical systems.  Then, he points out that both duty ethics and consequentialist ethics “have one thing in common: each theory assumes that ethics, at its roots, is about doing and not being, primarily about conduct and not character.”  But this begs the question:  Is there an ethical system with roots that reach down deeper than the level of out conduct—an ethic rooted in our character?  Bouma-Prediger thinks so; and, he makes his case in this book.

Ecological Virtue Ethics
Earthkeeping and Character showcases an environmental ethic that is rooted in a third ethical tradition in the western world—a virtue ethic.  Virtue ethics probes to depths that are deeper than our words and deeds, reaching down to the very wellspring of our being—to our disposition, our character, whether virtuous or otherwise.  A virtuous person expresses certain praiseworthy character traits that flow out of an inner disposition that has been cultivated over time and that predisposes the person to respond in a certain way.  Bouma-Prediger lists eight virtues in pairs, one pair in each of four chapters as follows:
Chapter 2:  Wonder and Humility
Chapter 3:  Self-Control and Wisdom
Chapter 4:  Justice and Love
Chapter 5:  Courage and Hope

The author explains that each of the above praiseworthy character traits applies in many areas of life.  However, when we recognize that humans are only a small part of a complex web of life, then these same virtues can become what he calls ecological virtues.  That is, a virtue ethic becomes an ecological virtue ethic when we replace an anthropocentric (human-centered) view of our place on Earth with an ecological view. 

An ecological view of life convicts us that no part of the web of life is devoid of moral significance and value.  For example, a person who has cultivated the ecological virtues of wonder and humility will possess a “settled disposition to stand in rapt attention and amazement at the presence of something awe-inspiring, mysterious, or novel.”

Perhaps most insightfully, Earthkeeping and Character challenges readers to cultivate love as an ecological virtue.  But how do we come to love a sandhill crane or an old growth forest ecosystem?  Bouma-Prediger explains that ecological virtues are cultivated over long periods of time through stories, family experiences and traditions, or exemplary people we know or read about in the literature. 

Personally, I learned to love trees, wildflowers, and birds through spending time with my father and then, biology professors who demonstrated their love for these creatures.  Then, like Bouma-Prediger, I was introduced to the writings of lovers of nature like Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold.  Like the author, I was impressed how Leopold possessed a deep love for the entire land community.  Leopold expressed this love in his essay, “The Land Ethic:”

…we can be ethical only in relation to something that we can see, feel, understand, love, or otherwise have faith in.  It is inconceivable to me that an ethical relation to land can exist without love, respect, and admiration for the land and a high regard for its value.

Christian Ecological Virtue Ethics
We have summarized Bouma-Prediger’s justification for drilling deeply into ethical tradition to employ virtue ethics; and then drawing upon ecology to justify broadening the scope of the ethic to include the entire breadth of the physical world around us.  But the author includes one more dimension to enrich his environmental ethic; namely, the Judeo-Christian teachings and historical faith traditions.  The book’s subtitle aptly names the ethic it describes as a “Christian Ecological Virtue Ethic.”

Readers, especially those who have little or no background in Christianity, will appreciate Bouma-Prediger’s humble and polite invitation.  He invites us as “dear readers” to “Explore” a Christian ecological virtue ethic with him while recognizing that we may not all share his faith commitment.  With this polite invitation, extended with warmth, humility, and respect, the author reveals his own virtuous heart—one whom readers may wish to hear, know personally, and even emulate as an example.

Although Bouma-Prediger’s invitation to explore a Christian ecological ethic is warm and respectful, Earthkeeping and Character does not dismiss the reality that “the world is not the way it is supposed to be.”  Ecological virtues are continually at odds with human vices which the Bible explains are the result of our rebellion and alienation “from God, other humans, ourselves, and the Earth.”  Bouma-Prediger explains the implications of this alienation as follows:

Though we are not God, we all too often think and act as if we were. Given the limitations of our knowledge and power, we must be circumspect and exercise forethought. Given our stubborn unwillingness to admit such limitations, we must strive to be honest and be willing to be held accountable for our actions."

This humble and biblical conviction, so well articulated by Bouma-Prediger, is the basic foundation for Christian environmental stewardship and Earthkeeping. It also provides an ethic necessary for what we have called "good science."

Personally, I believe Earthkeeping and Character will challenge you as it has me to realize that coming to know and love our Creator God can be greatly enriched when we diligently seek to know, love, and keep His creation.  Virtue ethics argues forcefully that we cannot separate these two loves.  Nor can we love our neighbor as ourself if we do not love the soil, the water, the air, and biodiversity that sustains the life of our neighbor.  Reading  Earthkeeping and Character will inspire you to love God, love His creation, and love your neighbor—three loves that are an integral part of becoming more like Christ our Creator who desires to produce His virtuous life and purposes within us.

Do You Have An Earthkeeping Story?
How would you describe your current “environmental ethic?”  Have you adopted habits of conserving energy and resources as part of your lifestyle?   If so, what values drive your choices?  Recall from this book review that the author points out that ecological virtues are cultivated over long periods of time through stories, family experiences and traditions, or exemplary people we know or read about in the literature.  I hope you can relate to this “cultivation process” and are willing to share your story of how your ecological virtues have begun to develop and continue today.   Thank you for reading and responding below in “Comments.”  You may also contact me at silviusj@gmail.com

Additional Reading:
Silvius, J.E.  2007.  Creation Care and Christian Character:  Beyond Fear of Consequences to Responsibility and Moral Virtues.  Creation Care (Summer): pp. 7-9.   See online article HERE.