Buddhist environmentalist Ian Harris holds that “the emergence of eco-religiosity, a specifically religious concern for the environment, has manifest[ed] itself as a significant theme in the major religions of the late twentieth-century” (Harris, 1990). The purpose of this paper is to reveal common ground between Buddhism and Christianity that can promote healthy dialogue and mutual action to address the present ecological crisis. I have found that the Christian version of “eco-religiosity” can be summarized by three terms: 1) relatedness; 2) responsibility; and 3) redemption. After defining and offering support for these terms, I apply them to a number of Buddhist writings and demonstrate how they offer a common language that provides both ontological and material underpinnings for Buddhist and Christian environmental awareness and ethics. In doing so, I demonstrate that at least two ‘major religions’ find themselves engaged in this common and global context of ecological crisis and reach similar, constructive conclusions.
It seems that there may be a growing thread of eco-Judaism, as well. Take for example the COEJL, http://www.coejl.org/index.php.