Environment, Anthropocentrism, and the Baha'is

Someone asked me recently what the Baha'i stance on the environment was. Well, the question was a little more complex than that. The question was referring to more traditional Abrahamic view of nature being created for mankind, to be mankind's dominion (see Genesis 1:28, for example (however see DeWitt (1994) for another perspective)), and also to the anthropocentric notion of having mankind in a special place in nature, be it steward or tyrant. This contrasts with more eastern notions of mankind being a part of nature, and a desire to be in harmony with it. On the other hand, there is also a school of thought that emphasises that nature exists not to be used by mankind, nor even to be incorporated with mankind, but simply for nature's own sake. So the question was really, where does the Baha'i Faith stand on all of this, is it anthropocentric, do Baha'is regard themselves as stewards over the environment, and so on.

I didn't really know the answer, which is why I'm writing this, in an attempt to find it. Although in my experience, it's often hard to answer questions like "which of these convenient labels can we apply to the Baha'i faith?", due to both the Baha'i Faith's embracing of ideas and concepts from many cultures and traditions, and also the way in which the Baha'i Faith offers a totally brand new conception of things. White (1995) calls this "a vision of fundamental global transformation that embodies a new set of principles for understanding and guiding humanity's relationship to Nature." Incidentally, in my (admittedly brief) research into this topic, I was unable to find a good resource outlining the approaches different religions have to issues relating to the environment, from a comparative perspective. Which is a shame, as it'd be an interesting read.

Dahl (1997) notes, that from the Baha'i point of view:

Humankind has a special place in the natural world. While the human body has a physical reality that is, like animals, subject to nature's laws, it is endowed with a second rational or intellectual reality, which can guide, control and overcome nature. Then there is a third human dimension, the spiritual reality, that delivers us from the material world to find illumination, transcending the limited human reality to attain to the infinitude of God.

However, he also calls for the need for society to be "reorganized on a more organic pattern", and for a real sense of "global responsibility". This approach would appear to be anthropocentric, and I agree. If you are talking about human ethics, behaviour, and society, you can't afford not to be anthropocentric. When considering nature, we have to also consider ourselves, as we are undeniably a part of nature, and we are the ones with the greatest power to effect change (be it for the better or the worse) upon nature. It should be pointed out, however, that this does not necessarily elevate humanity to a position above that of nature. The Baha'i Faith stresses greatly the divine elements in nature. Baha'u'llah writes:

Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world.
Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh. p142

On this subject, Landau (2002) writes:

Yet, while nature is seen as the repository of the many attributes of God, Bahá'ís are not pantheists. They do not worship nature or hold it in high esteem for its own sake. The natural realm exists to serve a humanity that has as its task the carrying forward of an ever-evolving divinely ordained world order that will usher in universal peace and harmony. As such, Bahá'ís believe that humanity must act as a wise steward of the natural realm, though neither nature nor humanity is at the core of the universal design. Rather, it is God.

So what does this actually mean in terms of both attitudes towards the environment, and action taken towards the environment? Let's backtrack a little and go over some principles. The Baha'i Faith believes in the essential interconnectedness of all created things; of the need for harmony between science and religion; of the fundamental unity of humanity; that the world today needs to unite if we are to solve many of the problems facing us; that nature is a reflection of the qualities and attributes of the Supreme Being, and as such should be treated with reverence and respect. Landau (2002) again writes:

Bahá'ís believe that the individual has a key role in the unfolding of a planetary system of sustainable development. Therefore, acknowledging the spiritual dimension of humanity and providing for the moral, emotional, physical and intellectual development and education of each person will be a building block toward a new vision of planetary society.

As such, Baha'is are eagerly involved in a number of environmental initiatives, from sponsoring academic conferences to carefully managing coral reef interactions to keeping environmentally-friendly centres.

I feel the need to draw this to a conclusion, but my thoughts are meandering slowly through several subjects and I'm finding it hard to realise a coherent conclusion. Perhaps it's because this subject is so vast, it's impossible to answer in a thousand words or so? Yet also, it's a very simple answer and solution. Dahl (1990) identifies the need for global unity, and also the immense task that lies before us:

The leaders and peoples of the world have finally taken stock of the mounting scientific evidence and realized that the whole planet is threatened by environmental imbalances caused by human activities. For the first time human beings are in danger, not from local or regional problems from which we can escape, but from our own world-wide impact. It is becoming increasingly clear that such global problems require global solutions. However, the form that such solutions should take and the means for applying them are still unclear.

Building a world society will require functional changes in human systems, changes which will mean further evolutionary steps in the scale, the integration and the efficiency of human communities. Creating new levels of integration in human affairs will require painstaking efforts. In particular, means must be found to give form to the need for global management of the environment. The kinds of changes required in governmental structure, economic and technological systems, and social relations are so radical as to amount to a revolution in human society. Yet as with biological revolutions, such as the development of warm-bloodedness in the first mammals, the new potential opened up by these changes will be enormous.

This is an enormous task. Yet to the Baha'is I say, "You know the solution, you have the vision, you have the guidance and you are the recipients of the spiritual power which can enable you to triumph over all adversities" (from a letter dated 17 May 1994 from the Universal House of Justice addressed to European Bahá’í Youth).

Also, have a read of this blog post on environmentalism and sustainability in the Baha'i Faith if you please. I hope you've enjoyed this post.

References
Dahl, Arthur Lyon. Unless and Until: A Bahá'í Focus on the Environment. London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1990

Dahl, Arthur Lyon. "Environmental Protection from a Bahá'í Perspective". Naturopa. 83 (1997): 14.

DeWitt, Calvin B. "Preparing the Way for Action." Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. 46 (1994): 80-89.

Landau, Richard M. "The Baha'i Faith and the Environment." Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change, Volume 5: Social and Economic Dimensions of Global Environmental Change. (eds. Tedd Munn & Peter Timmerman) New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002.

White, Robert A. "Spiritual Foundations for an Ecologically Sustainable Society." Journal of Bahá'í Studies. 7.2 (1995): 47-74.