This symposium presents and discusses various interdisciplinary and interreligious perspectives on new (and old) forms of religion that consider nature as sacred. Such new religious form go by the name of 'ecodelic religiosity': forms of religiosity that aim to bring to light and embody our inherent embeddedness in ecological systems. 

Speakers will discuss such ecodelic religiosity as an example of the contemporary transformations of religiosity in the West. The morning focuses on philosophical approaches to sacred nature and ecodelic religiosity. In the afternoon, empirical and theological perspectives will be explored. 

Morning program: Philosophical Perspectives on Ecodelic Religiosity

• 11.00 Introduction by the moderator (André van der Braak)
• 11.10 André van der Braak (Comparative Philosophy of Religion): The Rise of Dark Green Religion and Ecodelic Religiosity
• 11.30 Angela Roothaan (Intercultural Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities): Indigenous, Modern and Postcolonial Relations to Nature
• 11.50 Yolande Jansen (Humanism and Religion) Latour’s Gaia and Malcolm Ferdinand’s ‘Ayiti’
• 12.10 Interview with the moderator and Q&A with the room
• 12.30 Book Presentation: Climate Change, Radical Uncertainty and Hope | Amsterdam University Press
• 12.40 Lunch

Afternoon program: Empirical and Theological Perspectives

• 13.30 Christa Anbeek (Remonstrant Seminary) & Elpine de Boer (Psychology of Religion, Leiden University): Experiences of Oneness involving Nature
• 13.50 Gijsbert van den Brink (Theology): Sacred Nature from a Christian Perspective
• 14.10 Annette Kemp (Religious Studies): Sacred Nature from a Pagan Perspective
• 14.30 Panel Discussion
• 14.45 Q&A with the room
• 15.00 Close

More info and registration

Registration for this event is closed.

If you have a question or want to receive more information, please contact expertisecentrum.frt@vu.nl.

The symposium is organized by the research group 'Transformations of Religiosity' at the Faculty of Religion and Theology. It not only aims to explore religious perspectives on sacred nature, but also to bring together different scholars from the Vrije Universiteit working in the field of sustainability and climate change, to create new connections for future collaboration.

Other activities of the Month of Sacred Nature

• 13 March: The Existential Dimensions of Climate Anxiety (student event)
• 30 March: On Sacred Nature: Karen Armstrong, Pim Martens and Mark Verkerk (public event)
• 15 April: Fragile Earth: A Mass for the Universe (public event / performance)

Photo: EMS FILMS / Onder het Maaiveld