Complementary Ecologies of Being: Quakerism and Buddhism as Exemplars of a Planetist Analogical Imagination

Abstract

In the face of burgeoning environmental crises in the Anthropocene Age, this paper explores ecological perspectives within Buddhism and Quakerism. These two religious traditions reflect a planetist ethic by emphasizing environmental stewardship in both their canonical writings and their religious structures and practices. Conceptually, this paper contrasts these traditions to the “economism” ethic developed by John Cobb. Through tenets that include simplicity, reverence for nature, and honoring the interconnectedness of life, Buddhism and Quakerism promote environmentally conscious behavior. Across these religious traditions, that compassion and healing can be a path forward in the face of ego-based environmental consumption. In exploring these two religious traditions that have more developed ecological threads, this paper considers sustainable environmental ethics in the Anthropocene Age.