Judaic Studies 215 - Jewish Environmental Ethics

Institution:

Dickinson College

Subject:

Description:

Since the 1960?s many writers on environmental issues have blamed our contemporary environmental crises in part on a so-called ?Judeo-Christian? worldview, rooted in the Hebrew Bible. Such writers assert that the biblical heritage shared by these two religious traditions advocates an unhealthy relationship between humanity and nature, one in which human beings are destined to conquer the earth and master it. In this course we will explore Jewish perspectives on nature and the natural world through close readings of biblical and other classical Jewish texts. Emphasizing the way ?land? figures as an important theme in classical Jewish theology, history and ritual practice, we will also examine the ways in which this motif is re-conceptualized in modern secular contexts (i.e., Zionism and the kibbutz movement). We will conclude by studying contemporary varieties of Jewish environmental advocacy. In addition to texts focused specifically on Judeo-Christian traditions, the syllabus will include other classic works of Environmental ethics foundational to the field of Environmental studies. Offered every three years in rotation with the offering of ENST 111. This course is cross-listed as RELG 215.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.dickinson.edu

Phone Number:

(717) 243-5121

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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