PhD Scholar

Exploring the 'greening' of mainstream religion in Australia.

E-mail: Steve.Douglas@anu.edu.au

The research tests the assertion that 'greened' religions are a major part of the solution to the ecological crisis because they are the only cultural vehicles that can drive the necessarily radical personal and societal changes. My case study is the 3 largest Christian denominations in Australia. Their ecological policies and practices are primarily researched using the Internet, supplemented by information from parties involved in policy-making and implementation.

Most of the proponents of the notion that 'greened' religion is the answer to the ecocrisis are other than Australian. When the proposition is tested in Australia, I find that the 3 largest Churches are undergoing an 'ecological conversion' and have produced ecological policies. However, implementation is very patchy, very recent, and is best developed at the fringes of the institutions. Despite the rhetoric, the evidence indicates that the Churches have not made ecological concerns 'core business' at an institutional level.