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Towards an integral ecotheology relevant for India.

Mathew, George (1995) Towards an integral ecotheology relevant for India. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis, University of Kent. (doi:10.22024/UniKent/01.02.94514) (KAR id:94514)

Abstract

This thesis aims at bringing out the inadequacies of liberation theologies in responding to ecological challenges and evolving an integral ecotheology relevant for India. Chapter 1. delineates the present Indian theological context, influenced by liberation, dalit, and feminist theologies. It argues that 'ecology' as a central category can integrate these theologies, often found divided due to ideological differences. Chapter 2. analyses the Indian ecological context and concludes that the tribals, dalits, and women are the main victims of ecological crises. Chapter 3. argues that liberation theology needs to revise the interpretation of its paradigm and integrate the ecologically pertinent P account of exodus into its hermeneutics. Chapter 4. identifies anthropocentrism as a major pitfall of liberation theology and revises its doctrinal explications from an integral ecological perspective. Chapter 5. critiques the Marxist social analysis in liberation theology, exposing the incapability of class perspective to address ecological concerns and suggests 'ecology', which can unite the concerns of the oppressed, be taken as the umbrella category. Chapter 6. focuses on eco-feminist theology, identifying its inadequacies such as neglect of the caste factor, and a lack of emphasis on the praxiological view of the 'women-nature conflation'. Chapter 7. points out a major weakness of dalit theology, its neglect of ecological concerns. It demonstrates how a sharper exegesis can help dalit theology uncover the ecological thrusts of its paradigm, the Deuteronomic Creed. It argues that dalit theology needs to review its antagonistic attitude towards Hindu Brahminic and Gandhian strands and incorporate their rich ecological insights. Chapter 8. considers process theology as a system with potential insights to integrate the concerns of liberation theologies and ecotheology. Chapter 9. works out, by examining the emerging ecotheology, an integral ecotheology relevant for India, combining the related concerns in liberation theologies and ecotheology. This is a doctrinal formulation with distinct Indian ecotheological perspectives.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD))
DOI/Identification number: 10.22024/UniKent/01.02.94514
Additional information: This thesis has been digitised by EThOS, the British Library digitisation service, for purposes of preservation and dissemination. It was uploaded to KAR on 25 April 2022 in order to hold its content and record within University of Kent systems. It is available Open Access using a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-commercial, No Derivatives (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) licence so that the thesis and its author, can benefit from opportunities for increased readership and citation. This was done in line with University of Kent policies (https://www.kent.ac.uk/is/strategy/docs/Kent%20Open%20Access%20policy.pdf). If you feel that your rights are compromised by open access to this thesis, or if you would like more information about its availability, please contact us at ResearchSupport@kent.ac.uk and we will seriously consider your claim under the terms of our Take-Down Policy (https://www.kent.ac.uk/is/regulations/library/kar-take-down-policy.html).
Uncontrolled keywords: Liberation theology; ecology
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Culture and Languages
SWORD Depositor: SWORD Copy
Depositing User: SWORD Copy
Date Deposited: 17 May 2023 12:35 UTC
Last Modified: 17 May 2023 12:35 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/94514 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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