Thomas Berry Knihy

Thomas Berry (1913-2009) je jeden z nejvýznamnějších kulturních historiků naší doby; katolický kněz, historik a „ekoteolog“ patří mezi nejinspirativnější ekologické myslitele 20. století. Podrobně analyzoval povahu odcizení kultury a spirituality Západu. Inspirován Giambattistou Vicem, Carlem G. Jungem a Teilhardem de Chardin rozvinul společně s kosmologem Brianem Swimmem evoluční kosmologii „nového příběhu“, spojující vědu a spiritualitu, která lidstvo, přírodu a kosmos pojímá jako jednu společnou mnohotvárnou evoluční událost. Touto kosmologií otevřel pro lidstvo perspektivu nové „ekozoické doby“ jako éry jednoho integrálního společenství života. Tato kniha je jeho klíčovým a zásadním příspěvkem k ekologickému myšlení: ukazuje, že pro uskutečnění velkého díla trvale udržitelného života potřebujeme hlubokou proměnu čtyř základních oblastí: politického a právního řádu; hospodářství a průmyslu, oblasti vzdělávání a konečně i náboženství.

This landmark work, first published by Sierra Club Books in 1988, has established itself as a foundational volume in the ecological canon. In it, noted cultural historian Thomas Berry provides nothing less than a new intellectual–ethical framework for the human community by positing planetary well–being as the measure of all human activity. Drawing on the wisdom of Western philosophy, Asian thought, and Native American traditions, as well as contemporary physics and evolutionary biology, Berry offers a new perspective that recasts our understanding of science, technology, politics, religion, ecology, and education. He shows us why it is important for us to respond to the Earth's need for planetary renewal, and what we must do to break free of the "technological trance" that drives a misguided dream of progress. Only then, he suggests, can we foster mutually enhancing human–Earth relationships that can heal our traumatized global biosystem.

Exploring the intersection of environmental concerns and moral values, this book connects the Christian concept of "sacrament" with "commons," emphasizing the importance of local natural environments and communities. It argues that these shared spaces foster respect and compassion, highlighting the potential for spiritual engagement with the environment. Through this lens, it encourages readers to view environmental stewardship as a sacred responsibility intertwined with community ethics.

A leading scholar, cultural historian, and Catholic priest who spent more than fifty years writing about our engagement with the Earth, Thomas Berry possessed prophetic insight into the rampant destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of species. In this book he makes a persuasive case for an interreligious dialogue that can better confront the environmental problems of the twenty-first century. These erudite and keenly sympathetic essays represent Berry's best work, covering such issues as human beings' modern alienation from nature and the possibilities of future, regenerative forms of religious experience. Asking that we create a new story of the universe and the emergence of the Earth within it, Berry resituates the human spirit within a sacred totality.

Thomas Berry is one of the most eminent cultural historians of our time. Here he presents the culmination of his ideas and urges us to move from being a disrupting force on the Earth to a benign presence. This transition is the Great Work -- the most necessary and most ennobling work we will ever undertake. Berry's message is not one of doom but of hope. He reminds society of its function, particularly the universities and other educational institutions whose role is to guide students into an appreciation rather than an exploitation of the world around them. Berry is the leading spokesperson for the Earth, and his profound ecological insight illuminates the path we need to take in the realms of ethics, politics, economics, and education if both we and the planet are to survive.

In this collection of interviews, Derrick Jensen discusses the destructive dominant culture with ten people who have devoted their lives to undermining it. Whether it is Carolyn Raffensperger and her radical approach to public health, or Thomas Berry on perceiving the sacred; be it Kathleen Dean Moore reminding us that our bodies are made of mountains, rivers, and sunlight; or Vine Deloria asserting that our dreams tell us more about the world than science ever can, the activists and philosophers interviewed in How Shall I Live My Life? each bravely present a few of the endless forms that resistance can and must take.

The story explores the lives of two boys, shaped by overprotective yet neglectful parents who prioritized their careers over family. Growing up in a digitally saturated environment, they find solace in their church, where a manipulative priest introduces them to complex sexual experiences. This tumultuous relationship fosters a deep bond between the boys, evolving from childhood into adulthood, as they navigate the challenges of love and longing amidst their isolation and the pressures of their upbringing.

Tom Hayden, a founder of SDS, member of the Chicago Seven, and longtime progressive California legislator--presents an impassioned plea for reclaiming our spiritual bond with the Earth. Hayden makes a persuasive case for retrieving that older world view by taking a fresh look at the core traditions and early teachings of Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism.

Seit Jahren das Standardwerk der Tiefenökologie, ist dieses Buch nun endlich in deutscher Übersetzung erhältlich. Thomas Berry verbindet auf einzigartige Weise seinen wissenschaftlichen Hintergrund mit seiner spirituellen Sichtweise des Lebens und entwickelt eine Vision eines zukunftsfähigen Zusammenlebens auf dieser Erde, die Ökologie, soziales Engagement, Politik, Erziehung und Spiritualität umfasst. Er spricht auf ergreifende Weise vom Wunder unserer Welt, bezeichnet unseren Planeten als den „Garten des Universums“ und ermutigt uns der Erde in einer Weise des gegenseitigen Segnens zu begegnen. Berry tritt den Herausforderungen unserer Zeit mit einem mitfühlenden, weiten Herzen und einem großen Optimismus entgegen, untersucht scharfsinnig die kulturellen Gründe für unser oft ausbeuterisches Verhalten, plädiert in berührender Sprache für eine nachhaltige Gemeinschaft mit allem Lebendigen und wendet sich in großer Klarheit gegen die Vorstellung eines cartesianischen Maschinenuniversums. Dieses Buch kann wahrlich unsere Art zu leben verändern!