What do you think?
Rate this book
Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future
In this innovative and deeply felt work, Bron Taylor examines the evolution of “green religions” in North America and beyond: spiritual practices that hold nature as sacred and have in many cases replaced traditional religions. Tracing a wide range of groups—radical environmental activists, lifestyle-focused bioregionalists, surfers, new-agers involved in “ecopsychology,” and groups that hold scientific narratives as sacred—Taylor addresses a central theoretical question: How can environmentally oriented, spiritually motivated individuals and movements be understood as religious when many of them reject religious and supernatural worldviews? The “dark” of the title further expands this idea by emphasizing the depth of believers' passion and also suggesting a potential shadow side: besides uplifting and inspiring, such religion might mislead, deceive, or in some cases precipitate violence. This book provides a fascinating global tour of the green religious phenomenon, enabling readers to evaluate its worldwide emergence and to assess its role in a critically important religious revolution.
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
30 people are currently reading
718 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 11, 2010
Here's a rarity — an academic book that is also a page-turner, at least for me. I couldn't put it down. This is a broad survey of an emergent global phenomenon which might be called earth worship or nature spirituality or "dark green religion." Bron Taylor defines religion broadly and looks a range of cultures and subcultures, from radical environmentalism to surfing to Disney films and many more. I was a bit disappointed that contemporary Paganism got such scant coverage — only about two and a half pages plus some scattered references. Perhaps that's because Taylor seems preoccupied with folks who don't explicitly consider themselves to be practicing "religion" in the most familiar sense of the word. The term "dark" in the title is supposed to connote a sense of potential peril, but according to the author that mostly seems to be in the eyes of Abrahamic practitioners. He hints early in the book that he might examine the potential dangers of ecofascism, but this is never really explored in depth. I suspect there may be a resonance between racism and "dark green religion," especially in Europe, that bears a closer look. But I quibble. This is a good one which I recommend to anyone interested in ecology or religion.
May 15, 2022
How will religions change as the climate crisis deepens?
Dark Green Religion explores one possibility that I'm fascinated by: the rise of a new, ecological faith. Actually, it doesn't explore so much what might emerge as probe the background for such a thing. Bron Taylor's book dives into the past two centuries to assemble the roots of a new, green religion.
The book starts with Thoreau, then branches out into other forms of nature writing, from Aldo Leopold on, teasing out passages and inferences of the numinous. Taylor then adds similar traces in ecological scholarship, pop culture, paganism, a big UNESCO conference, even surfing (!). This is valuable work, if such a religion appears.
Two issues stood out for me in my reading. First, the book is primarily focused on American culture. There are notes and gestures to other nations, notably the UNESCO meeting, but the sheer balance rests in the United States. I appreciate limitations of space - this is already a solid book - yet would like to hear more about the roots of a Gaianism from elsewhere. (There's a fascinating bit about Mikhail Gorbachev declaring himself something of a Gaian. I'd love to hear more.)
Second, the materials of this hypothetical religion are too warm and cuddly. Several times the author argues that such a faith would not be dangerous, based on its reverence for life. Alas, I'm more of a nature red in tooth and claw kind of person, and as a futurist must allow for darker possibilities. Animal or even human sacrifice, for example, are such possibilities. Terrorism is another, at least in the form of Earth First!'s direct action. At another level, there is the persistent anti-development, de-growth element within environmentalism, which could lead to a religion urging a material reduction in people's lives. I don't say these are likely, but possible. The book would benefit from taking a look at the truly darker options within its dark green religion.
Recommended.
Dark Green Religion explores one possibility that I'm fascinated by: the rise of a new, ecological faith. Actually, it doesn't explore so much what might emerge as probe the background for such a thing. Bron Taylor's book dives into the past two centuries to assemble the roots of a new, green religion.
The book starts with Thoreau, then branches out into other forms of nature writing, from Aldo Leopold on, teasing out passages and inferences of the numinous. Taylor then adds similar traces in ecological scholarship, pop culture, paganism, a big UNESCO conference, even surfing (!). This is valuable work, if such a religion appears.
Two issues stood out for me in my reading. First, the book is primarily focused on American culture. There are notes and gestures to other nations, notably the UNESCO meeting, but the sheer balance rests in the United States. I appreciate limitations of space - this is already a solid book - yet would like to hear more about the roots of a Gaianism from elsewhere. (There's a fascinating bit about Mikhail Gorbachev declaring himself something of a Gaian. I'd love to hear more.)
Second, the materials of this hypothetical religion are too warm and cuddly. Several times the author argues that such a faith would not be dangerous, based on its reverence for life. Alas, I'm more of a nature red in tooth and claw kind of person, and as a futurist must allow for darker possibilities. Animal or even human sacrifice, for example, are such possibilities. Terrorism is another, at least in the form of Earth First!'s direct action. At another level, there is the persistent anti-development, de-growth element within environmentalism, which could lead to a religion urging a material reduction in people's lives. I don't say these are likely, but possible. The book would benefit from taking a look at the truly darker options within its dark green religion.
Recommended.
June 30, 2015
Clearly aimed at the scholarly upper echelon, this work seems to find it's goal attainable by repeating Dark Green Religion several times per paragraph, introducing arcane terminology, and beating the reader over the head with it before moving on to the next OED term. I found the presentation annoying and condescending with an end result of obfuscation rather than clarity.
Kudos to the narrator for laboring to attempt to make this palatable.
I am thankful that I did not have to pay for this item
Kudos to the narrator for laboring to attempt to make this palatable.
I am thankful that I did not have to pay for this item
August 28, 2019
Really REALLY interested in the subject matter but this book got a bit unfocused more than once.
November 9, 2019
Not a bad book, or even a bad description of the general tendencies of dark green religion as Taylor names it. My issue is that Taylor just seems to find instances of "dark green religion" out in the world, and then he just points it out as if to say, "Look, it's there, obviously!" instead of letting the actors or objects speak for themselves in defining whether or not a religion around nature and "green" ideas exists. To be fair, he offers a loose definition of religion that maybe justifies some of the analysis here, but not necessarily to my taste. This was a quick, interesting, and easy read, though, and that deserves at least some commendation.
June 23, 2010
Something of a consensus has been developing world-wide that the natural world has vast intrinsic value that can best described by saying it is sacred, and many people, when they encounter the natural world in the raw, have powerful feelings that can described as ‘rellgous’ in a broad sense. Taylor’s work is a survey of the diverse forms in which these feeling of awe or reverence have begun to manifest themselves in the contemporary world, from the scientific community to, neopagans, ecofeminists, and even the surfing community.
April 7, 2019
This is , at heart, a scholarly work. As such, its format may not appeal to many readers. But the author has also made good use of anecdotes and materials that may yet be of interest. As a scholarly work, Taylor tries to present an academic distance from the subject and not fall (too much) into the role of proselytizer. I appreciated this, myself. Nonetheless, Taylor definitely has a point of view as a long-time ecology activist.
June 17, 2018
THIS BOOK. IS SO GOOD. Honestly articulated and strengthened my belief system and values in a way never accomplished by any other singular work, except possibly Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (which as it happens is quoted several times in this book). Beautiful!
October 25, 2019
I really appreciated the research done in this book that brings together all the schools of thought floating around out there with regards to our various modes of connection to nature from appreciation through reverence. For me, worshiping nature seems clearer than ever.
June 18, 2020
Through an expanded definition of religion, this book explores radical and increasing mainstream environmental culture through a religious studies lens. The movement has sacred texts, practices, and beliefs, which Taylor categorizes along two axes: spiritualism-naturalism; animism-Gaian.
December 6, 2024
Fascinating subject matter but still a bit of a slog to get through. I feel that Taylor's writing is difficult to engage with in many places. Yet this is a topic that I connect with personally and spiritually on a deep level. This book made me feel seen and gave me the words to start to describe a worldview that I've cultivated since I was little. I am very thankful for that.
This section from the Conclusion was especially resonant for me:
"But everywhere I find the same thing: people with wildly different backgrounds sharing 'dark green' perceptions and values. They may be a minority. They sometimes feel isolated and alone. But as best they can, in their own ways, and against long odds, they stand up for life."
That's me! Shoutout to this minority - I love you and I love the Earth. It's affirming to know that I am not alone in this, and neither are you :)
This section from the Conclusion was especially resonant for me:
"But everywhere I find the same thing: people with wildly different backgrounds sharing 'dark green' perceptions and values. They may be a minority. They sometimes feel isolated and alone. But as best they can, in their own ways, and against long odds, they stand up for life."
That's me! Shoutout to this minority - I love you and I love the Earth. It's affirming to know that I am not alone in this, and neither are you :)
January 11, 2024
"We long to escape death, so we reject the mortal body and its communication with the world around it and search for abstract, eternal knowledge. But science—as well as our myths—tell us where immortality lies: it lies in the world we belong to, in the matter we are made from" - David Suzuki, Sacred Balance
January 25, 2024
An engaging survey of nature religion from an academic POV.
November 28, 2015
An interesting read on looking at our planet and environment in terms of ecological awareness. Perhaps the only qualm I have with this book is that it is written from a rather academic perspective, making much of the terminology a bit inaccessible for the average reader. But the topic, on the other hand, is on target and on-point. In changing the mindset of people throughout the entire planet towards one of conserving what we have, preserving it for the future sustainability of life on this planet - the language used within is sometimes blunt and to the point, but very necessary, in my opinion. Dark Green Religion is embodied in a single quote that Taylor borrows from David Suzuki: "Go out into nature....Feel the rain and wind on your face, smell the fragrance of the soil and ocean, gaze at the spectacle of the myriad of stars in clear air or countless animals making their annual migration. Doing so will rekindle that sense of wonder and excitement we all had as children discovering the world and will engender a feeling of peace and harmony at being in balance with the natural world that is our home. Nature is not our enemy, it is our home; in fact, it sustains us and is in every one of us. All living things are our relatives and belong with us in the biosphere."
One of the more endearing moments in the book, was where I stumbled upon a lovely discussion of Disney's Animal Kingdom, particularly the discussion on the gigantic sculpture that dominates this part of the Disney Park system in Florida: The Tree of Life. I was there just two years ago, and found my time in this part of the Disney theme parks to be one of the most enjoyable days of my entire vacation. A secondary discussion concerning Captain Planet and the Planeteers was a small moment of reconnecting with a part of my childhood that I remember being influential on the Pagan practices I have today.
There is a lot more information to take in - from those that pioneered the movement that Taylor describes to even more radical elements. All of these help to define parts of what Taylor calls "Dark Green Religion"...and which is parsed into separate descriptives as well. All in all, its an interesting several steps into an area where environmentalism, ecology, and spirituality all intersect.
One of the more endearing moments in the book, was where I stumbled upon a lovely discussion of Disney's Animal Kingdom, particularly the discussion on the gigantic sculpture that dominates this part of the Disney Park system in Florida: The Tree of Life. I was there just two years ago, and found my time in this part of the Disney theme parks to be one of the most enjoyable days of my entire vacation. A secondary discussion concerning Captain Planet and the Planeteers was a small moment of reconnecting with a part of my childhood that I remember being influential on the Pagan practices I have today.
There is a lot more information to take in - from those that pioneered the movement that Taylor describes to even more radical elements. All of these help to define parts of what Taylor calls "Dark Green Religion"...and which is parsed into separate descriptives as well. All in all, its an interesting several steps into an area where environmentalism, ecology, and spirituality all intersect.
June 6, 2014
I will have to read this comprehensive and scholarly book again. It has caused me to contemplate some complex paradoxes regarding certain sports I love and their affect on the environment. The ecological impact and carbon footprint left by so many of my beloved sports is immense and disturbing. Bron Taylor examines the evolution of Green Religion in America along with our spiritual connection to nature as sacred and fundamental to our collective evolution. We all love the outdoors and joy of experiencing play and sport in nature. I am now motivated to become more involved in environmental activism. I have a deep love for the mountains and the numerous activities available to residents. I want to play and fill my spirit with the sacred Flow experience of sport and play in the wilderness. If I want to enjoy these experiences I must step up my stewardship and responsibility for preservation of those balanced ecosystems. Certain thrills and adrenaline rides that have inspired my way of life will need to be reevaluated. I would like to think I am adopting a more minimalist lifestyle. I must find my Flow States in more harmony with ecology and my spiritual connection to Nature. After watching this program I am planning an early 2013 fall camping trip to Yosemite. Off Season ~ 10 full days of absorbing the healing and generative powers of this majestic monastery. I want to feel a shred of the great Mystery that John Muir experienced their. http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/
June 21, 2015
I received this audio book as a gift for the purpose of me listening to it an writing a honest and unbiased review.
This subject is both interesting &and informative. This author discusses many different forms of religion , both past and present, many of which I never even knew existed. Religions such as Green Religion and Dark Green Religion and so on. How nature relates with these religions and who has done these religions past and present. Also how these religions fit in with past, present and future of our planet and what these religions do for our planet.
The author, Bron Taylor does a good job of explaining things. He ventures into many different areas, all of which are new to me. I am not a religious person, yet I found it fascinating that there are so many religions out there. The narrator, Jack Chekijian, does a really good job delivering all this information. He reminds me of the narration on the Discovery Channel. I finished this book yesterday, but just now getting around to writing my review.
This subject is both interesting &and informative. This author discusses many different forms of religion , both past and present, many of which I never even knew existed. Religions such as Green Religion and Dark Green Religion and so on. How nature relates with these religions and who has done these religions past and present. Also how these religions fit in with past, present and future of our planet and what these religions do for our planet.
The author, Bron Taylor does a good job of explaining things. He ventures into many different areas, all of which are new to me. I am not a religious person, yet I found it fascinating that there are so many religions out there. The narrator, Jack Chekijian, does a really good job delivering all this information. He reminds me of the narration on the Discovery Channel. I finished this book yesterday, but just now getting around to writing my review.
January 7, 2012
Am not so sure that he makes a convincing case for biophilia as religion and most definitely he does not justify the "darkness" in his nomenclature but his historical survey of the development of environmentalism from the perspective of its spiritual dimensions is a great review of developments. And I applaud his effort at constructing an essay on the spirituality of surfing. Again, I did not get the sense that it is definitive but this chapter alone should make the book useful in coastal academic libraries where, in my experience, students do want to explore this topic. The book's references and bibliography are very comprehensive and will serve future investigators well as a goldmine for more work in this interesting subject area. PS I am no expert opinion, just an interested reader who thinks the attempt to tie all this material together is fascinating and the book rewarding.
January 18, 2016
Scholarly approach to nature-focused groups in the US, including those that are involved in structured eco-action-oriented groups. These are not the ones that immediately come to mind, such as druidry, heathenism, or the like, and in seeing some of these trends with various thinkers and authors whose works were quoted, I feel my horizon in this area is now broader. In many ways this text explored nature groups whose members have a political and social action perspective, and in doing so I found some of my own beliefs questioned and challenged. The author took a scholarly approach, and did NOT advocate on behalf of these groups, rather explaining their origins and directions. Overall, I recommend this book for those who want to read and learn more.
September 1, 2014
Taylor's book is a scholarly investigation in the rise of nature spirituality and its impact on the world, ranging from environmental activists to participants in UN summits. The author outlines the emergence of this spontaneous phenomenon which at times is hard to disentangle and to identify, though he is attentive to the vocabulary of the movement inherent to many speeches, novels, films, media campaigns and more. As a pantheist I approached this book with different expectations; however, it reassured me on the enduring influence that Earth-centred spirituality can have on the course of human history.
April 20, 2015
Terrific, surprisingly relevant book with an engaging tone that I use as a source in my upcoming book "Solar's Crucible: Vegas, Fraud & the Story of Energy." Environmentalism may in fact be a religion, Bron Taylor argues, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Dominion vs. stewardship in science AND religion, materialism vs. spirituality... These are urgent questions, especially with all the Big Data arguments about assumptions, variables... Values help determine those. If you're interested in better understanding climate change, renewable energy, population, and sustainability that's more about synthesis and understanding,less about polarization and polemics, give "DGR" a read.
January 5, 2016
This was a very long book that basically breaks down to...every culture has religion that is earth based.Due to the American Indian tribes being so hard to break into and learn their teachings,Mr Taylor went to learn Asian cultures and their earth based /body based attitudes and religions.Jack Cheikijan does a fine job narrating,but I found the repetition and long winded explainations tedious and boring.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
March 16, 2021
All I remember is Disney movies, ents and surfing. I intend on re-reading this. I hope to see a cultural evolution (see Cultural Evolution: People's Motivations are Changing, and Reshaping the World) perspective on the dark green religion, and psychological perspectives too.
February 14, 2022
A really interesting book, with a comprehensive bibliography (which however overlooked some possibly relevant books, like Alister McGrath's "The Reenchantment of Nature", which has been published seven years early). Sometimes the author gets very personal and the text loses focus, but this does not diminish the overall interest of the book. A must read for anyone really interested in Mother Nature and our best relationships with Her.
August 25, 2011
Well, I'm biased, of course, but don't take my word for it being worth the read, see the supplemental materials, including all the published reviews (including about my other books), at my website: brontaylor.com
Read
August 18, 2012new
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews