Nature's Cathedral

The Union of Theology and Ecology in the Writings of John Muir

Abstract

John Muir has strongly impacted the environmental movement since he penned his works during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While the Scottish-born naturalist is well-known for his rugged individualism, the driving force behind his thought and efforts was his connection with the Divine. Muir inherited a seeking soul from his devoutly Reformist father, Daniel. The younger Muir, however, would end his principal inspiration in the gospel of nature. A foray into industry convinced Muir that the stain of civilization blinds us to this original scripture. Muir spoke of a distinct correlation between humanity’s spiritual ills and the destruction of the natural world, and suggested an extension of the Christian ethic to all creatures. In his various travelogues, he offers an illuminating vision of the God of nature, and humanity’s position in relation to both Creator and creation.