Idolatry, Paganism, and Trust in Nature

Abstract

Since nature is the wellspring of all life, I suggest that, in contrast to the Abrahamic view, a type of idolatry of nature is valuable to humanity, even though it need not involve perceptions of or beliefs in non-material divine beings. Indeed, a spirituality that considers nature to be intrinsically valuable and sacred and that advances kinship ethics with non-human organisms and expresses a deep sense of humility about the human place in the biosphere is growing rapidly in the world, largely outside of explicitly Pagan subcultures.