Theology and Climate Change

Paul Tyson is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Queensland. His scholarship works across the sociology of knowledge and philosophical theology. He has particular interests in science and religion, and in the political implications of culturally embedded beliefs and practices. His recent books include Kierkegaard's Theological Sociology (2019), and Seven Brief Lessons on Magic (2019).

• Introduction: On Science, Religion and Politics; 1 Theology and Climate Change: an Australian Case-Study and the Lynn White Thesis; Part 1: Part One: Could Theology be the Primary Cause of Climate Change?; 2 On Theology; 3 The Pre-conditions of the West’s Progressive Dominion Theology; 4 Progressive Dominion Theology; Part 2: Towards a Christian Theological Solution for the Western Global; 5 Contemporary Christian Theologies of Nature and Climate Change; 6 Contemporary Christian Theologies of Nature and Climate Change; 7 Climate Change and Political Theology; Bibliography

"This is a truly valuable book. Dr Paul Tyson’s Theology and Climate Change delves deeper into the heart of the matter than most treatments of the subject — not only by sketching the different rival theologies of nature at play, not only by pointing out how political these theologies are (be they secular or religious), but most importantly by putting the subject in a context often overlooked: that of the implicit ubiquity of theology as first philosophy. Dr Tyson highlights the philosophical underpinnings of developments in intellectual history, as now embedded in our very way of life, that are centralmost to the genuinely politically hard problems of adequately addressing our ecological crisis. This book should be illuminating and helpful to both Christians grappling with their own theologies of nature in our times, and to environmentalists of no Christian commitments who have never really considered how politically important a serious appreciation of the theological roots of the present crisis really is."Dr Sotiris Mitralexis, University of Winchester"I found this an engaging and engaged work that multiply illuminates the inseparability of theology and pressing questions of climate change. Paul Tyson offers us a deeply thoughtful and informative reflection on these questions, and at different levels. He does so in relation to old and new theological resources, as well as in relation to current discussions and contemporary controversies. It is written in a voice that will provoke thought in the non-specialist, as well as meeting exacting demands made by the more specialized. It is an impressive essay on the theological dimensions of ecology, in a manner that expands the voice of theology and insightfully includes ecological concerns within the amplitude of a greater mindfulness. Tyson’s work offers us a balance of theological finesse and ecological acumen, with a presiding voice not devoid of salutary common sense. His impressively thoughtful voice is both accessible and penetrating. Warmly recommended." William Desmond, David Cook Chair in Philosophy, Villanova University, USA, Thomas A.F. Kelly Visiting Chair in Philosophy, Maynooth University, Ireland, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven, Belgium