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Religious Naturalism

Taking Nature to Heart

Why Become A Religious Naturalist?

Grounded in the sciences, the humanities, and the arts Religious Naturalism offers a worldview in which oppotunities exist for living effectively and sustainably in the world.

HOPE for The Future

Because the Religious Naturalist orientation is grounded in a scientific understanding of interrelatedness and interdependence our values tend to fall in line with these principles. We are drawn to values such as sustainability, cooperation, compassion, contribution, resiliency, and so on. Since these values are in accordance with the workings of natural world actions taken based on them may be more likely to succeed than those taken in ignorance or in spite of them. 

Working with these values in mind and in collaboration with others we feel we can contribute to building a more sustainable and humane world.

CONNECTION to Nature and Each Other

Religious Naturalists recognize the interconnectedness of living things – with each other and with the environment. We realize that we are embedded in nature and exist in complex webs of interdependent relationships. We know that we are not alone in this world but are participants with all life forms and the environment in a unified, dynamic, living  system. 

RELIGIOUS Responses

The Epic narrative describes the formation and evolution of the universe as well as the appearance and evolution of life on Earth. It is a story of astonishing proportions; from the subatomic world to the cosmic scale and everything in between. Contemplation of the Epic and  its grandeur may, for the religious naturalist, invoke inward religious responses, including awe and wonder, gratitude, assent, commitment, humility, reverence, joy, and the astonishment of being alive at all.

INTERPRETIVE Implications

The interpretive aspect of Religious Naturalism entails asking the big questions. How do our science-based understandings inform our experience of self? What do they tell us about free will? Death? Love? The search for the meaning of life? Why is there anything at all rather than nothing?

The religious naturalist’s understanding of the interdependent existence of living things informs the kinds of answers that qualify as reasonable responses to these questions.

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.

Rachel Carson