Lynn White: "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis"

There are many hypothesis of how and why modern civilization has turned away from our connection to the natural world, but one of the most intriguing to me is presented in historian Lynn White’s essay “The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis” (1967). White believes that to a large extent modern man’s relationship with nature has been dictated by our Christian understanding of nature’s purpose.  White suggests modern western civilization’s behavior towards nature stems from the Old Testament when it was declared that nature was created by God to serve man’s needs.  White states that our “Christian dogma of man’s transcendence of, and rightful mastery over, nature” (Glotfelty, Fromm 12) is one of the leading reasons for our disconnect with the natural environment and he suggests we search out a new religion that will unite us with nature.  It’s interesting to note that Conn-eda was led through a spiritual transformation by his “gently guide,” the druid horse, an event that wouldn’t have been possible if Conn-eda believed himself a rightful master over his animal companion.  Therefore, his ability to form a “unitive companionship of the ideal friends [druid horse]” (Zimmer 43) was essential for his spiritual rebirth and exemplifies a transformation enmeshed in the circuitry of the entire living world, a story that differs greatly from biblical transcendence.