A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Theology — Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Alwaye, India — in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Licentiate Degree in Dogmatic-Moral Theology.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………………………

TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………………………..

ABBREVIATIONS …………………………………………………………………………..

GENERAL INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………..

BERRY: THE GEOLOGIAN …………………………………………………………………..

THE NEW STORY OF THE UNIVERSE ……………………………………………………..

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY………………………………………………………………….

SOURCES OF THE WORK …………………………………………………………………….

SCOPE AND RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY ………………………………………………..

RESEARCH PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESIS ………………………………………………..

METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE ……………………………………………………….

 

CHAPTER I

BERRY’S NEW STORY OF THE UNIVERSE A UNIVERSE-

CENTRIC-APPROACH ………………………………………………………………….

1.0 INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………….

1.1 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEW STORY OF THE UNIVERSE ………………

1.1.1 ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGE ………………………………………………….

1.1.2 CONVENTIONAL THEOLOGY ……………………………………………….

1.1.3 RELIGION AND BEAUTY OF CREATED WORLD ………………………..

1.1.4 GOD AND CREATION …………………………………………………………

1.1.5 THE TRINITY AND UNIVERSE ………………………………………………

1.1.6 THE UNIVERSE AS A SINGLE COMMUNITY ……………………………..

1.1.7 THE ROLE OF HUMAN SPECIES ……………………………………………

1.1.8 DEMOCRACY TO BIO-CRACY……………………………………………….

1.1.9 ECOLOGY AND JUSTICE ……………………………………………………..

1.2 THE THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF THE NEW STORY OF THE UNIVERSE

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1.2.1 AUGUSTINE ……………………………………………………………………..

1.2.2 THOMAS AQUINAS ……………………………………………………………

1.2.3 PIERRE TEILHARD CHARDIN ……………………………………………….

1.2.4 COSMOLOGY ……………………………………………………………………

1.2.5 ASIAN RELIGIONS …………………………………………………………….

1.2.5.1 Confucianism …………………………………………………………..

1.2.5.2 Buddhism ………………………………………………………………..

1.2.5.3 Hinduism …………………………………………………………………

1.2.6 INDIGENOUS THOUGHT ………………………………………………………

1.2.7 BERRY’S MEADOW……………………………………………………………

1.3 THE NEW STORY OF THE UNIVERSE …………………………………………….

1.3.1 PRIMORDIAL FLARING FORTH ……………………………………………..

1.3.2 GALAXIES ……………………………………………………………………….

1.3.3 SUPERNOVAS …………………………………………………………………..

1.3.4 SUN ……………………………………………………………………………….

1.3.5 LIVING EARTH …………………………………………………………………

1.3.6 EUKARYOTES …………………………………………………………………..

1.3.7 PLANTS AND ANIMALS ………………………………………………………

1.3.8 HUMAN EMERGENCE …………………………………………………………

1.3.9 NEOLITHIC VILLAGE …………………………………………………………

1.3.10 CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS ……………………………………………..

1.3.11 RISE OF NATIONS ………………………………………………………….

1.3.12 THE MODERN REVELATIONS……………………………………………

1.3.13 THE ECOZOIC ERA…………………………………………………………

1.4 ECO-PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW STORY OF THE UNIVERSE …………………

1.4.1 PSYCHIC-SPIRITUAL UNIVERSE ……………………………………………

1.4.2 THE HUMAN AS INTEGRAL WITH THE UNIVERSE ……………………..

1.4.3 UNIVERSE AS THE PRIMARY BEARER OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

1.4.4 THE EARTH AS A LIVING PLANET …………………………………………

1.4.5 THE UNIVERSE BASED JURISPRUDENCE ………………………………..

1.4.6 REINVENTING HUMAN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNIVERSE ………

1.4.7 THE EVOLUTIONARY PRINCIPLES OF THE UNIVERSE………………..

1.4.7.1 Cosmogenesis …………………………………………………………..

1.4.7.2 Creativity…………………………………………………………………

1.4.7.3 Celebration ………………………………………………………………

1.4.8 THE UNIVERSE BASED PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL FORMATION …….

1.4.8.1 Differentiation ………………………………………………………….

1.4.8.2 Subjectivity ……………………………………………………………..

1.4.8.3 Communion ……………………………………………………………..

1.5 CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………….

 

CHAPTER II

CHURCH’S ECOLOGICAL ETHIC AND BERRY’S UNIVERSE-

CENTRIC-APPROACH ………………………………………………………………….

2.0 INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………….

2.1 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CHURCH’S ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE AND ECOLOGY OF BERRY ……………………………………………………………………….

2.1.1 CONCEPT OF ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE ………………………………………

2.1.2 UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES……………………….

2.1.3 HUMAN AND SOCIAL EXPRESSIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ..

2.1.4 CREATION TO NATURE ………………………………………………………

2.1.5 UNIVERSAL COMMUNION AND HARMONY OF CREATION …………..

2.1.6 TYRANNICAL ANTHROPOCENTRICISM …………………………………..

2.1.7 INTEGRAL ECOLOGY …………………………………………………………

2.1.8 ECOLOGICAL SPIRITUALITY ………………………………………………..

2.1.9 ECOLOGICAL DREAM ………………………………………………………..

2.1.10 CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS CREATION ……………….

2.2 THE ECOLOGY OF BERRY: A CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIANITY ……………..

2.2.1 THE DREAM OF THE EARTH ………………………………………………..

2.2.2 THE CHRISTIANITY’S GREAT MORAL RESPONSIBILITY …………….

2.2.3 THE CHALLENGE TO THEOLOGIANS ……………………………………..

2.2.4 SPIRITUALITY OF ECOLOGY ………………………………………………..

2.2.5 THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH…………………………………………………

2.2.6 THE CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE ……………….

2.2.7 CHRISTIAN COSMIC MISSION …………………………………………….

2.2.8 THE CHALLENGE OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY …………….

2.3 CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………..