Sámi ecotheology as a resource for the church of Norway

Abstract

In several church declarations dating as far back as the 1990s, it is stated that Sámi spirituality provides an important impulse for churches that want to develop ecotheology. In this article, I examine how two well-known Sámi priests, Bierna Leine Bientie and Tore Johnsen, have received this encouragement and what characterizes their ecotheological responses. By studying selected publications from these two, using established methods for the analysis of ecotheological texts, I show that they present an ecotheology that places more emphasis on building ecocentric worldviews than on promoting concrete solutions. This stands in contrast to the dominant theology in the Church of Norway, which places great emphasis on ethics in its statements. I conclude that Sámi theologians, measured against the findings in this analysis, challenge the church of Norway and other western churches to focus more on the connection between humans and other species and on the value of non-human nature in future ecotheological statements.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Tomren, “The Articles,” 32.

2 World Council of Churches, Message.

3 Cf. Kirkemøte, Protokoll Kirkemøtet, 106.

4 Tomren, Kyrkje, miljø og berekraft.

5 Cf. Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies, 217–27; Wilson, Research is Ceremony, 50–4.

6 Johnsen, “Contribution of North Sami,” 41.

7 Ibid., 26.

8 Cf. Jernsletten, “Relasjoner”; Sjöberg, “Adams barn tillsammans,” 22–34.

9 Cf. Kristiansen, “Samisk religion;” Bergman, “Så främmande det lika;” Vähäkangas, “Lars Levi Læstadius.”

10 Johnsen, “The Contribution,” 26.

11 Tomren, “How Green was Martin?” 82–5.

12 Cf. Horrell, “Introduction,” 7–9; Glotfield, “Introduction,” xviii-xx and Tomren, “Climate Strikes and Curricula,” 106–7.

13 Tomren, Kyrkje, miljø og berekraft, 25.

14 Tomren, “How Green was Martin?” 82–9; Tomren, Kyrkje, miljø og berekraft, 18–25.

15 Tomren, “The Articles,” 89.

16 Northcott, The Environment, 124–61.

17 Brander, Människan, 11–12.

18 Santmire, Nature Reborn, 6–10.

19 Bientie, “Det er landet,” 134–41.

20 Translation of the Norwegian title: Staloer tror at månen er blå: Samisk eventyr gjenfortalt av Kirsti Birkeland. Birkeland.

21 Bientie, “Det er landet,” 135.

22 Ibid.

23 Bientie, “Det er landet”; cf. Turi, An Account.

24 Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 239 ff.

25 Bientie, “Det er landet,” 141.

26 Brander, Människan, 11–12.

27 Translated from the Norwegian title: Hellig ord om hellig jord: Naturen i våre kristedomstradisjoner. Bientie.

28 Tomren, Kyrkje, miljø og berekraft, 246.

29 Cf. Gustafson, Ethics, 95–113.

30 Bientie, “Det er landet,” 141.

31 Santmire, Nature Reborn, 7–8.

32 Johnsen, “Teologi fra livets sirkel,” 213–24.

33 Ibid., 213–24.

34 Ibid., 213–5.

35 cf. White Jr., “The Historical Roots.”

36 Johnsen, “Teologi fra livets sirkel,” 213–5.

37 Ibid., 217–8.

38 Ibid., 214–7.

39 Ibid., 217.

40 cf. Santmire, Nature Reborn, 7–8.

41 Johnsen, “Teologi fra livets sirkel,” 219.

42 Moltmann, God in Creation, 102–3.

43 Johnsen, “Teologi fra livets sirkel,” 220–4.

44 Johnsen, Jordens barn, solens barn, 3.

45 Ibid., 31–47.

46 Ibid.

47 Ibid., 140–57.

48 Ibid, 145.

49 Johnsen, Sámi luondduteologiija, 7.

50 Buljo, “Samiske skikker/tradisjoner,” 30–6.

51 Cf. Oskal, “Det rette, det gode,” 85–105.

52 Johnsen, Sámi luondduteologiija, 44.

53 Kristiansen, “Religion i kontekst,” 79–91; cf. Johnsen, Sámi luondduteologiija, 41.

54 Johnsen, Sámi luondduteologiija, 48.

55 Ibid., 49–50.

56 Ibid., 50.

57 Cf. Oskal, “Det rette, det gode,” 85–105.

58 Johnsen, Sámi Nature-Centered Christianity.

59 Johnsen, “The Contribution,” 188.

60 Tomren, Kyrkje, miljø og berekraft; Tomren, “Kirken og miljølære”.

61 Palmer, “Stewardship,” 66.

62 Northcott, The Environment, 147–61.