Routledge Nature, Space and the Sacred: Transdisciplinary Perspectives

Nature, Space and the Sacred offers the first investigative mapping of a new and highly significant agenda: the spatial interactions between religion, nature and culture. In this ground-breaking work, different concepts of religion, theology, space and place and their internal relations are discussed in an impressive range of approaches. Weaving together a diversity of perspectives, this book presents an innovative and truly transdisciplinary environmental science. Its broad range offers a rich exchange of insights, methods and theoretical engagements. Review 'Transdisciplinary scholarship is fruitful and it will be the way that research is done in the future. In its use of many perspectives, this study on space is a model for such transdisciplinary research. There is earlier work on the sacred and space (Eliade, for example) and in the philosophy of space (see work by Otto F. Bollnow) but in this volume we find contemporary and fruitful interactions between geography, architecture and spirituality. New images of the environments of the earth emerge. Different cultures of space in Europe, Middle Asia and Japan are brought into mutual encounter. Doors to little known areas are opened. I found this study fascinating.' Jürgen Moltmann 'That scholars of religion are engaging with those of other disciplines and vice versa in the manner represented here, is a cause for celebration, and the book achieves what its editors set out to do: provide a first exploratory mapping of the spatial interactions between religion, nature and culture. I look forward to the publication of the proceedings of the next conference, hoping to benefit from how these scholars and others are learning from one another, as well as speaking to one another, about this crucially important issue of our age.' Modern Believing '... the book is very much worth exploration by scholars working in religious and environmental studies. The editors' thesis that humans must think and use space differently in order to pursue more satisfactory forms of environmental agency provides enough thematic continuity to move from essay to essay with critical interest. As she does, the reader will discover in many essays glimmering insights created by a unique traverse of cultural and disciplinary territory. She will also find several emerging scholarly voices whose projects will shape future directions in the field. In sum, this book is a welcome contribution of theme and method to the developing intersection of religious and environmental studies.' SOPHIA About the Author S. Bergmann, Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; P. M. Scott, Lecturer, University of Manchester, UK; M. Jansdotter Samuelsson, Lecturer, Karlstad University, Sweden; H. Bedford-Strohm, Dean of the Faculty for Human Sciences, University of Bamberg, Germany.