Ahadith (or Hadith): A series
of Muslim commentaries believed to have been taken directly from the words and
actions of the Prophet Mohammed.
Ahimsa: Non-injury to all living things. Hindu monks, for instance, might sweep in front of them to avoid harming insects. Ahimsa may include a prohibition on emotional, as well as physical, harm. Popularized in the West by Mahatma Gandhi.
Animism: The belief, often found in pre-Christian religions, that a spiritual force is in all living creatures, and even in inanimate objects such as rocks or the wind.
The Bhagavadgita: The primary religious document of Hinduism. It uses a conversation between Lord Krishna and the hero Arjuna to reflect on how an individual should live his or her life. It calls for movement beyond ephemeral desire, beyond the self, into a permanent reality.
Brahman: In Hinduism, the central god or principle that stands behind all the divinities. The universal spirit; the original source of the cosmos.
The belief that animals and wild areas have value in themselves,
and that human value cannot be separated from this, that we are
all connected, part of the same web of life. Deep ecologists separate
themselves from conventional, or "shallow," ecology, with its
instrumental ideology that aims to conserve nature for long-term
belief, in Hinduism and Buddhism, in a righteous path, way of
living, and ethical system, largely found within oneself, through
contemplation, rather than in the external world.
The total amount of biological material used, and hence a rough
measure of impact on the planet. Ecological footprints may be
measured for a person, building, city, nation, or at any of a
number of scales. Numerous ways of measuring ecological footprints
have been devised.
Environmental Justice: The
belief that environmental decisions are made in such a way that the poorest
people suffer the most from environmental problems, and the fight for a fairer
distribution of environmental burdens.
The belief that the world is one enormous, living organism. From
a rationalistic perspective, this is a metaphor for the intimate
interconnections between ecosystems and the way a small change
in one can have a big influence. From a spiritual perspective,
all aspects may be filled with life-force, affecting each other
in ways beyond material measurement.
first book of the Bible, crucial to both Jewish and Christian
faiths. While the passage on human dominion over earth has been
considered anti-environmentalist, much of Genesis portrays an
awe-inspiring nature created by God.
Hadith: See Ahadith.
Halal: The Muslim
dietary laws, which, among other things forbids the eating of
pigs and mandates special methods, and a blessing, for other meat.
Alcohol is also forbidden. Muslim authorities disagree as to whether
eating Kosher food is permissible.
The Koran: (also
transliterated from Arabic as the Quran and the Qur'an): The Muslim
Holy Book, believed to be the word of Allah directly transmuted
by the Angel Jibril to Mohammed, the final prophet. Such Christian
and Jewish figures as Moses and Jesus are believed to be earlier
prophets. The Arabic version of the Quran is considered perfect,
with translations mere commentary. For many Muslims, The Quran
is the central book from which all knowledge of truth, morality,
science, and law is derived.
orthodox Jewish dietary laws, known as Kashrut, which forbids
the eating of pigs and shellfish and mandates special methods
for the slaughter of meat, and the separation of meat and milk,
among other rules.
The idea that human history, as currently experienced, may come
to an end at any time, with a dramatic conflict between good an
evil, Christ's return and a final rapture, or saving, of all Christian
souls. A thousand year period of Christ's rule on earth will ensue.
New Age: A loosely
organized spiritual movement, most popular in North America, that
uses elements of many religions, with a strong animist bend. New
Agers generally believe in mystical connections between events
and people. Astrology, alternative medicine, the healing power
of crystals, and channeling of the dead are some common New Age
belief that all things are aspects of a single god or spirituality,
and that this god cannot be separated from the physical world.
Pantheists believe that nature should be experienced with awe,
and generally reject the idea of a personal God separate from
the natural world.
The Quran: See
Sangha: The Buddhist concept of a blessed community, often of monks or nuns.
Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence as a self-purification
combining the search for truth and the refusal to cause harm.
Civil disobedience and passive resistance may be considered forms
The belief, begun by modern environmentalists and social justice
advocates, that all of society must work together to preserve
the earth's resources and ecosystems. According to the Brundtland
Declaration of 1987, "sustainable development is development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs."
Tahwid (or Tawhid):
The oneness or unity of God, expressed as "there is no God but
Allah" or "There is no God but God." Tahwid implies a strict social
and moral structure based on belief in the Quran as God's final
The Torah: Depending upon context, either the Five Books of Moses or the entire Jewish Bible, believed to be the word of God. Including history, a set of laws centered in the Ten Commandments, and tales used as moral guidance, The Torah is the central document of Judaism from which all others proceed. Additional writings, primarily the Talmud, act as commentary on the Torah.