Living in Transapocalyptic Times
Thomas Berry’s Ecozoic Vision -
The Basics: Why it Matters More Than Ever
with Herman Greene
Living in Transapocalyptic Times - Thomas Berry’s Ecozoic Vision: The Basics: Why it Matters More Than Ever
with Herman Greene
Alex Steffen describes the state of our world as “transapocalyptic.” He discourages binary analyses such as that we will have a technotopian future or extinction of our species. The reality is we live in a time of discontinuity, it’s the end of the world as we know it, but not the end of the world.
How are we to live in a world that is both falling apart and bringing forth something new. What will that new be?
Geologian Thomas Berry (1914-2009) proposed an ecozoic future. He wrote that what is radically different about our moment is that for the first time humans are undergoing a change of geobiological eras, from the terminal Cenozoic era to an emerging Ecozoic era. He offered the latter as promise, as a vision of what could be, not something that is assured. To achieve it he said would involve the Great Work, a task that is epic in its dimensions beyond anything heretofore conceived under that word.
Herman Greene, Founder and President of the Center for Ecozoic Studies, and Thomas Berry Scholar-in-Residence at the Earth Law Center had a close personal relationship with Berry and has developed an extensive body of work grounded in Berry’s insights and vision.
In this course Herman will present in four 2 hour sessions the basics of Berry’s vision and why it matters more than ever. The learning objectives for the course are as follows:
- Understanding Berry's geo-historical analysis, cultural critique, and vision of the future
- Understanding Berry's philosophical cosmology and anthropology
- Understanding Berry's guidance for an ecozoic future
- Applying Berry's vision to the ecological and social issues of the mid-21st century
The four sessions will cover the ecozoic as (1) Invitation, (2) Evocation, (3) Invocation, and (4) Enaction.
Session 1: Invitation –
The Ecozoic Vision
Thomas Berry's geo-historical analysis, his cultural critique, and his vision of the future
Session 2: Evocation –
The New Cosmology
The philosophical underpinnings of the ecozoic - a new philosophical cosmology and a new philosophical anthropology
Session 3: Invocation –
The Great Work
Thomas Berry's guidance for the Great Work of moving on from the terminal Cenozoic era, to an emerging Ecozoic era in the story of the planet Earth
Session 4: Enaction –
Living in Transapocalyptic Times
Letting go; navigating contradiction, multiplicity, and ambiguity; the politics of nature; Earth law; the ecozoic lens; hope
Suggested readings will be provided to prepare for each session.
The format of each session will be a presentation by Herman, followed by Q&A, breakout groups, and full group discussion.
Herman Greene, JD, MA, MDiv, DMin is founder and president of the Center for Ecozoic Studies in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a research and education center for an ecological-cultural age. He is Thomas Berry Scholar-in-Residence of the Earth Law Center and is co-author and co-editor of Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law—A Guide for Practitioners. He serves on the Board of the International Process Network, and on the Advisory Boards of the Center for Process Studies and the Institute for the Post-Modern Development of China. He is a retired business lawyer and holds graduate degrees in law (University of North Carolina-JD), theology (University of Chicago-MTh & MDiv, and United Theological Seminary-DMin), and political science (Stanford University-MA).