In the latest episode of the Moral Revolution podcast, I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, an eco-feminist theologian and one of my “sheroes.” Our conversation ranged across science, scripture, finance, and feminism, offering a challenging and hopeful map for how faith can reorient our lives toward true ecological responsibility.
The Limits of Human-Centered Thinking
Dr. Johnson is clear: putting humans at the center of creation (what theologians call “anthropocentrism”) is not just an ecological error, but a theological one. When we imagine God as caring only about one species, “we think of ourselves as little gods,” Johnson warns, “and we then think we have the right to use other species to our own advantage without considering their own vital reality in themselves as beloved of God.”
She reminds us that every Christian creed begins by naming God as the Creator of heaven and earth. Losing sight of this origin, she says, “is a distortion right away in our ethics.”
Community of Creation, Not a Pyramid
Rather than a pyramid with humans at the top, Johnson invites us to see life as a “community of creation”: a web of kinship across all living things. Quoting scripture’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself,” she asks us to expand our conception of neighbor: “Does it apply only to people?…What about crossing the species line and seeing other species as kin?”
In this vision, humans become caretakers within creation, reliant on the very systems we so often seek to dominate: “The tree is perfectly happy in its existence, whether humans are on this planet or not…But think about human life without trees. They are absolutely essential to our existence.”
Deep Incarnation: Christ, Cosmos, and Darwin
Johnson’s theology bridges faith and science with rare depth. She describes how evolutionary science, especially Darwin, shaped her thinking: “Darwin’s wisdom was to see connections where other people had not…to see that in the end, we are all part of the tree of life…different branches, but from the same source.” She ties this scientific story to Christian concepts like “deep incarnation”—the idea that the Word became flesh, and that flesh connects us not just to God, but to all of nature and even the stardust of the cosmos itself.
Beyond Dominion and the Limits of Stewardship
Dr. Johnson takes on familiar but misunderstood scriptural ideas. She explains that the biblical “dominion” granted to humans is meant as delegated care, not domination: “Whoever had dominion was a representative, to make sure the king’s will was being carried out…So rather than giving human beings the right to exploit…the word dominion really means take care of this. You’re here in my name; what would God want for these creatures?”
She appreciates “stewardship” as a step forward, but warns it falls short: “Stewardship ignores the fact that what we humans are stewarding is also giving back to us. So the mutuality of our relationship in the community is overlooked.” Instead, she calls for reciprocity and real interdependence, rather than a continuing hierarchy that keeps humans at the center.
Eco-Conversion: No Divide Between Ecology and Justice
Johnson is a fierce advocate for what Pope Francis calls “integral ecology”: the inseparable tie between environmental crisis and social injustice (we talk about this in Episode 3). “Who suffers most from ecological degradation? It’s the poor,” she notes, sharing stories of communities poisoned by pollution or devastated by climate change. Her call: “To hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor together.”
The Feminist Lens: Expanding Our Imagination of God
Dr. Johnson’s feminist perspective runs deep: she’s spent decades challenging the masculinized, exclusionary images of God: “The Western imagination of God is still, in large part, Michelangelo’s art in the Sistine Chapel: male, old, white, wealthy. But the God of the scriptures…is the God who hears the cries of the suffering, who liberates, who is beyond any image or word we can use.” The patriarchal tradition of the Church, she says, “makes me feel it’s even more urgent to offer alternative visions.”
Hope That Resists Despair
In a time of rising eco-anxiety and political backlash, Dr. Johnson does not serve up false optimism. Instead, she grounds hope in action and integrity:
“The fundamental reason to keep going is your own integrity, your own truth…Not as an individual, but as part of a community of caring people that see a value in loving the earth rather than destroying it.”
What matters, she says, is to “push for that, and resist in every possible way the political rolling back that’s going on… The important thing is not that we succeed, but that we die trying.”
Takeaways for the Moral Revolution
* Anthropocentrism is not only ecologically dangerous, but distorts Christian faith itself.
* Humans belong in a community of creation, not perched at the top.
* Ecological stewardship must be mutual, humble, and kinship-based, not just managerial.
* Integral ecology means “the cry of the earth” is bound to “the cry of the poor.”
* Feminist theology is essential to freeing our imagination of God and our sense of justice.
* Hope endures in collective action, not outcomes. Integrity matters, and the next generation is counting on us.
If you’re looking for wisdom that connects faith, science, and the ethics of planetary care, you’ll find much to ponder in this conversation. Listen to the full episode for even more insights from Dr. Johnson, and join us in the ongoing work of moral—and ecological—revolution.
What resonated with you most? Join the conversation in the comments, or share your thoughts directly—let’s keep building this community of care!
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