The The Gaia hypothesis and its ecotheological interpretation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59531/ots.2026.4.2.1-17Keywords:
Gaia-hypothesis, ecotheology, Earth as a self-regulation system, criticism of Gaia theory, nvironmental ethics and theologyAbstract
This study presents the theoretical background of the Gaia hypothesis developed by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis, along with its ecotheological interpretation. The theory places the Earth at its center, viewing it as a living, self-regulating system. The hypothesis does not position humans at the center; rather, it emphasizes the primacy of the Earth system. The study examines the extent to which this perspective can be reconciled with the biblical claim that God created humans to “cultivate” the Earth. It also reviews major scientific critiques of the Gaia theory. Furthermore, the paper introduces ecotheology as a relatively new field that seeks to connect religious and theological thinking with environmental issues. The ecotheological interpretation of the Gaia theory is significant, as it offers a new way of understanding the relationship between humans, nature, and creation. From this perspective, the Earth is not merely an object, but a system that calls for responsible stewardship, which can serve as a strong motivation for environmental protection
References
Barlow, C., Volk, T. (1992): Gaia and Evolutionary Biology. BioScience, 42 (9): 686-693. https://doi.org/10.2307/1312175
Kirchner, J. W. (2002): The Gaia Hypothesis: Fact, Theory, and Wishful Thinking. Climatic Change. 52 (4): 391-408.
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014237331082
Kirchner, J. W. (1989): The Gaia Hypothesis: Can it be Tested? Reviews of Geophysics, 27 (2): 223-235.
Lenton, T. M., Oijen, M. (2002): Gaia as a complex adaptive system. Philosophical Transactions B. 357. (1421):683-95. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2001.1014
Lovelock, J. (1979): Gaia. A new look at Life on Earth. – Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Lovelock, J. (1992): A Numerical Model for Biodiversity. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, Vol. 338, No. 1286. 383-391. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1992.0156
Lovelovk, J. (1983): Biological Homoestasis of the Global Environment: The Parable of Daisyworld. Tellus. 35B. 284-289 284. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0889.1983.tb00031.x
Margulis, L. (2001): The Symbiotic Planet: A New Look at Evolution. – Phoenix, London.
Northcott, M. S. (1996): The Environment and Christian Ethics. – Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511557477
Hutton, J. (1788): Theory of the Earth. – Royal Society of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.
Boston, P. J. (2010): Gaia Hypotesis. In.: Jørgensen, Sven Erik (edited): Global Ecology. A Derivative of Encyclopedia of Ecology. – Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Primavesi, A. (2000): Sacred Gaia. Holistic Theology and Earth System Science. – Routledge, London.
Ruether, R.R. (1992): Gaia and God. An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing. – Harper, San Francisco.
Ruse, M. (2013): The Gaia Hypothesis. Science on a Pagan Planet. – The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, London. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226060392.001.0001
Schrödinger, E. (1967): What is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell with Mind and Matter. – Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Watling, T. (2009): Ecological Imaginations in the World Religions. An Ethnographic Analysis. – Continuum, London.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
OTS articles are subject to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivates 4.0 International Licenses Copyright Terms.
