"The world is full of wonders and miracles," said the Baal Shem Tov, an 18th century rabbi, ‘but we take our little hands and cover our eyes and see nothing."(p. 9). So begins the first chapter of Roger Gottlieb’s book A Spirituality of Resistance as he examines the heart of spirituality. As many spiritual teachers counsel, to achieve the deep serenity and joy of the spiritual life, we must begin with gratitude. Even for those with no belief in God, Gottlieb demon-strates the universal truth that focusing on the good in our lives, the miracles of being alive, living in a world with trees and animals will bring us awe and wonder. Such an attitude will move us toward gratitude, acceptance and compassion, Gottlieb claims. However, Gottlieb points out that many spiritual seekers want inner peace and bliss so much that they often shut their eyes to the ecocide and genocide rampant in our world. To rectify this, Gottlieb endorses a spirituality of resistance in which we move beyond purely individual examination and transformation toward making the world a more just place. Gottlieb is in good company with other environmental writers when he claims that we can only find a peaceful heart by living on this earth rather than looking forward to some age in the future where everything turns out alright. "We need to . . . [be] fully conscious of what is happening on[the earth], actively resisting that which we know to be evil or destructively ignorant." (p.13.) For Gottlieb, spirituality’s goal isn’t to make us feel better. Rather, he wants our spiritual practice to move us to face evil and suffering, to break through our denial and avoidance of how we are destroying the earth and the species on it.
Gottlieb points out that what is new about our situation is that the scope of the environmental crisis is far greater than anything previously faced. Thus, past attempts to connect spiritual values to social life don’t seem relevant in light of this crisis. If we do get beyond denial, it is very hard not to feel hopeless. The amount of change our global society would have to undergo is so enormous, that it is hard to believe any solutions are possible. Yet, Gottlieb believes that through resistance there is hope, for ". . . it is in resistance that we encounter the face of God, awaken to the Goddess, and realize our deepest connections to the mysteries of human life."(p. 32).
In his second chapter, Gottlieb insightfully observes that our inability to face the environmental crisis becomes a serious obstacle to our spiritual development. When we engage in avoidance or denial, the emotions lie trapped within. As a result, we are stunted; we don’t have the energy to fully participate in the joy of God’s creation. Gottlieb advises us to face the truth of what humans have done and are doing to the world. Though this is a profoundly disturbing exercise, he believes ultimately it will liberate us. Gottlieb’s skillful use of examples, like that of CFCs, demonstrates his claim that ecological destruction is far worse than anything humans have ever faced before; we will have to work hard as a society to confront this truth.
In Gottlieb’s chapter titled "Working Ourselves to Death, he addresses a prevalent compulsion to work in order to give us an identity. This ego-bound desire might lead us to take on work that is "toxic". What’s more, Gottlieb argues that our desperate need for recognition, prevents us from taking a critical view of what we are doing. Working for big corporations or the military might lead to disastrous consequences. Unfortunately, "in our effort to create meaningful lives. . . we too often become agents of ecological devastation." (p. 65) Having a spiritual identity can help us avoid this compulsion. It can help us become moral beings in an immoral society. Our lives take on greater scope than the work we do or what we possess or what we have accomplished. For those who find most meaning in their private lives, Gottlieb still finds the same need and desire for validation. This can lead to the same dilemma discussed above. It is a compelling argument.
Gottlieb becomes quite daring when he compares the Holocaust to ecocide. While he doesn’t believe ecocide exactly parallels the Holocaust, he does see some important similarities between the two. The most important claim Gottlieb makes is that the Holocaust and environmental destruction "both depend on highly developed technology and large, impersonal bureaucracies."(p. 70) It is very hard to resist these with human will alone, but Gottlieb points out that a spirituality of resistance allows us to overcome conformity to the conventional. He illustrates this with great examples of heroic women and men. One of the most important lessons of the Holocaust is that there is no limit to human injustice and lust for power. Gottlieb concludes this can serve as a warning to us to be ever-vigilant about the spreading environmental ruin. When I began reading this part of Gottlieb’s book, I was rather nervous about his use of the Holocaust, lest it be used in an inappropriate way. Yet, Gottlieb’s approach to the Holocaust is respectful and knowledgeable. The lessons he draws from the Holocaust are very insightful and can inform our response to the environmental crisis in helpful ways.
In chapter 4 of his book, Gottlieb changes the format to the musings of "a sleepless ethicist." It is an outstanding part of the book. He spins out the moral complexities of alleviating the suffering of the earth and respecting the species on it. Gottlieb also raises as many questions as he answers in this chapter. One of the things that keeps this ethicist awake is the difficulty in teaching virtue to our children when we have been complicit in the destruction of our earth. On what moral ground can we stand? "How can we profess love for our children and simultaneously poison the groundwater." (p. 109) In our daily lives, we unavoidably support destructive patterns of consumption and production. By using example after example, Gottlieb skillfully demonstrates just how difficult it is to take a moral stance because of so many competing issues. He concludes that we can and must make moral judgments and work for collective resistance. (p. 112) We must change the power structures of our society to a more equitable and just society. Thus, politics are integral to a spirituality of resistance.
When Gottlieb talked about establishing a new kinship with the natural world,
he moved from despair to hopefulness He says: " Though a source of great pain, the environmental crisis is thus also an opportunity to transform the world into something a lot better than it is now; and perhaps even to realize a vision of spiritual connection."(p. 122) Once we move beyond our limiting egos, we can be " ïn dancing partnership with other people, with maple trees and rivers, kestrels and (yes) dino-flaggelates."(p. 136.) This kind of mysticism certainly enlivens spirituality, and it is a welcome addition to Gottlieb’s spare theology.
In his concluding chapter, Gottlieb grapples with the classic question of theodicy. He articulately describes the difficulty of belief in a personal God who is in charge of all things when we confront so much suffering on a daily basis—either in our own lives or those of others’. Gottlieb rejects any theology that promises all pain and suffering will be made clear one day by God or will lead to some greater cosmic purpose. In my opinion, Gottlieb dismisses the notion of a personal God too quickly. Yet, I do think he aptly points out the number of things that can’t be resolved under this theology, such as chemical contamination or extinction of species. He doesn’t want the promise of eternal bliss one day to lead us to accept too many unacceptable things in our world. I find this to be a very important warning.
. Gottlieb suggests that by engaging suffering, cruelty and injustice head-on, we can experience deep joy. One Holocaust survivor Sara Selver-Urbach remembered her teenage years in the Lodz ghetto as some of the happiest of her life Gottlieb asks "could it be that a fierce will to live, to love and to embrace provides its own pure happiness?" (p. 158.) I would add that living amidst death and suffering could help one be fully present and fully alive in each moment. We could be fully open to what has been given to us. What’s more, by resisting evil and suffering, we free up the "psychic energy that had been trapped by denial, avoidance [or] hopeless despair." (p. 159.) This can lead to joy. By taking concrete action against corporate take-overs or destruction of our natural resources, we can overcome despair, fatigue and complacency. We will find ourselves energized and joyful. Gottlieb included lots of great stories about people of moral courage who resisted environmental destruction. This inspired me (and will no doubt inspire others) to see the power of spiritual resistance. It is essential that we create a community on which to rely for this essential work. Gottlieb concludes this chapter with this astute claim: "In fighting back we find a meaning, an identity, a sense of what is of ultimate value about ourselves." (p. 177.) What’s more, we can transcend our own ego and become connected to all beings. This can help us feel at home in the larger world.
Roger Gottlieb’s new book would be a terrific resource for students or teachers. As
someone fairly new to environmental literature, I found Gottlieb’s book quite interesting, provocative and knowledgeable. From the stories Gottlieb told about environmental destruction and those who challenge that, I became eager to read many of the books he mentioned. Gottlieb’s book would supplement any course on Religion and Ecology quite nicely.


Sher Sweet
Northfield Mount Hermon School

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