An Exploration Into Ecological Theology In Coleridge's Poems

Ecological Theology is a constructive approach that was born within the context of the world's environmental crisis. It first appeared in the province of Theology in the 1960s. At that time, facing a deteriorating ecological environment, some theologians realized it was a necessity to show ecological concern to the earth so as to ward off ecocatastrophe. Ecological Theology aims to study the multi-faced relationship of God, man and nature to pursue ecological intelligence, and reinterpret ecological view. However, the concept of Ecological Theology did not emerge in the 1960s; neither did it only exist in the realm of Theology. If a comprehensive view is taken, it is clear to find ecological thought embodied in the area of literature. Samuel Taylor Coleridge is one of the most influential Romantic poets in the history of British literature as well as the outstanding theologian. He has not so many works which really matter, but many of which are unprecedented masterpieces, such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, Religious Musings, etc. If an overall view is made, it is worth-noting that these poems are rich in religious mysticism as well as plentiful ecological thought. Therefore, his writing can be reinterpreted and reinvestigated from the perspective of Ecological Theology.There have been numerous researches on Coleridge and his writings in Western academic society, which see the emergence of considerable numbers of research treatises. However, no matter at home and abroad, most treatises and papers just interpret his poetry from the perspective of Theory of Imagination, Religious Meaning, Ecocriticism, Feminism, etc. However,few papers and treatises probe into the thought of Ecological Theology embodied in his poetry. As a consequence, this thesis attempts to reexamine and reanalyze Coleridge's poems from this aspect in order to provide a new perspective for Ecocriticism nowadays.This thesis consists of five parts, including an introduction and four chapters. The introduction presents a survey of documents, data and the present conditions of research related to the subject and points out the theoretic and practical significance. Chapter one tries to trace the development of Ecological Theology and its origin and specifies the definition of Ecological Theology and some basic terms, namely,"eco-holism of Trinity","reverence for life"and"stewardship". Chapter Two traces the roots of Coleridge's Ecological Theology. A brief statement on the roots of Coleridge's ecological concept is induced: family background, education in Cambridge, co-operation with Wordsworth, and even the absence of love. They have exerted a tremendous influence on Coleridge's poetic creation. Chapter Three mainly interprets the poet's unique concept of Ecological Theology permeated in the poetry from three aspects. The first aspect centers on the concept of"eco-holism of the Trinity". Concerning this aspect, the poet holds that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit inhabit in one another,although they are differentiated in characteristics; man and nature are dependent on and complementary to each other. As a consequence, human beings should keep and sustain the integrity of the whole ecosystem and harmony in nature in order to protect God. The second aspect focuses on the concept of"reverence for life". Regarding this aspect, Coleridge states that human beings should show reverence to every creation in order to protect the completeness and diversity of life. As to the third aspect, the concept of"stewardship", Coleridge advocates that human beings should be responsible stewards to sustain a balanced and diverse earth community. The fourth chapter brings about conclusion, which gives a brief summary, points out the inadequacies of the proposed paper, and suggests the directions for further studies.