Theological and Religious Approaches to Soil Stewardship - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 285

12 Theological and

Religious Approaches
to Soil Stewardship

Gregory E. Hitzhusen, Gary W. Fick,
and Richard H. Moore

CONTENTS
12.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 285
12.2 Religious Principles and Soil Stewardship ................................................... 286
12.2.1 Humans and Soil in Biblical Creation Narratives ............................ 287
12.2.2 Shinto and the Ecological Integrity of the Tohoku Region, Japan ... 288
12.2.3 Humans and Soil in World Religious Texts ...................................... 289
12.3 Connecting Best Soil Management Principles with Religious Soil Themes ... 289
12.3.1 Recognizing Agricultural Roots within Religions ........................... 292
12.4 Religious-Cultural Perspective in Need of Soil Science ............................. 293
12.4.1 Irrigation and Salinization of Soil .................................................... 293
12.4.2 Soil Nutrient Management ................................................................ 294
12.5 Examples of Religious-Cultural Integration with Soil Stewardship ........... 294
12.5.1 Kayapo Sustainable Anthropogenic Landscape in Brazil ................ 295
12.5.2 Amish Land Stewardship in Collaboration with Agroecologists ..... 296
12.5.3 Soil Stewardship Sundays and the Dust Bowl .................................. 296
12.5.4 Emerging Religious Approaches to Land Stewardship in Africa .... 297
12.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 299
References ..............................................................................................................300

Upon this handful of soil our survival depends. Husband it and it will grow our
food, our fuel, and our shelter and surround us with beauty. Abuse it and the
soil will collapse and die taking man with it.

Vedas (Hindu scripture in Sanskrit, ca. 1500 BCE)

12.1 INTRODUCTION
The terms “theology” and “religion” have rarely surfaced in the soil science literature,
and this scarcity may be of little surprise. Yet as soil scientists grapple with con-
temporary challenges of intensified development and pressure on soil resources and
ecosystem services, the roles of theology and religion merit closer attention (cf. Lal

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