Towards a Decolonial Ecotheology: An Asian Contrapuntal Reading of Ecojustice

Abstract

The extraction of the earth for its resources undeniably destroys the life of the planet along with all things in it. It is not just the destruction of humanity but also animals, plants, and even the rivers, rocks, and the mists themselves. Human efforts to become environmentally friendly have at times not saved life itself. “Greenflation,” for example, shows how saving the environment may also require certain class privileges. This then becomes a dilemma of ecological and/or economic justice, which is often framed through the logic of extraction and sacrifice. My Asian experience with struggles against colonialism offers an alternative approach to the dilemma. I argue that an Asian contrapuntal reading of economy and ecology offers a way for decolonising ecotheology that honours the dignity of all creation.