On October 24, 2009 Azerbaijan Center for Religion and Democracy (ACRD) held discussions on “Religiosity Challenging Ecological Crisis”. The event organized by American Alumni Association in Baku at American Center was timed to an international justice day on the earth within the international climate protection movement “350” campaign which had chosen 24th of October as such.
“350” is what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Discussions started by a lecture delivered by Nariman Gasimoglu. Talking first about the global ecological crisis caused by harms infringed upon the nature, he emphasized that one of the most challenging problems that the humanity currently faces is believed to have become the breach of ecological equilibrium on our planet. This certainly threatens both present future generations. It is quite obvious that the breach of divine balance coded in the nature in many cases is a human-caused problem, the thing that naturally should concern each human-being and in particular those being known as religious believers.

He also said that many efforts are being made now to help solve environmental problems at the international level to create ecology-oriented movements, pursue certain politics and so on. The reason that all that proves to be not enough leads to increasing numbers of those who seem supportive to the idea that the measures to solve the problems linked to environmental crisis are to be considered in a interlocking context with problems of morality. As from the religious perspective what we see nowadays is that religious values are increasingly occupying public mind, religious processes are getting intensified with the passage of time partly due to globalization processes necessiating mutual interaction of different cultures and religions. Therefore it seems quite effective to try to put the possible moral potential of religions at the service of environmental activities.

Some people believe that not only materialictic worldview or secularism is the reason why many people seem to be so indifferent toward protecting nature. A negative contribution to this was made also by religions either with crisis of superstitions they faced over certain periods of history as concepts on next world human salvation claiming values which traditionally constitute the main religious ideology of monotheistic religions have at many points been pursued in a context where the human-being was kept away from need to take care of worldly life. Some scholars believe that this has provided dominion of humans over nature and led to a devaluing of the natural world and a subsequent destruction of its resources for utilitarian ends as personal salvation concept which mainly emphasize other worldly goals and reject this world as corrupting has certainly played negative role. Anyway one of the historical and cultural reasons of current environmental crisis is seen to be linked to this as well. So on the one hand, the fact that environmental issues when being brought to the agenda of religious values can also help adapt religions to the contemporaneity thus get back to its holy essense. On the other, discussions on Religion and Ecology have to be viewed in fact as one the most effective means to create good climate for interfaith initiatives.

The new realities show that public mind can be affected mostly by religious persons unlike Soviet times. Adaptation of religious teachings to the task of revaluing nature so as to prevent its destruction marks a significant new phase in religious thought. Formulation of a new ecological theology and environmental ethics along with a new generation of theologians in this field are already emerging from within Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bahaism.

As for Holy Koran, N.Gasimoglu said, it considers each creatures in the whole universe as an evidence of God-being, His bounty and mercy. The Koranic verses along with blaming those whose activities aim at violation of universal balance call also on belivers not to be indifferent towards this negative tendency and consider this in the list of their religious duties as well.
It is well known that the environment at the time when Koran was sent upon the prophet Muhammed was not as much harmed as it is nowadays. However, Koran applying to all times wants to restrain us from violence towards environment by reminding us in a miraculous way of what happens at present time: “Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return” (30, 41). The talk here is about returning back to repentance that might be awakened or felt by perception of damage infringed upon nature.
Our Lord says: “Do they not then look up to heaven above them how We have made it and adorned it and it has no gaps? And the earth, We have made it plain and cast in it mountains and We have made to grow therein of all beautiful kinds (50, 6); “He it is Who sends down water from the cloud for you; it gives drink, and by it (grow) the trees upon which you pasture. He causes to grow for you thereby herbage, and the olives, and the palm trees, and the grapes, and of all the fruits; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect. And He has made subservient for you the night and the day and the sun and the moon, and the stars are made subservient by His commandment; most surely there are signs in this for a people who ponder. And what He has created in the earth of varied hues most surely there is a sign in this for a people who are mindful” (16, 10-13). There are roughly five hundred verses similar to these all of which instill wise treatment of nature into the conscience of believers.
Soil, water, air, reaches of soil, forests, sunlight, moonlight and so on are common wealth for all. Nevertheless, we should not forget it is the very God who has the unshared right of property over these all. As He says: “His is whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; and most surely God is the Self-sufficient, the Praised” (22, 64). So the moral and ethic content of benefiting from the property belonging to God provides for respectful treatment of nature as human being should never see environment as source for his or her selfish satisfaction but rather should avoid squandering its resources for his or her natural increasing needs to be met…
N.Gasimoglu’s lecture was followed by discussions in the audience of group of theologians, ecologists, journalists, students and others who shared the importance of such events in the sense that considering the religious values on the surface of ecological issues will also contribute into the advocacy efforts needed to promote reforming ideas in local Muslim agenda.

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The similar discussions were held in Khachmaz region, Azerbaijan. The main purpose was again to promote a certain shift in the religious mind of believers in favor of environmental problems. The discussions in the audience of Khachmaz region community members were aimed this time again searching for and stimulating new contextual and morally incentive environmental initiatives and thus to finding the ways of putting in use the potential of believers in the direction of affecting the public opinion in favor of environmental problems.
The Khachmaz discussions moderated by N.Gasimoglu added yet another important initiative to activities of ACRD that it has been involved in for years carring out religious enlightenment work including advocacy of religious reforming ideas with the purpose to adapt Islam to the democratic tasks thus making contributions to civil society building issues. This will also identify a new direction in the activities of ACRD with the focus on promotion of formulating ecological perception from the religious perspectives as well.

ACRD gained one more chance to convey its strategic theology initiatives, reforming ideas in the region where tendencies of religious radicalization hide in itself signs of certain threats to the traditional religious tolerance, cultural developments and stability. Young believers, local intellectuals were offered the opportunities and skills to express their ideas on various religious postulates most importantly with the emphasis on those of environmental context.

The participants welcomed and highly appreciated open discussions and emphasized that this kind of events with the purpose to promote religiously incentive environmental initiatives would prove to be important also for introducing new reforming ideas into the agenda of local Muslims affected by medieval interpretations of Islamic religion. They also expressed their wishes that these open discussions be held in a rather frequent way in future.

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