著者

松平 功

出版者

桃山学院大学

雑誌

桃山学院大学キリスト教論集 = The St. Andrew's University journal of Christian studies (ISSN:0286973X)

巻号頁・発行日

no.48, pp.17-49, 2013-03-27

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Although the environmental problem was once considered to be one of the important problems to affect the earth in the future, it has already now a critical issue for present people because of rapid environmental and ecological destruction. The most serious issue is the nuclear fuel problem, as we remember thedisaster of Chernobyl and of Three Mile Island, and the terrible accident that has been occurred at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan that was caused by tremendous earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. People now have to ask why the gl obal destruction and the environmental crisis has developed and who is the person responsible of this critical issue. No one will be able to deny that the influence of modernization from European and American society is the major factor. If so a question will arise. As Christian countries, what kind of role has Christianity played in order to solve the environmental problems in the European and American societies? Moreover, has Christianity made an effort to perform deterrent work of environmental destruction? If so, why is the environmental issue continuing at this moment? The primary purpose of this essay will be to research the historical and ethical relationship between the factor of environmental destruction and Christianity in the West through the standpoint of Sociology of Religion. This thesis will also attempt to analyze the social structure of the West at the time of the Industrial Revolution, and to pursue people' s concepts about the environment in those days.