christian roots

Many scholars attribute the origins of the Scientific Revolution to technological innovations. In The Measure of Reality, Alfred Crosby suggests a different explanation for the Scientific Revolution that he compares to the "striking of a match." What does Crosby mean by the striking of a match? What role does it play in his account of the origins of the Scientific Revolution? How well does his account explain why the Scientific Revolution happened in western Europe (and not elsewhere)?

If you are still waiting for your copy of Death of Nature to arrive, we recommend ordering a copy ASAP from through the Summit system. Books usually arrive in 3 to 5 days. See the library website--go to the Summit link on the library's main page and follow the steps--or ask a librarian for help with this task. Any edition is fine and there are many copies available.

If you are ready to get to work and are still waiting for the book, you should start reading Alfred Crosby's "The Measure of Reality." Students in group B will be writing their essays on this book, so it would be good to get a head start.

In 1967, Lynn White, Jr. argued that "Christianity bears a huge burden of guilt" for current environmental problems. ("The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis," p. 1206) His brief article became the focal point of discussion among historians, scientists, and environmentalists. In 1980, Carolyn Merchant developed a more detailed account of the historical roots of our ecological crisis in The Death of Nature.

For this (three-page double-space) essay, consider Merchant's discussion of the role that Christianity played in the views of nature that emerged during the medieval and early modern periods. Does she agree with White's thesis? If so, how does she extend and support his thesis? Or does she disagree with White's thesis? If so, how does she challenge or complicate his historical account? You might consider how Merchant and White view the relative importance of both Christians and pagans in developing our current view of the human place in nature. Bring 12 copies of the paper to our writing workshop on Wednesday, January 16.

Welcome back! We hope you had a good break. 

This attachment has details about winter quarter. It is the same as the handout that we distributed at the academic fair and in class. One correction: Brian Fagan (not Faber) is the author of The Little Ice Age. Remember that we are discussing Carolyn Merchant's The Death of Nature at our first seminar on Tuesday, Jan. 8, so you should be reading that now. Also note that you do not need to post a question about the book in a web forum--just come to class with good questions.

Kevin and Frederica 

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Welcome to our website for Christian Roots! We are looking forward to a fun and rigorous program this year as we explore medieval and early modern science. Look here for program announcements and updates. The attachment below links to the summer letter we have e-mailed students. It contains information about our schedule, reading list, art supplies, etc. Books and art supplies can be purchased from the Evergreen Bookstore or elsewhere.