Eco-Autobiographical Preaching: Toward an Eco-Homiletical Theology of Interconnectedness

This paper develops the notion of eco-autobiography, as articulated by Melanie L. Harris in Ecowomanism, in conversation with Howard Thurman, a preacher-theologian shaped by interfaith encounters and deep ecological spirituality. By reading Thurman’s life through the lens of eco-autobiography, I demonstrate how Thurman’s ethic of nonviolence, inspired by Mohandas Gandhi, is intertwined with eco-spirituality. In this sense, nonviolence becomes not only an ethical commitment but also an ethical responsibility to nurture the web of interconnected relationships that sustain all living organisms. This interreligious eco-autobiographical approach highlights the multiplicity of voices—Christians, non-Christians, and non-humans—that shape our interconnected being, resisting dominant Christian metanarratives that silence non-Christian and non-human stories. Lastly, by introducing a spirituality of interconnectedness from Daoism as a third component, I propose an eco-homiletical theology of interconnectedness, emphasizing pluralistic, relational, and hybrid practices that recognize non-Christian and non-human companions as co-participants in theological reflection and the practice of preaching.