Environmental Humility in Medieval Monasticism

Was humility a virtue only directed toward other people and God, or could it extend to include other animate and inanimate beings in nature? This dissertation explores this question by introducing ‘environmental humility’—a concept rooted in environmental virtue ethics and closely tied to medieval religious teachings on virtues and vices. Focusing on monasteries in Southern Germany and Switzerland from 1250-1500, this study examines how humility was practiced not just as a devotion to God but as a respectful attitude towards all inhabitants of Earth.

By using environmental humility as a lens, this project has two aims. First, it historicizes a modern concept, showing how it can provide new insights for interpreting medieval sources. Second, it explores the implications and practical applications of this concept in monastic life, contributing new perspectives to the fields of environmental history, environmental virtue ethics, and eco-theology.

Main Research Questions:

1. Has environmental humility existed in the Middle Ages? If so, how can we uncover it from historical sources?
2. How were elements of nature—including the four elements and animals—used in the practice and conceptualization of environmental humility?
3. Are there differences in practicing and conceptualizing environmental humility across monastic orders, and between male and female institutions?
4. How might historical expressions of environmental humility influence scholarly fields such as environmental history, eco-theology, and environmental virtues ethics?