A Spiritual Call to Environmental Justice

Eric Marquette

Hello and welcome back to The House of Ravenbrook, everyone. I’m Eric Marquette, here again with Ruby Sturt, and this week we’re diving into Richard Ravenbrook’s ’Beyond Complacency’—a book that frankly pulls no punches about the crisis our environment’s in and the spiritual duty we all carry. Ruby, it feels like we can’t talk about spirituality these days without bumping into the word 'complacency'—especially with climate stuff.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, it’s everywhere, right? I mean, we know the planet’s hurting, we talk about it at parties or post about it, but Ravenbrook sort of calls out that it’s not enough. He says, just knowing about pollution or fires or melting ice, if we don’t move past that—if we stay stuck just feeling bad or guilty—we’re, well, part of the problem. And it’s not just a New Age or witchy thing. Even a lot of Christian movements are waking up to this spiritual responsibility for the land.

Eric Marquette

Absolutely. It’s almost like the sacredness of creation isn’t just an old idea, but one with—how do I put it—a pressing, ethical weight now. And in the Ravenbrook Tradition, as well as in many branches of Christianity, there’s this thread that caring for earth isn’t optional. It’s not just an aesthetic, green-lifestyle add-on—it’s a core aspect of spirituality. Reminds me of something we said a while back, Ruby, about the roots of witchcraft being about tending the land, not just casting spells.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, spot on. And actually, this is a bit embarrassing, but I used to get way too into the “plant a tree, feel good about yourself” thing at uni. We’d go out and dig holes all morning, sweat buckets, then take group selfies in our dirty overalls and post them. But honestly, looking back, those gestures were more meaningful than we realized. They’re part of this ancient, sacred task—this obligation to reconnect.Yeah, the energy was probably half virtue signaling, but the deeper bit is, we were participating in something really old: seeing land as living, not just as a resource to be used up. That’s foundational in Ravenbrook’s writing—and in a lot of spiritual traditions.

Eric Marquette

It is. And there’s something in that, even if we sometimes roll our eyes at eco-activism. Ravenbrook’s challenge, as I understand it, is moving everyone from band-aid awareness to a genuine sense of responsibility—or even reverence. So, bridging that gap… that’s really how we start to answer the call, isn’t it?

Ruby Sturt

Totally. And Ravenbrook’s pretty direct when he talks about ’dominion,’ especially that old biblical idea from Genesis—“have dominion over the earth.” It’s been used a lot as an excuse for, you know, rinse and repeat industrial expansion, but he flips it. He says no, the real meaning is about caretaking—looking after the world, not dominating it. That’s straight-up in Christian teaching too, if you dig into it.

Eric Marquette

Right. And just to muddy the waters a bit further, there’s that tension: the command to ‘subdue’ the earth in Genesis, but also to ‘serve’ it, to ‘keep’ the garden, depending on which translation you’re reading. The scholarship points out that the Hebrew words are quite strong, but caring and service are always attached to that authority. So, it’s not license to exploit—it’s actually a charge to steward, to tend, to preserve. Which brings the Christian view at its best almost in line with the sort of earthkeeping you see in the Ravenbrook Tradition.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, and that’s the wild thing! There’s overlap, even if the language is different. Both call us to pay attention, not just to how much we take from the earth, but how we care for it, heal it. It’s not just for “nature lovers.” And I love how, in some places, this gets lived out. Eric, you mentioned before this story about English monasteries? I kept thinking about it.

Eric Marquette

Mmm, yes. I visited this Benedictine monastery tucked out in the English countryside a few years back. The brothers dedicate hours every day to their orchards, their bees, the herb gardens—all of it. For them, growing apples or tending bees isn’t just about the jam they sell, it’s an act of devotion. You can feel this... Edenic sense that work and worship are woven together. There’s a humility to it, and, dare I say, an implicit challenge to our rushed consumer approach. I always think of them as living parables—tending as a sacred act, not just a chore. It’s not distant from what Ravenbrook’s getting at. Dominion as guardianship, not conquest.

Ruby Sturt

That’s magic, honestly. I reckon it’s a reminder that no spiritual path has a monopoly on compassion for the planet. And also that we all, no matter where we come from, have a responsibility—you know, big or small, to give back to the land that keeps us alive.

Eric Marquette

Exactly. And maybe it steers us away from that sort of passive entitlement that comes from misunderstanding dominion. It’s more accountability, less privilege. Which then begs the question—how do we move from spiritual agreement to actual change?

Ruby Sturt

And this is where Ravenbrook really throws down the gauntlet. He says it can’t just be belief or good intentions—it’s got to become action. And not that one-off action, like just putting a recycling sticker on your laptop. He pushes for collective courage, the wisdom that comes when communities tap into revelations—intuitive or spiritual—and then actually do something together. So, education’s critical, but without fierce, tangible action, it falls flat.

Eric Marquette

Yes, and it’s a real challenge, because the political and corporate structures are—let’s be honest—often built to maintain the status quo. Ravenbrook makes the point that voting once every few years or sharing posts about endangered rainforests isn’t enough, is it? The entrenched powers don’t shift just because we wish they would. It needs resistance; spiritual circles dedicating rituals for the land, grassroots activism, environmental justice—these are acts of real stewardship.

Ruby Sturt

Exactly! Even in my own neighborhood, local groups are fighting dodgy land development or planting community gardens, and honestly, that’s where you see this blend of the practical and the sacred. It isn’t always dramatic, but turning up for even one of these actions chips away at that old complacency Ravenbrook talks about. And you see it globally, don’t you? Circles holding ceremonies to heal rivers, or movements blockading corporate polluters. These things matter. They’re a ripple effect.

Eric Marquette

And they invite everyone to participate, regardless of background. I suppose, as we close, what we’re left with is a question that runs through all of Ravenbrook’s work—are we willing to answer the call and let our spirituality lead us into action, not just reflection? It’s an ongoing challenge. But as we saw in the last episode too—transformative work always takes commitment, not just conviction.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, and maybe it’s a bit of a relief that it doesn’t have to feel heroic or grand—just real. Alright, Eric, shall we wrap for today? Thanks for hanging out with us, everyone, on The House of Ravenbrook. We’ll be back again soon, picking up where this spiritual journey leaves off. Eric—see you next time!

Eric Marquette

Cheers, Ruby, and cheers to everyone listening. Until next time—step gently, and keep answering the call. Goodbye now!