11 - Wilderness and Religion

Summary

The book’s final chapter discusses the questions of the role wilderness mythologies played in important changes of ancient religions and of the roles of wilderness mythologies overall. It argues that wilderness mythologies stimulated new forms of religious identity formation, critique of the cultural and social order, ideals of radical religion and intense emotion, and supported individualising and interiorising tendencies in ancient religions. Further, it suggests that wilderness narratives play a part in forming human relationships with the living world, as they deal with the uncontrollability and opacity of nature and that these are aspects important for human thriving; and that wilderness mythologies stimulate fascination, awe, and wonder of nature and play a role in training human senses and experiences towards wild resonance experiences.