Works by
Thomas Berry
(Writer)
[1914 - ]

Buddhism (1968)

Religions of India (1972)
In clear, concise discussions of Hinduism, Yoga, and Buddhism, Thomas Berry sets forth the insights that have developed on the subcontinent and illustrates their significance for the religious and spiritual life of all mankind. . . . Recommended as a concise introduction for general readers.

Technology and the Healing of the Earth (1985)

The Dream of the Earth (1988)
This landmark work, first published by Sierra Club Books in 1988, has established itself as a foundational volume in the ecological canon. In it, noted cultural historian Thomas Berry provides nothing less than a new intellectual-ethical framework for the human community by positing planetary well-being as the measure of all human activity.

Drawing on the wisdom of Western philosophy, Asian thought, and Native American traditions, as well as contemporary physics and evolutionary biology, Berry offers a new perspective that recasts our understanding of science, technology, politics, religion, ecology, and education. He shows us why it is important for us to respond to the Earth's need for planetary renewal, and what we must do to break free of the "technological trance" that drives a misguided dream of progress. Only then, he suggests, can we foster mutually enhancing human-Earth relationships that can heal our traumatized global biosystem.

Befriending the Earth: A Theology of Reconciliation Between Humans and the Earth (1991) with Anne Lonergan, Stephen Dunn, and Thomas Clarke

The Universe Story: From the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era -- A Celebration of the Unfolding of the Cosmos (1992) with Brian Swimme

Sierra Club: Creative Energy (1996)
This lovely volume adapts Thomas Berry's profoundly important and popular The Dream of the Earth to convey anew his concerns and hopes for the planet. Berry pleads for a future rescued from ecological disaster by new "biocratic" priorities based foremost on the needs of the planet.

The Great Work: Our Way into the Future (1999)
Thomas Berry is one of the most eminent cultural historians of our time. Here he presents the culmination of his ideas and urges us to move from being a disrupting force on the Earth to a benign presence. This transition is the Great Work -- the most necessary and most ennobling work we will ever undertake. Berry's message is not one of doom but of hope. He reminds society of its function, particularly the universities and other educational institutions whose role is to guide students into an appreciation rather than an exploitation of the world around them. Berry is the leading spokesperson for the Earth, and his profound ecological insight illuminates the path we need to take in the realms of ethics, politics, economics, and education if both we and the planet are to survive.

Every Being Has Rights (2004)
This booklet has the text of Thomas Berry's lecture given in October 2003 as part of the 23rd annual Schumacher Lectures.

Evening Thoughts: Reflecting on Earth as Sacred Community (2006) Mary Evelyn Tucker, ed.
Essays
Among the contemporary voices for the Earth, none resonates like that of noted cultural historian Thomas Berry. His teaching and writings have inspired a generation's thinking about humankind's place in the Earth community and the universe, engendering widespread critical acclaim and a documentary film on his life and work.

This new collection of essays, from various years and occasions, expands and deepens ideas articulated in his earlier writings and also breaks new ground. Berry opens our eyes to the full dimensions of the ecological crisis, framing it as a crisis of spiritual vision. Applying his formidable erudition in cultural history, science, and comparative religions, he forges a compelling narrative of creation and communion that reconciles modern evolutionary thinking and traditional religious insights concerning our integral role in Earth's society.

While sounding an urgent alarm at our current dilemma, Berry inspires us to reclaim our role as the consciousness of the universe and thereby begin to create a true partnership with the Earth community. With Evening Thoughts, this wise elder has lit another beacon to lead us home.

Sacramental Commons: Christian Ecological Ethics (2006)
The increasing awareness of environmental issues as ultimately moral issues has led to the intersection of religion and environment. Sacramental Commons presents a unique way of looking at this topic by relating the Christian word sacrament (signs of divine presence) to the term commons (shared place and shared goods, among people and between people and the natural world), suggesting that local natural settings and local communities can be a source for respect and compassion.