When  theology and ethics are centred on the earth and its community of life, and belief in  god is no longer  theistic, what implications are there for personal prayer, public worship and communal expressions of faith? Moreover, how is 'the inner life' of practitioners of eco-theology nurtured? These are core questions for eco-spirituality.

In a theistic paradigm, prayer is  dialogue with the divine being in the expectation that interventionist answers might follow which, for instance, alter the course of natural events like diseases. For pan-en-theists, the idea of  intercessory prayer is clearly problematic just as the idea of singing praises to one’s god might be. Prayer is less about crying out to a god and more about seeking a state of union with the spirit of life and love.  So understood, prayer is living in a way that seeks connectedness with all beings. The practice of meditation is likely to be an important component of this spirituality especially as it nurtures  compassion and insight.

Establishing suitable eco-spirituality rituals, (what I call 'celebrations of being'), may be a challenge, though   rituals like “grace” at the family meal table can be a simple start, with a focus on the interdependence of all life forms. Different pathways will suit different people at different stages of their lives. Some might find  practices built around communal activity more suitable while others are nurtured by solitude; some might be enriched more by an innovative use of symbols while others respond to the challenge of inspirational writings or music; some might be awakened to a sense of connectedness to nature by getting down and dirty in the garden while others are awakened by illness  which helps them discover how they are embodied and connected to all bodies.

Summing up,

Eco-spirituality forms our identity and character in ways that connect us with what has been termed 'the Ground of our Being'. Arising from a  fundamental  reverence, awe and gratitude for  life's unity, balance, difference and connectedness, eco-spirituality is centred on grace, the gift of unconditional,  inclusive and empowering love, drawing on wellsprings of wisdom that are both contemplative and prophetic. It is a spirituality which challenges the illusions that easily capture us – for instance, that consumerism makes us happy or even that there is a god out there who will save us; this spirituality enjoins us to pay attention to where we are, to tend our garden and care for our neighbourhood.   In harmony with the Earth and the  quest for life abundant, eco-spirituality calls us to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our god (Micah 6:8), while, in the words of slogans popularised in the 1970s, we think globally, act locally and live simply so others may simply live. In its practical, even political, expression, eco-spirituality works for eco-justice: the double-edged challenge of achieving environmental sustainability on the one hand and social justice in the human community on the other. It envisages a major re-orientation of human cultures to fairer and more sustainable cultures. ( See cameos on Ethics and Social Justice and article Exploring Eco-theology)