Paper short abstract:

The paper explores spiritual climate activists’ highly affective struggles of coming to terms with contradictory demands between mostly secular climate movements and their respective religious traditions on the example of German Faith Bridge.

Paper long abstract:

In September 2024, the German interfaith subgroup of Extinction Rebellion, Faith Bridge, introduced a new element of mobilisation to the wider movement. Gaia, a three-and-a-half-meter tall, bright-blue puppet created by British artist Kim Chaos, symbolises the Earth and, for the Faith Bridge activists, combines manifold meanings ranging from Greek mythology to the Gaia hypothesis. While the idea was specifically born out of the desire to unite Faith Bridge members of different religious traditions, what was communicated to the wider secular movement were the figure’s more scientific aspects. The first use of Gaia at the XR Living Resistance Festival in Berlin was a great success. Gaia attracted attention and created a vibrant atmosphere, reminiscent of XR’s peak days. However, secular activists also were critical about the ‘spiritual agenda’ associated with the figure. As spirituality and religion are generally viewed with suspicion withing the secular XR movement, activists with religious backgrounds are constantly navigating conflicting demands between their own religious communities and traditions and their activist practice as part of the larger movement. Practices and views that are interpreted as religious often lead to the delegitimization of those who engage in them. While this creates uncertainty and anxiety, for members of groups such as Faith Bridge it may also reflect wider social dynamics, as climate activist groups in general face attempts of delegitimization and fear that the open inclusion of spiritual elements could harm their cause. This paper explores spiritual groups’ highly affective struggles of coming to terms with such conflictive dynamics.