Antinatalism and ecotheology

: reflections through Laudato Si'

Abstract

This thesis examines antinatalism – the belief that procreation is morally objectionable – through the lens of Christian ecotheology. It argues that the rising cultural resonance of antinatalist thought reflects not merely existential despair, but also a theologically significant symptom of ecological dislocation which contributes to the demographic transition and low fertility rates.

Part I explores the foundations of ecotheology through the concept of Authentic Human Development. It critiques the political architecture of the modern polis and contends that nature must now be regarded as “the new poor” in a suffering and disordered world. Drawing on the theological-ethical framework of Laudato Si' (2015), this section engages authors including Ernst Conradie, Sallie McFague, Christopher Southgate, Alister McGrath, and Hans Urs von Balthasar.

Part II investigates the intellectual genealogy of philosophical pessimism and the emergence of contemporary antinatalism as a form of anthropodicy. It analyzes the work of Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Peter Wessel Zapffe, Julio Cabrera, and David Benatar, identifying a shared logic of despair rooted in human alienation from both God and nature.

Part III proposes a dialogical synthesis. It argues that antinatalism, as both a worldview and a demographic phenomenon, signals the collapse of anthropocentric illusions and a growing ecological anxiety. In response, the thesis advocates for a theologically grounded resistance to antinatalism and demographic decline through the liberation and embrace of nature – framed by the inseparability of human and ecological value. It promotes hope through political transformation and ecological conversion, enacted proleptically through imitatio Christi.

While antinatalism rejects the human condition of suffering, Christian ecotheology – particularly in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si' – offers a vision of utopian renewal rooted in the ethical reorientation of humanity towards nature as the new poor. This thesis seeks to initiate a sustained theological engagement with antinatalism, a dialogue largely absent from contemporary scholarship.

Date of Award	2 Jul 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	Mario I Aguilar (Supervisor)