Ethnobotany & Religion: Christianity and Plants

Education Modules

Multimedia Resources for Ethnobotany Curriculum

Christianity and Plants

Plants play important ritual, symbolic and practical roles in developing and maintaining world-views. Religious beliefs that are part of a world-view are held in common by practitioners. Beliefs are typically codified in metaphors and stories that are easily remembered, often through incorporation of daily events (eating, farming, etc.) and plants that were regularly encountered by those who originally codified the belief. This allows for easy transmission of the beliefs from generation to generation This episode discusses some of the core beliefs of Christianity and plants that are used to symbolize these beliefs.

Production Credits

Presented by:

    • Will McClatchey

Themes and Content by:

    • Isabella Abbott
    • Al Keali'i Chock
    • Will McClatchey
    • My Lien Nguyen
    • Tamara Ticktin
    • David Webb

Special Presentations and Content by:

    • Tony A.B. Cunningham
    • Catherine Davenport
    • Orou Gaoue
    • Lisa X. Gollin
    • Y. Han Lau
    • Spencer Leinweber
    • Mark Merlin
    • Levon ‘ohai
    • Joseph Ostraff
    • Melinda Ostraff
    • Orlo Steele
    • Clay Trauernicht
    • Art Whistler
    • Namaka Whitehead
    • Kawika Winter

Post Production Critique by:

    • Al Keali'i Chock
    • Momi Kamahele
    • Kiope Raymond
    • Botany 105 Students (Fall 2005)

Camera Work by:

    • David Reedy
    • David Strauch
    • Michael B. Thomas

Video and Sound Editing by:

    • Markus Faigle
    • David Reedy
    • David Strauch
    • Michael B. Thomas

Audio Production by:

    • Will McClatchey
    • David Reedy

Consulting by:

    • Edo Biagoni
    • Kim Bridges
    • Pauline Chinn
    • Valerie McClatchey
    • Hae Okimoto
    • Nelda Quinsell
    • Ingelia White

Funding provided by:

    • University of Hawai'i, Department of Botany
    • University of Hawai'i, Information Technology Services
    • University of Hawai'i, College of Natural Sciences
    • University of Hawai'i, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
    • National Center for Academic Transformation
    • University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Chancellor

Inspiration from:

    • Isabella Abbott
    • Michael Balick
    • Brad Bennett
    • Brent Berlin
    • Paul Cox
    • Memory Elvin-Lewis
    • Timothy Johns
    • Beatrice Krauss
    • Walter Lewis
    • Richard Evans Schultes
    • Gail Wagner
    • The Society for Economic Botany