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Robert L. Stivers (born 1940) is an American theologian, environmentalist, and Professor Emeritus of Ethics at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, known for his early works of environmental ethics and sustainable development.[1] and as "long-time advocate of Presbyterian ecojustice concerns."[2]
Born in 1940 in Cincinnati, Stivers graduated from Yale University, and served as Officer in the US Navy. Afterwards he continued his studies and obtained his M. Div. from the Union Theological Seminary in 1969, along with a Travelling Fellowship. In 1973 he obtained his PhD from Columbia University.[3]
After graduation in 1973 Stivers joined the Pacific Lutheran University, where he served as teacher for 37 years at the Department of Religion. After some years as associate professor of religion, he was appointed Professor of Religion. At his retirement in 2009 he was appointed Professor Emeritus of Ethics.
In the 1970s and 1980s Stivers wrote two book The Sustainable Society: Ethics and Economic Growth. (1976), and Hunger Technology and Limits to Growth (1984), in which he commented the 1972 publication The Limits to Growth.
In his 1976 book, entitled The Sustainable Society: Ethics and Economic Growth, Stivers describes the advocates of economic growth in his days and their critics.[4] As a theologian his main focus is on the ethical aspects, and not so much on the scientific data behind the theories.[5]
In his days Stivers' work was one of several work exploring ethics in economics and society. Other notable works were Amartya Sen's On Ethics and Economics from 1987, and Robert R. Chambers' Political Theory and Societal Ethics from 1992.[6]
In a 1979 review of The Sustainable Society in the Review of Religious Research Stivers gave a summary of the work and its aim:
In this review Stivers explained that the implications of The Sustainable Society are dramatic:
Kubo (1977) described the context of The Sustainable Society, as follows:
And furthermore:
It is Stivers' conviction, according to Kubo (1977), that "in the face of these obstacles, while no optimism is called for neither is pessimism but a realism that trusts in God's love for hope."[4] Stivers himself argued (1976)
In the late 1970s the concept of the "sustainable society" was developed[10] in the works of Dennis C. Pirages (1977)[11] and James C. Coomer (1979)[12] Stivers preceded them in using the phrase "sustainable society."[5] He introduced this term in the context of the required societal re-ordering as he argued (1977; 186-7):
About the "equilibrium economy" or "steady-state economy" Stivers further argued:
According to Professor of Urban Design and Sustainability Stephen M. Wheeler (2013) Stivers didn't coined the term "sustainable society," but a 1974 conference of the World Council of Churches issued that concept. Stivers did publish the first book with the term "sustainable" in the title.[15]
Another remarkable aspect of The Sustainable Society, was that Stivers advocated zero population growth,[16] a condition of demographic balance where the number of people in a specified population neither grows nor declines, considered as a social aim by some.[17]
In doing so Stivers followed a trend set by Paul Ehrlich and Barry Commoner. But Stivers also argued for zero economic growth.[16]
In order to work towards solving the problems at hand, Stivers acknowledge the need of three elements: technological innovation, political change and third element. Stivers explained:
In those days Ian Barbour came to a similar conclusion on this matter, and stated that "only a major change in attitudes and values, a new definition of good life, could permanently alter the burden we place on global resources."[19]
One of Stivers' conclusions is, that more research is needed in n broad field for many different participants. In his 1979 review he explained:
Economists in those days, such as Herman Daly, already went down this road. For political scientists and sociologists, according to Stivers (1979), there are "the vexing problems of managing this society and assessing the relative merits of centralized versus decentralized institutions."[8] And finally, according to Stivers, there was the "task of thinking through the ideological implications falls to everyone, but especially to philosophers, theologians, and poets."[8]
In the course of the 1970s the publications of the Limits to growth by the Club of Rome early 1970s was followed by subsequent reports. Some scientists, like Herman Kahn with his 1976 book The next 200 Years: a scenario for America and the world, responded with extreme technological optimism.[7] With the popularization in the media tons of books followed on the subject, while the 1973 oil crisis showed the world its dark side. About the ongoing debate Stivers (1979) summarized:
It is Stivers opinion that "The two sides talk past each other, insulated by opposing values and different assumptions regarding the efficacy of technology and the plasticity of human nature. Close observers are frustrated by the degree to which supposedly factual questions (e.g., the quantities of certain resources and the probability of new technological innovations) are being answered on the basis of socially located values and metaphysical assumptions."[7]
Back in the 1970s, in the book review on The Sustainable Society Kubo (1977) concluded that "the author throughout has been quite fair in presenting opposing views and has not withheld anything in portraying the bleak future regarding the limits to growth and all the concomitant problems in dealing with the possibility of developing a sustainable society."[4]
Kubo finished with the words, that Stivers had done that so well that for Kubo "a realistic assessment can only be a pessimistic one. Here and there and from time to time there may be some cooperation and long-range strategies, but these will appear to be band-aid treatment when major surgery is called for. Selfish man will not even in the face of extinction alter his basic nature. It remains to be seen whether a sustainable society can be realized."[4]
Recently, Stivers’ The Sustainable Society: Ethics and Economic Growth (1976) and Dennis Pirages’ edited collection, The Sustainable Society: Implications for Limited Growth (1977) are credited for introducing the term "sustainable society" to the general audience. According to Glasser (2016) both works "expanded on the theme of planetary limits to economic growth and explored the forms of social design and institutional change that are necessary to sustain meaningful improvements in quality of life." [20]
