VanOverbeke, John2023-02-162023-02-162022-12https://hdl.handle.net/11299/252500University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. December 2022. Major: English. Advisor: Daniel Philippon. 1 computer file (PDF); ii, 244 pages.This dissertation explores the religious heritage and Christian theology of John Muir as it has influenced the preservation movement in the United States and the management of the National Park Service. While Muir is celebrated as the “Father of the National Parks,” and despite his widespread fame in popular culture, the religious aspect of his legacy is often downplayed or misunderstood. Thus, this dissertation explores the theological specifics of the Campbellite sect to which Muir belonged, and then connects that theology to the managerial priorities of the National Park Service. Whether it be the suppression of hunting and fire, or the assumption that government is the appropriate avenue for achieving moral improvement, my argument is that Muir’s theology remains hugely influential in the organizational mission of the National Park Service. This ongoing influence creates social, political, and ecological challenges for the agency as it moves into the 21st century. Of particular concern for my dissertation is the ongoing relationship between the National Park Service—and it’s religiously influenced mission—and the Indigenous Peoples of North America, as well as the relationship of the NPS with the broader American public which is secularizing rapidly. Finally, the challenge of climate change reflects the urgent need for a reappraisal of the lasting impact of Muir’s theology, as well as an opportunity to rethink possibilities for preservation in the future.enThesis or Dissertation