Media + Creation

 Media + Creation: a series which explores all things green and creation care related as found in the media and pop culture

Just last month a new edition of For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care by Steven Bouma-Prediger was released. This book, originally released in 2001, is an excellent resource for those looking to engage more deeply with understanding why Christians should care for God’s creation.

In this book Bouma-Prediger explores a Christian vision for caring for creation. His central claim is that, “authentic Christian faith includes care for the earth” (xii). He argues that in order to best understand who God is we must understand His creation. Thomas Aquinas once said that, “‘any error about creation also leads to an error about God’” (xi). It is from this starting point that he writes this book.

Bouma-Prediger begins this book with a look at where we are. He describes for the reader three of the most affectionate places on earth for him: forest, mountain, and lake. He says that we must know where we live in order to love and care for it. This chapter serves to show the authenticity of his concern for the earth. He next looks at what is wrong with the world. Here he describes the issues creation faces regarding population, hunger, biodiversity, deforestation, water, land, waste, energy, air, and climate. Some of the more notable of these are: half of the earth’s forests are gone (33), “the convey of trucks containing municipal solid waste (MSW) from the United States alone would extend around the planet 3.8 times [per year]” (39), and humans are changing the earth’s climate (49). While many might argue that some of the issues are speculative, the overall effect is clear: the earth is not doing well.

Bouma-Prediger proceeds to explore whether Christianity is to blame for this degraded state of the earth. He lists a variety of arguments that place a huge burden of guilt on Christians for the present situation. While there are many problems with these arguments and the extent to which they are blamed, it is clear that Christians have not always followed through on their calling to care for creation. Bouma-Prediger then presents several of the ways in which the church is culpable.

The next chapter looks at what scripture says about ecology. He first considers God’s work of creation. Here he notes that God created everything, He often shares his power, creation is ordered, it is good, the earth is not just for humans but all creatures, and the Sabbath is the climax of creation. Next he looks at covenant, specially the covenant with Noah. He cleverly points out that the covenant was not just between God and mankind, but between God and every living creature. He notes, through the story of Job, that God is at the center of all things, not humanity. He next turns to Colossians 1:15-20 to make several key points, including: “our Redeemer is our Creator” (102), “redemption is the restoration of creation” (103), and “nothing lies outside the creative and redemptive scope of God’s grace” (103). Finally, he turns to Revelation 21-22 to consider how God will establish His kingdom on earth.

The next chapter offers a theology of creation care. First and foremost, he argues for a theocentric worldview. He also considers how the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, man as “image-bearer” of God, sin and salvation, Christ, eschatology, and the community of faith relate to various aspects of this theology. He then evaluates various ecological ethics such as the rights of future generations, biocentrism, the land ethic, and deep ecology. He quotes William Dyrness who says, “‘our moral responsibility toward the earth cannot be excluded from our Christian calling’” (128). This leads his into the following chapter which considers what kind of people Christians should be. To do this, he explores a series of ecological virtues. These include: respect and receptivity, self-restraint and frugality, humility and honesty, wisdom and hope, patience and serenity, benevolence and love, justice and courage.

Bouma-Prediger next considers why a Christian should care about creation. Here he looks at various theories, both secular and Christian. While some are much more persuasive than others, he includes all these arguments as they each have some level of value. Three key arguments were that God commands us to, His concerns are our concerns (including His concern for the environment), and as a response to God’s care for us. The result of these combined arguments is that, “care for the earth is integral to what it means to be a Christian – it is an important part of our piety, our spirituality, our collective way of being authentically Christian” (173). He concludes the book with a brief chapter on hope where he notes that our hope lies in the Lord. He concludes with the following thought: “May we each be so moved by love and gratitude that we bear witness to the good news of the gospel. In so doing we will with our lives proclaim the hope that lies within us – the hope of God’s good future of shalom.” (183)

Reflections

This was a very interesting book. It is evident that Bouma-Prediger is very knowledgeable both about theology and ecology. He clearly and simply laid out many of the complex problems that creation is faced with today. He was able to convince the reader of these challenges while being honest about those arguments that are less certain. While I’m not sure it was necessary to include the chapter about whether Christianity is to blame, his detailed analysis helped to clarify that issue. He did so without being defensive and while still acknowledging Christians’ share of complicity in the matter. In some ways it was very helpful how he developed the Christian vision for creation care from several angles: scripture, theology of caring for creation, ethical approaches, ecological virtues, and arguments for why we should care. In general, I thought he made many excellent points and brought out some crucial details from scripture. His thoughts on covenant with all creatures and on the extent of Christ’s redemption were especially helpful.

At the same time however, there were several things that disappointed me about this book. First, I would have liked to have seen him expand his use of scripture. While the texts he used to develop his argument were well-chosen, important texts, he only used a handful of them. It may have been more convincing for some if he had demonstrated that the Bible is replete with scripture related to this topic. Secondly, there seemed to be a lot that was tangential to the development of the book. Examples would include the description of the affectionate places in the first chapter and the discussion on the nature of virtue in the sixth chapter. Third, the book did not seem to flow very well overall. The development of his vision felt disjointed at times. As a result, I do not think the book was as convincing as it could have been to a Christian who did not care about creation prior to reading this.

In conclusion, I really did appreciate this book. Bouma-Prediger definitely knew what he was talking about and presented the Christian with a solid rationale for why he or she should care about caring for creation. Despite these few critiques, this is an excellent book.. In fact, I believe this is the most thorough creation care book there is. Although it might not be the most convincing book for the novice Christian interested in creation care, I would definitely recommend it for the solid theology and the thoroughness of the arguments. To be completely honest, this is my favorite creation care book, the one I most come back to. If you really want to understand why we should care for God’s creation this one book would be a great resource for you.

One last thought: The latest edition includes updated statistics, some new thoughts and quotes, and some rewritten prose. However, it is largely unchanged from the previous edition. If you already own the earlier edition and do not have a great need to have the latest edition otherwise, I recommend that you save some paper and stick with the one you have.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Baker Publishing Group Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Also consider:

Tending to Eden (Part 3)

Beyond the Taco Stand

Media + Creation: a series which explores all things green and creation care related as found in the media and pop culture

For a week now I have been participating in the Tending to Eden blog tour and have brought you along with me for the journey.  We began last Friday with an introduction to the book, author Scott Sabin, and Plant With Purpose.  On Wednesday, I let you in on my interview with the author.  Today, I conclude the mini-series with a review of the book.

Interestingly Tending to Eden begins not with a lengthy proof for creation care, but with a call to justice.  Scott walks the reader through part of his journey into Guatemala and how that helped him understand God’s concern for the world.  It was not his intention to work in an environmental area.  In fact, he was uncomfortable with it at first.  He wanted to help the poor, the hungry.  However, through his own journey Scott helps the reader to understand how caring for God’s creation is caring for the poor.  He employs “upstream thinking” to address root causes rather than mere symptoms.  He demonstrates this connection clearly using the example of deforestation.

Scott then spends some time talking about reversing the vicious cycle that often traps them in their circumstances and exchanging it for a virtuous cycle of reforestation and economic empowerment.  In this he emphasizes the importance of helping the poor understand their own value.  He notes, “but if we do for others what they can and should do for themselves, we rob them of their dignity and reinforce the lie that they have nothing to offer. We create dependency.”  He then brings the reader into a couple ways that Plant With Purpose and others are able to help while allowing the poor to utilize their gifts, namely through sustainable agriculture and helping businesses.

Scott then focuses on the importance of sharing the gospel in the process.  He highlights the idea that without God there will not be transformation.  Sharing the gospel is a key part of loving and caring for the poor. 

He then steps back to take a more global perspective on all this.  Here some of the key ecological issues (such as deforestation, biodiversity, and climate change) are discussed with exceptional clarity.  The ecological problems are neither left with the poor, nor at a vague, global level.  Rather, they are tracked all the way into our own backyards.

At this point Scott turns to the church.  Here he points out the biblical basis for caring for creation as well as some of the church’s history doing so.  He says, “The biblical account is not just the story of God’s love for his people and the redemption of humankind through Christ. It is that, but is also the story of God’s love for everything he has made.”  People are hungry and Jesus offers hope and redemption for all things.  The book concludes with a discussion as to how to get involved both globally and locally, how to “get in the game.”

But wait there’s more! (read that with your best infomercial voice)  If this wasn’t enough, the book also includes a small group study at the end, not to mention the ideas for making an impact as an individual, family, or church and a list of creation care resources.

There is much to like about this book.  First, Scott does an excellent job of making very complex topics clear.  This alone may be worth the price of admission.  Not only does he explain what things like deforestation are but he helps you to see how these ideas connect to the poor and our faith.  Sometimes I think we like that we do not understand such problems let alone their broader impact.  It allows us to be ignorant.  But once we understand them and their impact of God’s children and His creation it is hard to sit idly by.

Secondly, the link between a broken creation and the poor is well connected.  Scott connects the plight of the poor (both globally and locally) to environmental problems.  Caring for creation becomes a matter of justice.  For some caring for creation comes at the expense of ignoring the poor.  Scott points out that caring for creation actually is caring for the poor.

This leads me to another point I liked about this book:  upstream thinking.  Scott does not settle.  He does not merely target symptoms.  Instead, he seeks out the root causes.  In the case of the poor, a broken environment is often a major contributing factor.  To settle for feeding hungry mouths alone, is to create dependency.  That’s not to say that there’s not a time to feed the hungry.  By all means there is.  But we must also target the factors that keep them hungry.  I quite appreciated this reminder to think upstream.

Fourthly, I enjoyed his point that all of creation worships God.  Since reading this book I have paid particular attention to how many scriptures and worship songs say that all of creation worships God.  There are a ton!  Yet, that is often removed from our thinking.  I appreciate that Tending to Eden reminded me that in caring for God’s creation I am caring for fellow worshippers of the Almighty God.  What a critical idea!

Finally, I was so excited to see Scott point out the hope that we have through Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately, this is often left out of creation care literature.  Or at least it takes a back seat.  At Creation Hope, this is a core part of what we believe.  So, when I saw that Scott gets it, I was overjoyed.

You might be wondering if this is the perfect book.  No, it’s not perfect.  But what is?  There were times where the structure of the book seemed a little hard to follow.  Also, the section on the biblical basis for creation care was fairly short.  That said, there is a whole Bible study in the back which certainly helps fill in gaps.  But these and other minor issues are dwarfed by the great value to be had in this book. 

If you are wondering about the link between the poor and the environment, if you feel like you don’t totally get what we are talking about, if you want a book that is not a textbook but is seen through the lens of someone’s life and work, if you want to better understand how to approach environmental issues from a Christian perspective, perhaps you should consider picking up Tending to Eden. 

Want to read Tending to Eden?  Consider buying it at the Creation Hope Store.  Better yet, want a free, autographed copy?  Comment on this or one of the other Tending to Eden posts for a chance to win.  Giveaway details here.

Also consider:

Tending to Eden (Part 2)

Eco Anecdotes: Gardening for the Community 

Note: photos courtesy of Plant With Purpose

Media + Creation: a series which explores all things green and creation care related as found in the media and pop culture

Tending to Eden (Part 1)

A new creation care book came out recently and I have been fortunate enough to participate in the blog tour.  The book is Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God’s People by Scott Sabin, executive director of Plant with Purpose. 

Freebie note: we will be giving away a free, autographed copy of Tending to Eden.  Read to the end for instructions.

Over the next week I will be publishing 3 posts (including this one) about this great book.  Today’s is mostly an introduction to the book and a brief look inside.  Next, I will let you in on the details from my interview with Scott.  Finally, I will review the book.  We will conclude the series in royal fashion by giving away the signed copy of the book to one lucky reader.  Okay, we maybe that’s not “royal fashion,” but it is certainly something worth getting excited about.

About Tending to Eden

Let’s begin with the description from Amazon:

Written by Scott Sabin, executive director of a Christian relief and development agency, Tending to Eden is an invaluable resource for environmentally conscious congregations and community groups. In this practical guide for creation care, Sabin offers: Theological foundations for environmental stewardship, Practical strategies, Case studies of contemporary ministry groups, and Sidebars by leading voices in the Christian church who are passionate about environmental stewardship. Each chapter also includes a study guide for small-group use, and the appendix offers a related Bible study. With the holistic tools provided in this innovative and practical resource, churches and organizations can transform lives, communities, and ministries.

A look inside

If you are interested in getting more of a look inside Tending to Eden, here are a several quotes for you (a few short ones and 1 longer one).

Environmental restoration leading to economic opportunity is a virtuous cycle. As it brings glory to God, it becomes a victorious cycle, a foreshadowing of the kingdom to come.

We must make the connection between creation care and justice if we want to have an impact on the problems of the poor and oppressed in our own country and around the world. Environmental problems and their solutions transcend race, border, and economic class, and yet we must not ignore the disproportionate impact these problems have on economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities.Any comprehensive creation-care program must respond to the needs of the poor and the marginalized — working alongside them to clean up their neighborhoods, fight their oppressors, protect their reefs, preserve their rivers, and replant their forests.

Taking care of creation isn’t just about saving the whales or the spotted owl (although these concerns are far more important than the skeptics would have us believe). Creation care isn’t just about reduce, reuse, recycle. And it certainly isn’t about keeping others out or exporting our own environmental problems to other countries so America can remain pristine. It is about preserving creatures and conserving wilderness, but it is also about saving neighborhoods fromour waste, and improving the health and safety of children who live there. It is about working for justice for poor families in Appalachia and collaborating with poor farmers around the world who are struggling to produce food under increasingly difficult circumstances. Justice for the poor and oppressed should be a seamless part of creation care, just as creation care is fundamental to proclaiming and demonstrating God’s kingdom to all of creation.

When we ask, “What else must I do?” the answer is always “The next thing.” We are called to take the next step—but only the next step. One at a time. I have only begun to take the first steps. They have been far less painful than I expected. Lord willing, I will be able to take more steps toward being a good steward. How much is enough? There is no “enough.”

Whatever steps we take, we can be certain our labor will not be in vain. Jesus loves his creation and has a plan to redeem it. And we have been given a role to play in that redemption. So let’s get in the game.

More about Scott’s work

If you want to learn more about Scott Sabin’s work with Plant With Purpose, check out their website.  And/or you can check out the video below.

Freebie Info

Next Friday, March 12th at 5:00pm PST we will hold a random drawing to determine the winner of the free, autographed copy of Tending to Eden.  In order to qualify you must do one of the following:

1. Comment on any of the 3 Tending to Eden blog posts (this or one of the upcoming ones)
2. Tweet the following “I just entered to win a free copy of the book Tending to Eden from @creationhope. To enter go to http://bit.ly/bJqxkF #CreationHopeGiveaway”

Only one opportunity per person per option above (which means only 1 opportunity regardless of how many times you comment; only 1 opportunity regardless of how many times you tweet; with a maximum of 2 opportunities total to win).  Comments and tweets must be made by 4:30pm PST on March 12, 2010.  Sorry, only available to those in the Unites States.  Please do not enter if you do not intend to read the book.

Also consider:

Green Adventures: Baking Bread

Definitions: Creation Care