This course investigates our current ecological crisis in the light of a biblically informed Christian ethic. It is equally a study in a Christian ethical interpretation of Scripture in the light of our current ecological crisis. A case study approach helps to ground a short introduction to ecology as well as a study of various models for a Christian ethics of creation care. The focus is on a critical theological reflection on praxis in a pluralistic world of many faiths and none at all, but in which we share a common, growing crisis. Prerequisite: Signature (core) ST course.
Required
-Daniel Bruner, et al., An Introduction to Evangelical Ecotheology (Baker)
-David Fergusson, Creation (Eerdmans)
-J. B. Martin-Schramm & R. L. Stivers, Christian Environmental Ethics: A Case Method Approach. (Orbis).
-William Spohn, What are they Saying about Scripture and Ethics? (Paulist).
-Richard Bauckham, The Bible and Ecology. (Baylor).
Essays on e-reserve. Access these full text through MyLutherNet:
- Holmes Rolston, “Environmental Ethics: Challenges for Christians,” from Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics (no volume number; 1993), 163-186.
- Rolston, “Rights and Responsibilities on the Home Planet,” Zygon 28 (1993), 425-439.
- H. Paul Santmire and John Cobb, “The World of Nature according to the Protestant Tradition,” ch. 4 of of the Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology, ed. R. Gottleib. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Pr., 2006.
- Rosemary Radford Ruether, “Ecofeminism and Religion, ” ch. 16 of the Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology (op. cit.).
- Celia Deane-Drummond, “Theology, Ecology and Values,” ch. 52 of the Oxford Handbook of Science and Religion, ed. P. Clayton and Z. Simpson. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Pr., 2006.
- “A Historical Survey. Ken Gnanakan, God’s World: A Theology of the Environment. London: SPCK, 1999. Chapter 8.
- David Fergusson. “Creation,” Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Pr. Chapter
- “Creation” and “Humanity.” Hans Schwarz. The Christian Faith. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2014. Chapters 5 & 6.
Recommended
These books are also on reserve in the library:
S. Grenz & J. T. Smith, Pocket Dictionary of Ethics (IVP, 2003).
R. Gottlieb, ed., The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology (OUP, 2006).
Recommended Resources
BOOKS
Reference
R. Gottlieb, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology. Oxford UP, 2006.
Scientific
John Houghton. Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. 4th ed. Cambridge Univ. Pr., 2009.
Paul Mitchell. Teach Yourself 101 Key Ideas: Ecology. New York: McGraw Hill, 2001.
Richard T. Wright and Bernard J. Nebel. Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future. 10th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007.
Biblical-Theological
Richard Bauckham. The Bible and Ecology. Waco: Baylor Univ. Pr., 2009.
Sigurd Bergmann. Creation Set Free: The Holy Spirit as Liberator of Nature. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005
J. Berry, ed. The Care of Creation: Focusing Concern and Action. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Pr., 2000.
Steve Bouma-Prediger. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001.
Ken Gnanakan. God’s World: A Theology of the Environment. London: SPCK, 1999.
Willis Jenkins. Ecologies of Grace: Christian Theology and Environmental Ethics. Oxford Univ. Pr., 2008.
P. Santmire. The Travail of Nature: The Ambiguous Ecological Promise of Christian Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1985.
Fred Van Dyke, et al. Redeeming Creation: The Biblical Basis for Environmental Stewardship. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Pr., 1996.
Lukas Vischer. Caring for God’s Creation: A Challenge for the Church’s Mission. Geneva: John Knox Series, 2007.
Literary
Aldo Leopold. A Sand County Almanac. 1949; ill. ed. New York: Oxford Univ. Pr., 2001, including “A Land Ethic”
Rachel Carson. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.
Henry David Thoreau. Walden and Other Writings. New York: Bantam, 1962. A better collection of his works is The Portable Thoreau (New York: Viking-Penguin, 1947), which includes “Walking” and “Walden.” Complete works online at Internet Archive www.archive.org.
John Muir, Nature Writings. New York: Library of America, 1997. His complete works are also available online at Internet Archive www.archive.org.
Christian Leadership
Edwin R. Brown. Our Father’s World: Mobilizing the Church to Care for Creation. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Pr., 2008.
Tri Robinson. Saving God’s Green Earth: Rediscovering the Church’s Responsibility to Environmental Stewardship. Ampelon Pub., 2008.
Matthew Sleeth. Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.
WWW:
The John Ray Initiative (UK) <www.jri.org.uk> and the AuSable Institute (USA)
<www.ausable.org> both keep listing of links to related web pages and organizations involved in Christian environmental efforts. There are numerous other helpful materials as well at both sites.
On the ecology side, see Ecology Global Network (ecology.com) among many others.