This course a) explores dimensions of the ecological crises facing the present generation, b) presents theological, scriptural, and anthropological resources for shaping ecological behavior, c) examines traditional Christian practices pertaining to community, the Body, and the world, and d) offers resources and models for working with congregations and young people on environmental issues.
Required Texts
Larry L. Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics. Orbis Press, 1996.
Robert R. Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and the Roots of Christian Faith. Rowman?& Littlefield, 1995.
Recommended: Emilio Moran, People and Nature: An Introduction to Human Ecological Relations. ?Blackwell, 2006.
Other Resources to Consider (a growing list):
Dorothy C. Bass, ed., Practicing our Faith.
Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997.
Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich, One with Nineveh: Politics, Consumption, and the Human Future.
Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers: How Man is Changing the Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth.
Mary C. Grey, Sacred Longings: The Ecological Spirit and Global Culture.
Norman C. Habel, ed., The Earth Bible, Vol. 1: Readings from the Perspective of Earth
Norman C. Habel & Vicky Balabanski, eds., The Earth Bible, Vo. 5: The Earth Story in the New Testament.
Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability.
Dieter Hessel & Rosemary Radford Reuther, eds., Christianity and Ecology.
John Houghton, Global Warming: the Complete Briefing, 3 rd ed.
Barbara Kingsolver, Small Wonder.
Elizabth Kolbert, Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Change.
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005: Ecosystems and Human Well-Being; Synthesis
Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
Michael Schut, ed., Food and Faith: Justice, Joy, and Daily Bread.
Michale Schut, ed., Simpler Living: Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective.
James Gustav Speth, Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global Environment.
David Toolan, At Home in the Cosmos.
Worldwatch Institute, Vital Signs 2006-2007.
Schedule
Lesson 1: Course overview; community building; premises; assessment
Lesson 2: State of the Earth I; Suggested Readings-Moran, People and Nature, chapter 1; Millenium Ecosystem Assessment; Worldwatch Institute, Vital Signs
Lesson 3: State of the Earth II, continued. Why we are in trouble: Habits of thinking, economic practices, materialism, ritual dislocations; Readings-Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 1-173; Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 1-28; Rasmussen, “Shaping Communities,” in Bass, Practicing our Faith, pp. 119-132; Suggested Readings-Moran, People and Nature, chapters 2-4, pp. 25-92
Lesson 4: Biblical Resources I: Old Testament; Readings-Psalm 104, Genesis 1:1-2:3, 2:4-3:24; Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 177-226, 248-269; Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 29-65; Sharon Daloz Parks, “Household Economics,” in Bass, Practicing Our Faith, 43-58.
Lesson 5: Biblical Resources II: New Testament; Readings-Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 270-294; Suggested Readings-Revelation 15-22; Romans 8; Habel, Readings from the Perspective of Earth, pp. 24-53; Barbara K. Rossing, “ River of Life in God’s New Jerusalem,” in Hessel and Radford Reuther, eds., Christianity and Ecology, pp. 205-224.
Lesson 6: The Garden vs. the Brickyard I: The Church’s Calling: Why should the church care? Sacramentality of Place, Spirituality of the Body; Readings-Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 295-354; Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 67-117; Michael Lerner, in Dov Peretz Elkins, A Shabbat Reader, pp. 172-185; Suggested Readings-Moran, People and Nature, chapters 5, pp. 93-115
Lesson 7: The Garden vs. the Brickyard II: Responses to the crises; What models are available and how do we sort through them?; Readings-Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 227-247; Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 119-149; DeWitt in Schut, Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, pp. 175-180; Berry in Schut, Food and Faith, pp. 125-136; Suggested Readings-Moran, People and Nature, chapters 6-8, pp. 116-177
Lesson 8: Practices: Food; Readings-Schut, Food and Faith, pp. 123-125, 136-147; Barbara Kingsolver, “A Fist In the Eye of God,” in Small Wonder, 93-108; Suggested Reading-Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Lesson 9: Practices: Water
Lesson 10: Practicing in the Garden
Lesson 11: Site Visit
Lesson 12: Final Projects