The Peaceable Kingdom Series is a multivolume series that seeks to challenge the pervasive violence assumed necessary in relation to humans, nonhumans, and the larger environment. By calling on the work of ministers, activists, and scholars, we hope to provide an accessible resource that will help Christians reflect on becoming a more faithful and peaceable people. The series editors are Andy Alexis-Baker and Tripp York. For study guides and further resources see http://www.peaceablekingdomseries.com
""Care for creation has become marginalized in conversations concerning the quest for justice; nevertheless, our very lives depend on . . . respecting the earth. It is no accident that those most likely to be disenfranchised are those who depend the most on the earth for its survival. Hence, A Faith Encompassing All Creation is a crucial addition to the justice discourse. By gathering diverse voices, the reader is led to explore this crucial issue. Our only hope is that such elucidation leads to praxis."" --Miguel de la Torre, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado ""This book gets our attention. It is prophetic. For those of us who have been soothed into 'let's be nice to creation' this is an altar call to conversion to a radical and responsible life. We must repent, not simply because all creation calls out to us but because God calls."" --Kyle Childress, Austin Heights Baptist Church, Nacogdoches, Texas ""What could be more important for Christians today than to read A Faith Encompassing All Creation? We are in desperate need of a vision of Christian faith that can inspire commitment and action to save the biodiversity of our planet. This book brings together a vibrant diversity of voices, men and women, young and old, from various Christian traditions, all committed to love for the Earth and all its creatures as God's good creation."" --Denis Edwards, Australian Catholic University Tripp York teaches in the Department of Religion at Virginia Wesleyan College. He is the author or editor of more than half a dozen books, including Third Way Allegiance, Living on Hope While Living in Babylon, and The Devil Wears Nada. Andy Alexis-Baker is a PhD candidate in Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics at Marquette University. He is coeditor of Theology of Missions, by John Howard Yoder.
Even as evidence accumulates that humans have significantly contributed to global climate change, many Christians have questions about what it means to care for creation. Some question whether focusing on creation care takes away from a person's spirituality or from caring for other humans. Others wonder to what extent we can live peaceably with nonhuman creation. Still others wonder whether we should be better stewards of the environment and whether developing better technology might save us from the current crisis. The diverse authors of this volume address these questions in an accessible way.
Although our planet faces numerous ecological crises, including climate change, many Christians continue to view their faith as primarily a "spiritual" matter that has little relationship to the world in which we live. But Steven Bouma-Prediger contends that protecting and restoring our planet is part and parcel of what it means to be a Christian. Making his case from Scripture, theology, and ethics and including insights from the global church, Bouma-Prediger explains why Christians must acknowledge their identity as earthkeepers and therefore embrace their calling to serve and protect their home planet and fellow creatures. To help readers put an "earthkeeping faith" into practice, he also suggests numerous practical steps that concerned believers can take to care for the planet. Bouma-Prediger unfolds a biblical vision of earthkeeping and challenges Christians to view care for the earth as an integral part of Christian discipleship.
“One the greatest challenges the church faces today,” writes Jerome F. D. Creach, “is to interpret and explain passages in the Bible that seem to promote or encourage violence” (Violence in Scripture, 1). In the past fifteen years, a number of books have been published to help people make sense of God’s violent behavior in the Bible. Yet very little has been written about how to use these (and other) violent texts constructively in church. This leaves religious practitioners—pastors, priests, Sunday school teachers, worship ministers, lay leaders, and others—at a real disadvantage. What should they do with stories that sanction genocide or praise individuals for killing others? How can they use these violent texts in sermons, liturgies, Christian educations classes, and elsewhere without promoting the violent ideologies they contain? In Redeeming Violent Verses, Eric Seibert addresses these questions by focusing on a wide range of practical ways to use violent biblical texts responsibly in the church and beyond. With chapters devoted to using violent verses when preaching sermons, teaching Sunday school, and leading worship, this book is filled with guidelines and specific practices designed to help ministers use violent verses responsibly. Seibert includes numerous examples to illustrate specific ways these verses could be used in ministry settings and pays special attention to dealing with passages that portray God behaving violently. Rather than ignoring these passages or being intimidated by them, Redeeming Violent Verses tackles troublesome texts head-on. It charts a bold path forward, one that opens up new possibilities for ministers by equipping them to use these texts in life-giving and spiritually edifying ways. Religious practitioners of all stripes will find this book immensely helpful, and readers will benefit greatly from the many strategies and suggestions offered here.
In America's Holy Ground: 61 Faithful Reflections on Our National Parks, dive deeper into a unique aspect of each park, from Acadia to Zion, and reframe how you think about the parks and your faith. Connections, sabbath, reflection, perspective, beginnings, art, restoration - these are just a few of the themes you'll encounter on your national park journey. A trio of questions with each entry will help you see the bigger picture of your life and new ways to approach your relationship with God, your community, and your faith. Whether you're on the road or at home in your reading nook, think about your favorite national park in a whole new way!
In The End of Captivity?, Tripp York addresses how we talk about the good of other animals in light of a stark impossibility: their freedom from us. While all of us in the animal (and plant) kingdom are interdependent upon one another, humans are unique in that we are the only animals who keep other animals captive. We keep animals in zoos, sanctuaries, circuses, conservatories, aquariums, research facilities, slaughterhouses, and on our farms and in our homes. York asks what such forms of captivity say about us, and how animal captivity shapes what we imagine to be the purpose of other animals. What does the fact that elephants, tigers, and horses perform in circuses say about how we see the world? What does the reality of zoological parks say about the people who create, support, decry, protest, and patronize them? How important is wildlife conservation for the good of the earth? What does "who" we put on our plate say about how we understand the theological role of other animals? These are just a few questions York tackles as he weaves through the convoluted politics surrounding the captive animals in our midst.
Christian theology, classically defined, is faith's intellectual work of seeking understanding, not in order to prove its truth but to persuade those who hear it proclaimed. Theology done from within the Reformed tradition has long displayed this quality, and it continues to develop in response to our changing world. "Reformed Theology: Identity and Ecumenicity" is an excellent resource for readers interested in examining current trends and motifs in Reformed thought. Written by systematic theologians from around the world, this book explores the meaning of the Reformed tradition and its relevance for the contemporary church. The contributors highlight ways that Reformed theology can enrich the church ecumenical even as they seek to realize a more catholic Reformed community of inquiry. Contributors: P. Mark Achtemeier Wallace M. Alston Jr. H. Russel Botman Eberhard Busch Dawn DeVries Margit Ernst Gabriel Fackre Douglas Farrow David Fergusson Botond Gaal Colin Gunton George Hunsinger William Stacy Johnson Yung Han Kim Ulrich H. J. Kortner Jan Milič Lochman Bruce L. McCormack Peter McEnhill Daniel L. Migliore Piet J. Naude Milan Opocě nsky Jan Rohls Dirk Smit George W. Stroup A. van de Beek Leanne Van Dyk Michael Weinrich Michael Welker Myung Yong Kim Carver T. Yu
If Christians follow the Prince of Peace, why do they often behave so violently? What can be done to transform the church so that it looks more like Jesus? Eric Seibert explores these questions in this important and timely study. He builds a biblical and practical case for living nonviolently in all areas of life and urges Christians to reexamine their most fundamental attitudes toward violence, warfare, and killing. Through true stories and careful analysis, Seibert demonstrates that it is possible to resolve conflict, correct injustice, and stop oppression without resorting to violence. Many nonviolent alternatives are discussed throughout the book, alternatives that can be used in a wide range of situations, from dealing with an unwanted intruder at home to removing a dictator from power. In a world filled with so much violence, hate, and fear, alternatives like these are desperately needed. This book offers hope that a better way is possible, one that has the potential to transform the church and change the world. So read on and join in!
The last few decades seem to have ushered in new levels of violence, challenging the notion that our globalized, interconnected world offers increased prospects for cooperation and peace. Many philosophers and theologians have offered various reasons for why this might be so, but none has come so close as the French philosopher Jacques Ellul to providing a comprehensive explanation for many of the pitfalls inherent in increasing levels of technological advance. The chapters in this book explore the phenomena of violence, terrorism, and war through the lens of Ellul's thought. Readers unfamiliar with Ellul will find as much to consider in these chapters as those who have studied Ellul extensively, and for both the novice and the expert, this book offers an opportunity to both evaluate and reevaluate Ellul's extensive thought on matters of importance to contemporary society.
