Making Peace with the Earth: Action and Advocacy for Climate Justice

The greatest untapped natural resource for addressing the world's most pressing problems comes from the energy of religiously committed people. This book gathers the expertise of activists, theologians, and faith-based organizations to inspire and encourage churches everywhere in grassroots work and advocacy for climate justice. No issue so violates the core of Christian convictions as the jeopardizing of human life and creation through climate change. Writing from the concrete experiences and efforts of churches in Greece, Scotland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, tropical Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands, the book's contributors also address related issues of health, human rights, land and deforestation, food security, migration, divestment, as well as creation spirituality and theology. The book points out that making peace with the earth will not be easy, but now is the time for religious leaders, church people, and organizations to make the climate their priority. *** "(Ernst) Conradie offers a set of reflections (in the epilogue) that summarizes the basic points of the book....he also notes that themes like redemption and forgiveness are largely absent. He also notes that heavy emphasis on the negative can lead to despair, and with despair comes a sense of futility, which leads to a lack of action. Thus, the church, which lifts up hope, needs to emphasize hope. We may be on the edge. It maybe that we have reached that stage where change is irreversible, but we can't give into despair." -- Robert Cornwall, Ponderings on a Faith Journey, Blog, July 20, 2016˜[Subject: Religious Studies, Christianity, Environmental Studies]