Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Can religious people save the environment? Can the environmental challenge save religion?
Our planet is in trouble, and it will take an amazingly large and powerful force to shift into a more sustainable way of living. Spiritual leader and environmental activist Andrea Cohen-Kiener tells us that people of faith have the numbers, the passion and the mandate to do it—and that nothing else is strong enough to counterbalance "business as usual."
In this urgent call to action, Cohen-Kiener gathers insights from ecology coalitions, emerging theologies and spiritual and environmental activists to rally and inspire us to work across denominational lines in order to fulfill our sacred imperative to care for God's creation. Cohen-Kiener and contributors clearly outline the shared values of our faith traditions that drive our commitment to care for the earth. Acknowledging the challenges in working together to implement positive change, they present steps—both big and small, for individuals and groups—for reversing our direction from consumption to sustainability.
Contributors include:
- Rev. Woody Bartlett, founder, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light
- Rev. Tom Carr, National Council of Churches Working Group on the Environment
- Rev. Donna Schaper, senior minister, Judson Memorial Church, New York City
- Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Religious Witness for the Earth
- Eboo Patel, executive director, Interfaith Youth Core
- Dr. Lowell “Rusty” Pritchard, national director of outreach, Evangelical Environmental Network
Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener of West Hartford, CT is interviewed by Sister Rosemarie Greco, DW, Wisdom Correspondent for the Conference of Churches on WRCH radio, 100.5 FM. The program, "Rich Answers" is aired each Sunday from 5:30–6:30am. The Wisdom segment usually airs close to 6 am. The program has a listening audience of 60,000 people.
Andrea's book, Claiming Earth as Common Ground, was discussed in this interview. Its focus is the ecological crisis through the lens of faith and it clearly outlines the shared values of our faith traditions that energize our commitments to care for the earth. The book is informative, inspirational and concludes with suggested action to be taken to support and improve the environment of the cosmos.
Claiming Earth as Common Ground, ($16.99) is available through www.skylightpaths.com or programs@wisdomhouse.org.
Foreword by Rev. Sally Bingham
Introduction
1• The Making of an Environmental Activist: Waking Up to the Problem
The Terrible Contradiction
Too Good to Be True!
The Spiritual Challenge of a Mountain of Garbage
Agents for Transformation
The Ultimate Common Ground
2• The Makings of a Movement: The Interfaith Imperative and Its Obstacles
The Mountain of God
Obstacles on the Path
God of the Pews or God of the Cosmos?
Leaving Base Camp
The One about the Rabbi and the Evangelical
Getting above the Tree Line
3• The New Wealth: Spirit Matters
What Is Enough?
Old Models for New Wealth
A Living Vision
Tools We Bring to the Table
Transforming Business as Usual
Imagine the Alternatives
4• Working Beyond Class and Race:Yes, We Do Need to Do This Together
We Need to Talk
Getting Beyond "Over There"
Finding Common Cause
Working Together
The Great Light bulb Swap of '06 by Rev. Woody Bartlett
Getting to the Table
5• How Big Is Your God? Theology Meets Earth-Care Activism
Digging Deeper
The Big Context by Rev. Tom Carr
6• The New Eden: Reclaiming the Garden
Seeds of Possibility
Wheat Sheaves and Matza Tales by Elisheva Rogosa
Communion Agriculture by Andrea Ferich
7• The New Sabbath: Less Is More
Unnamed Hungers
Green Sabbath by Rev. Donna Schaper, PhD
Creating New Sabbath Rituals
8• Eco-Conversion: A New Paradigm for a New Earth
Seeing with Green Eyes
Conversion to Eco-Justice by Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, PhD
The Power of Witnessing
Going Forward
Appendix I
Many Small Steps
Appendix II
Creating a Sustainable Civilization: Joanna Macy’s Theoretical Foundations
Appendix III
Thoughts for Discussion and Action: Format for an Eight-week Study Session
Appendix IV
Interfaith Ecological Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Contributors