Working on the new Sojourners environmental resource, Holy Ground, I have examined a large body of works on environmental theology. Following is a representative, though not exhaustive, annotated inventory of these.
The Best Preaching on Earth: Sermons on Caring for Creation (Judson Press, 1996), edited by Stan L. LeQuire, is a unique, practical resource for pastors and laypeople who regularly address groups. A handful of evangelical preachers and speakers, including Madeleine L’Engle, Howard Snyder, John Stott, Cal DeWitt, Myron Augsburger, Sharon Gallagher, and our own Jim Wallis, offer powerful anecdotes and insightful analyses that can serve as grist for "newly enlightened" Christian environmentalists.
Another anthology, Embracing Earth: Catholic Approaches to Ecology (Orbis Books, 1994), edited by Albert LaChance and John Carroll, offers a helpful look at the numerous, though normally complementary, Catholic approaches to a theological understanding of the relationship among God, humanity, and the Earth. Articles on such topics as "Earthly Offerings," "A Loaves and Fishes View of Productivity," "Appropriate Technology and Healing the Earth," "Christ the Ecologist," and "Eating the Body of the Lord" are included.
Jesus the Wisdom of God: An Ecological Theology (Orbis Books, 1995), by Denis Edwards, examines the ecological crisis through the lens of the biblical concept "Wisdom." After considering the usage of "Wisdom" in the Hebrew scriptures and by Jesus, Edwards offers a compelling trinitarian argument for the care of the created order. This comprehensive work builds bridges that can truly expand the throng of Christian environmentalists.
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