September 2018 Creation Corner Column
10th Anniversary of The Green Bible
The tenth anniversary of The Green Bible: Understand the Bible's Powerful Message for the Earth is this year.
Originally published in 2008, it, as a "green-letter edition", is such that it has green ink print that highlight passages so as to illustrate:
...how God and Jesus interact with, care for, and are intimately involved with all creation
...how all the elements of creation---land, water, air, plants, animals, humans---are interdependent
...how nature responds to God
...how we are called to care for creation
Also included is a "Green Bible Trail Guide" with scriptural passages substantiating themes of
...And It Was Good
...Finding God
...Connected to Creation
...Creation Care as Justice
...The Full Impact of Sin
...The New Earth
Especially helpful are several essays by prominent ecologists who are also people of religious faith. For example, environmental scientist Calvin B. DeWitt effectively addresses objections to Christians being involved with creation care; outlines what to do about Creation (awareness, appreciation, stewardship); and notes Biblical principles for creation care (earthkeeping, fruitfulness, Sabbath, discipleship, kingdom priority, contentment, praxis, and conservation).
Matthew Sleeth, M.D., provides several pages of historical quotes on creation; retired pastor Brian McLaren answers the question "Why I Am Green"; Target Earth's Gordon Aeschliman writes that "Loving the Earth is Loving the Poor"; Barbara Brown Taylor offers a sermon, "The Dominion of Love"; Dr. N.T. Wright proclaims "Jesus is Coming---Plant a Tree"; and Liverpool Bishop James Jones declares "Jesus: Savior of the Earth".
Other contributors examine how we can participate in "Knowing Our Place on Earth: Learning Environmental Responsibility from the Old Testament" ((Professor Ellen Davis); examines "Creation Theology: A Jewish Perspective" (author Ellen Bernstein); and other perspectives are provided by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Wendell Berry, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Pope John Paul II.
An 18-page "Green Subject Index" compiled by Frederick W. Krueger is most impressive. Krueger is an early pioneer in this field of creation care, from the 1980s 11th Commandment Fellowship and the Christian Society of the Green Cross, and my reading of him at that time was influential.
The Green Bible is in contrast with the "red-letter" editions of the Bible that highlight the words of Jesus in red ink. Some Christians identify themselves as Red-Letter Christians (see the work of Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo). There is also the (Thomas) Jefferson Bible, composed by him with New Testament selections that provide another title for his effort, "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth".
The Green Bible uses the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version), has a complete A-Z Concordance, and is available in both hard-back and soft-back editions.
The Green Bible uses the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version), has a complete A-Z Concordance, and is available in both hard-back and soft-back editions.
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Mike Ochs blogs at http://lutheransrestoringcreationblog.blogspot.com .
He earned a B.A. from Gettysburg College (1965), and a Master's from Lock Haven University (1989), where he studied the international Green Party movement.
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