Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action, and Climate Change

by Stephen A. Jurovics

Overview

United Methodist Women’s Reading Group Selection

“What can I do about the environment? What has God said about the environment?” Most books about climate change only address one of these questions. Those from a religious perspective do not address what individuals can do to help society transition from fossil fuels, other than changing personal behavior. Readers know instinctively that will not suffice, and so are left feeling the situation is hopeless. In contrast, books that primarily address environmental issues fail to reach people motivated more by faith than science, leaving out many who could constitute the tipping point for full American engagement on the issue.

Borrowing an approach from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s leadership, which brought together both secular and religious arguments for ending segregation, this book addresses physical evidence of climate change while demonstrating through biblical teachings the religious imperative for preserving our inherited world. The compelling biblical case for creation care is grounded in environmental teachings Jesus knew, primarily in the Hebrew Scriptures. Topics addressed include air pollution, treatment of the land, preserving biological diversity, and treatment of animals, and each is connected to contemporary issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, care of the needy, the extinction of species, and factory farming.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780819232533
Publisher:	Church Publishing, Incorporated
Publication date:	03/10/2016
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Stephen A. Jurovics holds BS and MS degrees from Columbia Universityand a PhD in Engineering from the University of Southern California. He has had about 20 technical papers published over the years and given numerous presentations at professional conferences. Aspects of climate change mitigation have been the focus of his engineering work for more than two decades. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

Part I Environmental Teachings in the Bible Jesus Knew

1 Invitation 3

2 Interpretation and Translation 10

3 Noah and Biodiversity 15

4 Paying Attention 22

5 Treatment of Animals 27

6 We Feel Their Pain 33

7 Mindfulness and Eating 37

8 Recycling 42

9 The Land 49

10 Care of Creation 61

11 Beyond Deuteronomy: Clearing the Air 67

Part II A Call to Action-National Level

12 Rate of Change 77

13 Societal Transformation 85

14 A Call to Action 89

15 Environmental Rights Movement: Extended Family 97

16 Preserving Our Home 105

Part III A Call to Action-Local Level

17 The Carbon Fiber Revolution 127

18 Transforming Electricity Generation 130

19 Close to Home 136

20 The Matter of Faith 140

21 Choose Life 147

22 Promote the General Welfare 150

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Having a hard time with the idea that human beings were created to "subdue and have dominion" over this planet? Jurovics brings together religious and scientific perspectives, offering an accessible theology of caring for creation in ways that demonstrate love of God and neighbor. Read and act on his concrete and urgent plan for an Environmental Rights Movement."
— Katharine Jefferts Schori, 26th Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church

"Churches can massively reduce their impact on God's good earth if they understand the Bible's mandate to care for creation and develop practical skills to decrease their energy use. This book hit the target directly on both counts."
— Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith

"Stephen Jurovics' is an important work of witness: faith and connection to God should lead us to save and heal our planet from a looming environmental catastrophe. Based primarily on the Five Books of Moses, sacred to both Christians and Jews, this book is written with passion, wisdom and intelligence. The author's sensitivity enables him to speak movingly to people of faith, offering a handbook on the Bible's greatest mandate for mortal existence—to choose life for the earth (which is the Lord's) and all its inhabitants."
— Rabbi Irving (yitz) Greenberg, author, For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: the New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity

"As a pastor for 30 years, a psychologist, and a civil rights activist for 55 years I am convinced that Hospitable Planet has provided a powerful objective strategy for why we all must work together (i.e. science, faith, business, politicians, community folks) to ensure that climate change, global warming, and environmental justice are the civil rights issues for this century. Read this book. Share its message. NOW—GET INVOLVED!! We CAN and MUST make the difference!!"
—Gerald Durley, Pastor Emeritus, Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia

Editorial Reviews

"Having a hard time with the idea that human beings were created to "subdue and have dominion" over this planet? Jurovics brings together religious and scientific perspectives, offering an accessible theology of caring for creation in ways that demonstrate love of God and neighbor. Read and act on his concrete and urgent plan for an Environmental Rights Movement."
— Katharine Jefferts Schori, 26th Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church

"Churches can massively reduce their impact on God's good earth if they understand the Bible's mandate to care for creation and develop practical skills to decrease their energy use. This book hit the target directly on both counts."
— Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith

"Stephen Jurovics' is an important work of witness: faith and connection to God should lead us to save and heal our planet from a looming environmental catastrophe. Based primarily on the Five Books of Moses, sacred to both Christians and Jews, this book is written with passion, wisdom and intelligence. The author's sensitivity enables him to speak movingly to people of faith, offering a handbook on the Bible's greatest mandate for mortal existence—to choose life for the earth (which is the Lord's) and all its inhabitants."
— Rabbi Irving (yitz) Greenberg, author, For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: the New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity

"As a pastor for 30 years, a psychologist, and a civil rights activist for 55 years I am convinced that Hospitable Planet has provided a powerful objective strategy for why we all must work together (i.e. science, faith, business, politicians, community folks) to ensure that climate change, global warming, and environmental justice are the civil rights issues for this century. Read this book. Share its message. NOW—GET INVOLVED!! We CAN and MUST make the difference!!"
—Gerald Durley, Pastor Emeritus, Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia

From the Publisher