God is Green: An Eco-Spirituality of Incarnate Compassion
Ebook
Overview
At this time of climate crisis, here is a practical Christian ecospirituality. It emerges from the pastoral and theological experience of Reverend Robert Shore-Goss, who worked with his congregation by making the earth a member of the church, by greening worship, and by helping the church building and operations attain a carbon neutral footprint. Shore-Goss explores an ecospirituality grounded in incarnational compassion. Practicing incarnational compassion means following the lived praxis of Jesus and the commission of the risen Christ as Gardener. Jesus becomes the “green face of God.” Restrictive Christian spiritualities that exclude the earth as an original blessing of God must expand. This expansion leads to the realization that the incarnation of Christ has deep roots in the earth and the fleshly or biological tissue of life. This book aims to foster ecological conversation in churches and outlines the following practices for congregations: meditating on nature, inviting sermons on green topics, covenanting with the earth, and retrieving the natural elements of the sacraments. These practices help us recover ourselves as fleshly members of the earth and the network of life. If we fall in love with God’s creation, says Shore-Goss, we will fight against climate change.
”If I had to recommend a single recently published text as a
must-read for a course on Christianity and ecology, especially
climate change, it would be Robert Shore-Goss’s wide-ranging and
clearly written God Is Green: An Eco-Spirituality of
Incarnate Compassion. Not only does he include almost all
important books from his preferred ‘kenotic theology,’ to rituals
for embodiment and practice, but he also delivers a one-volume
analysis and critique of the ‘field.’ We are all in his debt for a
useful and passionate call for a theological ‘conversion’ with
accompanying radical action to help save our planet."
--Sallie McFague, Professor of Theology Emerita, Vanderbilt
University Divinity School; Distinguished Theologian in Residence,
the Vancouver School of Theology, British Columbia; author of
Blessed Are the Consumers
“Robert Shore-Goss has written a beautiful meditative overview of
greening in Christianity. [It is] not simply a fact-following-fact
landscape but a weaving of the reader and author as participants in
contemporary Christian ecological locations. Like a Compostela
pilgrimage, the journey of reading here is challenging, communal,
and playful all the way."
--John Grim, Codirector, Forum on Religion and Ecology at
Yale
"The Reverend Dr. Shore-Goss has pulled together a much-needed and
beautifully compiled message for Christians on ecological
theology. God is Green will give the reader a true
understanding of what the human role and relationship is with
Earth. He points out Jesus’ call for protection and love for
Creation. This is a direct and honest look at God’s intention for
the human purpose supported by many theologians and including
Francis of Assisi. He argues that we are the
gardeners."
--Sally G. Bingham, President, The Regeneration Project, Interfaith
Power & Light
"An author known for his queer theology expands his horizons to
find what spirituality can do to entice people of faith to free the
Earth. God Is Green traces the roots of human contact
with the sacred all the way to our mythological roots from the
soil, and fashioned by God’s all-purposing hands, we embody the
sacred’s commitment to a life connected with all living things.
Ignoring this rootedness, this connectedness, is a dangerous game
played by industrial cultures. Robert calls us all back to the
Earth and our interrelatedness to all living things as essential to
a healthy, whole, and full life."
--John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the United
Church of Christ
"There is a way of pushing the needed panic button with mere panic,
and there is a way of pushing it with wisdom, scholarship, and
compassion. We are blessed to have an excellent example of the
latter here! Robert Shore-Goss is not preaching to the choir here
but to anyone with a head, concern for the future, and even a bit
of soul!"
--Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque,
New Mexico
Product Details
- Title : God is Green: An Eco-Spirituality of Incarnate Compassion
- Author: Shore-Goss, Bob
- Publisher: Cascade Books
- Publication Date: 2016
- ISBN: 9781498299206
Robert E. Shore-Goss has been Senior Pastor and Theologian of MCC United Church of Christ in the Valley (North Hollywood, California) since June 2004. He has made his church a green church with a carbon neutral footprint. The church received a Green Oscar from California Interfaith Power & Light. Shore-Goss's website, which includes a publication list, can be found at www.mischievousspiritandtheology.com/.