Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation

by Lyndsay Moseley (Editor)

Religions worldwide celebrate Earth’s abundance and sustenance, and call on humankind to give thanks, practice compassion, seek justice, and be mindful of future generations. Here, leaders from many faith traditions, along with writers who hold nature sacred, articulate the moral and spiritual imperative of stewardship and share personal stories of coming to understand humans’ unique power and responsibility to care for creation. Holy Ground features essays, sermons, and other short pieces from, among others, Pope Benedict XVI, Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, Islamic scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Rabbis Zoe Klein and Arthur Waskow, Evangelical pastors Joel Hunter and Brian McLaren, environmental justice proponents Allen Johnson and Kristin Shrader-Frechette, Native American novelist Linda Hogan, and writers Wendell Berry, Gary Snyder, Terry Tempest Williams, and David James Duncan. In a world polarized by “culture wars,” religious extremism, and political manipulation, this collection is a sure sign of hope.

Genres: Essays, Environment, Religion

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, readable, thought-provoking series of essays arguing that caring for the environment (or, the capital-C Creation) is a key religious calling. There is an admirable breadth of perspectives here, with contributions from the many varieties of Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian faiths (although for all that, very American in its outlook).

As is usual with these types of books the style and quality vary greatly, but I imagine that there are enough fresh perspectives, insights and sharp personal stories to keep most people turning pages.