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Planetary Solidarity: Global Women's Voices on Christian Doctrine and Climate Justice
Planetary Solidarity brings together leading Latina, womanist, Asian American, Anglican American, South American, Asian, European, and African woman theologians on the issues of doctrine, women, and climate justice. Because women make up the majority of the world's poor and tend to be more dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods and survival, they are more vulnerable when it comes to climate-related changes and catastrophes. Representing a subfield of feminist theology that uses doctrine as interlocutor, this book ask how Christian doctrine might address the interconnected suffering of women and the earth in an age of climate change. While doctrine has often stifled change, it also forms the thread that weaves Christian communities together. Drawing on postcolonial ecofeminist/womanist analysis and representing different ecclesial and denominational traditions, contributors use doctrine to envision possibilities for a deep solidarity with the earth and one another while addressing the intersection of gender, race, class, and ethnicity. The book is organized around the following creation, the triune God, anthropology, sin, incarnation, redemption, the Holy Spirit, ecclesiology, and eschatology.
392 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2017
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About the author
Grace Ji-Sun Kim
42 books34 followersGrace Ji-Sun Kim (PhD, St. Michael's College, University of Toronto) is associate professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is author or editor of thirteen books, including Embracing the Other,Christian Doctrines for Global Gender Justice, and Intercultural Ministry. She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
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September 23, 2017
While some would deny the reality of climate change, the majority of scientists have been warning us for years that the earth is getting warmer, the climate is changing, and humans are playing an increasingly central role in this fact. While not all religious folk have heeded this warning there are many who have. Among them are feminist theologians from around the globe who are lending the voices to this cause. They are calling on people of faith to take a close look at the world and then at their religious beliefs, asking them whether what they believe about God is good for the planet.
"Planetary Solidarity" is a collection of essays edited by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Hilda Koster. The contributors represent a wide variety of Christian voices who give expression to a feminist vision of eco-theology. The focus here is on what the editors call "climate justice," which denotes that climate change is not only an environmental matter, it is a "moral, political, sociological, and religious concern." Their call of climate justice echoes that of Pope Francis, whose encyclical Laudato Si plays an important role in this conversation. This encyclical is seen as an important step, but insufficient, especially since, in the view of some, he doesn't take sufficient concern for how climate change affects women. It is too male-centric and thus needs correction, but it is a step forward. So, these voices push the envelope forward.
As with any edited volume there are differences in approach and depth and even quality. There are essays here that speak more to me than to others, or with which I'm more comfortable with than others. My expectation is that other readers would find their own favorites.
There is a strong emphasis, as one might expect from a volume focusing on ecotheology, on this world and not the next. Some of the authors derided any embrace of an afterlife as a distraction, while others affirmed the possibility of an afterlife, but believe that right now the focus needs to be on the present world. While I personally affirm the both/and rather than the either/or, I do understand why the emphasis needs to be placed on the present. I also know that there are those for whom escaping this world involves neglecting it.
Another theme that emerges is also expressed in the title of the book. This is a call for Christians to do theology in a way that emphasizes humanities solidarity with the creation as a whole. By emphasizing humanity's superiority in the hierarchy of being, our creatureliness is denied. This separation from creation gives permission to humans to dominate and abuse creation. By embracing our unity with creation, that is, our creatureliness, we are better able to live in solidarity.
One of the real values of this book is the range of authorship. Authors write from within their own contexts that include Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and North America. There has been attempt here to make sure that to give voice to theologians in touch with the poor and and indigenous women, but at the same time the editors do not want to "reinscribe the binary dichotomy between the Global South and the Global North. The debates on climate change, gender, and development tend to cast the Global South as culturally backward when it comes to equality between women and men." They seek to overcome this dichotomy, by reminding us that women in the Global South exercise agency, while also recognizing the existence of "climate-related suffering due to social and economic inequities in countries in the Global North."
An important component of the collection is the attempt to reimagine Christian doctrine in a way that reflects the voices of women from around the globe, while giving attention to climate justice. As the editors note, "the theologians writing for this book are critical of the ways Christian teaching has been both anthropocentric, as wel las androcentric, heterosexist and Eurocentric." Since the authors are also committed to ecojustice, "they criticize Christianity's earth-fleeing, anti-body spirituality, which they believe energizes the interlocking oppression of nature with suppression of women." Ulitmately, this is a book that affirms the premise that theology has real world implications.
Part one of the book, which includes four chapters begins the process by laying out what Reimagining entails, including reimagining Laudato Si. Part two of the book, contains fourteen chapters, which explore the nature of God, creation, and humanity, sin and evil, the incarnation, cross and salvation, spirit, Mary and the church, and hope and eschatology. The authors of these chapters don't all express themselves in the same way. Some of the chapters are more "traditional" than others, and some more "radical." It's the diversity of voices that makes this volume successful. There's no attempt to have everyone agree on every topic. One author emphasizes incarnation over creational theology, while another emphasizes the importance of the doctrine of creation.
As for the authors, some, including Sallie McFague and Barbara Rossing will be familiar to many. Most of the authors, however are new to me.
Over all, this is a most useful and provocative book. The editors need to be commended for bringing this too fruition.
"Planetary Solidarity" is a collection of essays edited by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Hilda Koster. The contributors represent a wide variety of Christian voices who give expression to a feminist vision of eco-theology. The focus here is on what the editors call "climate justice," which denotes that climate change is not only an environmental matter, it is a "moral, political, sociological, and religious concern." Their call of climate justice echoes that of Pope Francis, whose encyclical Laudato Si plays an important role in this conversation. This encyclical is seen as an important step, but insufficient, especially since, in the view of some, he doesn't take sufficient concern for how climate change affects women. It is too male-centric and thus needs correction, but it is a step forward. So, these voices push the envelope forward.
As with any edited volume there are differences in approach and depth and even quality. There are essays here that speak more to me than to others, or with which I'm more comfortable with than others. My expectation is that other readers would find their own favorites.
There is a strong emphasis, as one might expect from a volume focusing on ecotheology, on this world and not the next. Some of the authors derided any embrace of an afterlife as a distraction, while others affirmed the possibility of an afterlife, but believe that right now the focus needs to be on the present world. While I personally affirm the both/and rather than the either/or, I do understand why the emphasis needs to be placed on the present. I also know that there are those for whom escaping this world involves neglecting it.
Another theme that emerges is also expressed in the title of the book. This is a call for Christians to do theology in a way that emphasizes humanities solidarity with the creation as a whole. By emphasizing humanity's superiority in the hierarchy of being, our creatureliness is denied. This separation from creation gives permission to humans to dominate and abuse creation. By embracing our unity with creation, that is, our creatureliness, we are better able to live in solidarity.
One of the real values of this book is the range of authorship. Authors write from within their own contexts that include Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and North America. There has been attempt here to make sure that to give voice to theologians in touch with the poor and and indigenous women, but at the same time the editors do not want to "reinscribe the binary dichotomy between the Global South and the Global North. The debates on climate change, gender, and development tend to cast the Global South as culturally backward when it comes to equality between women and men." They seek to overcome this dichotomy, by reminding us that women in the Global South exercise agency, while also recognizing the existence of "climate-related suffering due to social and economic inequities in countries in the Global North."
An important component of the collection is the attempt to reimagine Christian doctrine in a way that reflects the voices of women from around the globe, while giving attention to climate justice. As the editors note, "the theologians writing for this book are critical of the ways Christian teaching has been both anthropocentric, as wel las androcentric, heterosexist and Eurocentric." Since the authors are also committed to ecojustice, "they criticize Christianity's earth-fleeing, anti-body spirituality, which they believe energizes the interlocking oppression of nature with suppression of women." Ulitmately, this is a book that affirms the premise that theology has real world implications.
Part one of the book, which includes four chapters begins the process by laying out what Reimagining entails, including reimagining Laudato Si. Part two of the book, contains fourteen chapters, which explore the nature of God, creation, and humanity, sin and evil, the incarnation, cross and salvation, spirit, Mary and the church, and hope and eschatology. The authors of these chapters don't all express themselves in the same way. Some of the chapters are more "traditional" than others, and some more "radical." It's the diversity of voices that makes this volume successful. There's no attempt to have everyone agree on every topic. One author emphasizes incarnation over creational theology, while another emphasizes the importance of the doctrine of creation.
As for the authors, some, including Sallie McFague and Barbara Rossing will be familiar to many. Most of the authors, however are new to me.
Over all, this is a most useful and provocative book. The editors need to be commended for bringing this too fruition.
January 22, 2025
An important collection of essays on the climate, environmentalism, conservation, etc and how that intersects with theology, written by ecofeminists around the world, both first world and developing world authors.
Important topics indeed for the future of our planet and our role in creation care. Enjoyed some essays more than others, as you might expect from these kinds of collections.
I've taken Grace Kim's (one of the editors) intro theology course and learned a lot. My seminary focus was much more geared towards ministry than theology or Biblical studies, but all ministers need a healthy dose of theology from varying perspectives. I've read several of her other books and have enjoyed them as well. Her new book on when God became white sounds intriguing.
Important topics indeed for the future of our planet and our role in creation care. Enjoyed some essays more than others, as you might expect from these kinds of collections.
I've taken Grace Kim's (one of the editors) intro theology course and learned a lot. My seminary focus was much more geared towards ministry than theology or Biblical studies, but all ministers need a healthy dose of theology from varying perspectives. I've read several of her other books and have enjoyed them as well. Her new book on when God became white sounds intriguing.
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