Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical and Theological Perspectives

Description

Leading scholars reflect critically on the kinds of appeal to the Bible that have been made in environmental ethics and ecotheology.

David G. Horrell is Professor of New Testament Studies at the University of Exeter, UK. He is the author of several books, including An Introduction to the Study of Paul (T&T Clark, Second Edition 2006) and Solidarity and Difference (T&T Clark, 2005). He was the editor of the Journal for the Study of the New Testament from 2002-2007. He is an active member of the British New Testament Society, having chaired the Social World of the New Testament Seminar from 2001-2006, and is also a member of the Society for Biblical Literature (SBL) and Society for New Testament Studies (SNTS). He completed his PhD at Cambridge on Paul's Corinthian letters and the letter known as 1 Clement. Dr. Cherryl Hunt is a post-doctoral researcher in Theology at the University of Exeter Dr. Christopher Southgate is Research Fellow in Theology at the University of Exeter in England. Francesca Stavrakopoulou is Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Exeter, UK. Her research focuses on ancient Israelite religion, Judahite kingship, and history and ideology in the Hebrew Bible. She is the author of King Manasseh and Child Sacrifice: Biblical Distortions of Historical Realities (De Gruyter, 2004).

'This wonderful volume demonstrates the rich exegesis of Scripture and the Christian theological tradition, drawing upon a wide range of texts from varied yet complementary angles. Further, it offers perhaps the best small collection of resources I know for reworking and developing a Christian theology of the created order for our own critical time. This book of intelligent and highly engaging essays should be widely known and used in multiple teaching settings within the academy and the church.' - Ellen F. Davis, A. R. Kearns Professor of Bible and Practical Theology, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC, USA. -- Ellen F. Davis 'This is an excellent book and one that is much needed. There is no issue more urgent for contemporary theology, as it comes to terms with the demands of the ecological crisis, than carefully thinking through its approach to the interpretation of biblical texts. /Ecological Hermeneutics/ makes an indispensable contribution. The contributors bring a great deal of learning and some wonderful insights from their specialist disciplines, and communicate a strong sense of commitment to both the good of the Earth community and the integrity of biblical faith.' - Denis Edwards, Catholic Theological College, Australia -- Denis Edwards 'At present, issues in ecological ethics confront us urgently at both global and personal levels. Over recent decades they have raised myriads of questions for theology and more recently for biblical interpretation. Ecological Hermeneutics, a collection of essays emerging from an AHRC funded project at the University of Exeter, makes an important new contribution to the search for adequate ways to interpret biblical texts and theological traditions ecologically. The volume is framed by the essays of Horrell and Conradie each of whom engage very explicitly the search for a viable ecological hermeneutic and both indicating a preference for a doctrinally-based perspective. The essays within that frame demonstrate the rich variety of approaches and engagement with text and tradition that constitute emerging ecological hermeneutics. For those coming new to this area of scholarship, the collection of essays will provide a challenging introduction and for those who are more deeply engaged with the topic, it will broaden their participation in this important field of inquiry.' - Elaine Wainwright, The University of Auckland, New Zealand. -- Elaine Wainwright 'Ecological Hermeneutics is a well crafted set of essays that derive from a three year project at the University of Exeter... The editorial quality is high, and the four editors have clearly worked well as a team. The volume displays an evenness in style across the 20 contributions that clearly didn't happen by accident.' -- The Church Times Ecological Hermeneutics is an important book on an important subject... a unique and useful contribution to the growing literature on ecology and the Bible... By bringing together highly competent essays in the fields of biblical exegesis, the history of interpretation, and theology, the editors offer us an invaluable set of resources for the ongoing task of reshaping Christian thought in light of the environmental crisis. -- The Review of Biblical Literature This multi-disciplinary collection is ambitious but successful, and will prove stimulating reading for readers with some experience in academic theology and exegesis, who are interested in bringing the bible to bear on ecological issues. -- Expository Times Ecological Hermeneutics is a well-crafted set of essays that derive from a three-year project at the University of Exeter... The editorial quality is high, and the four editors have clearly worked well as a team. The volume displays an evenness in style across the 20 contributions which clearly didn't happen by accident. -- Church Times Twenty leading scholars reflect critically on the kinds of appeals to the Bible that have been made in environmental ethics and ecotheology; engage biblical texts with a view towards exploring their contribution to an ecological ethics; and explore the kind of hermeneutic necessary for such engagement to be fruitful for contemporary theology and ethics. -- Interpretation This valuable collection of essays arose from seminars convened by Exeter's project on Uses of the Bible in Environmental Ethics ... The book's introduction by David Horrell sets out strategies for ecological hermeneutics that are 'coherent (and in dialogue) with a scripturally shaped Christian orthodoxy' through learning critically from the history of interpretation while acknowledging that 'ethical appropriation is necessarily a constructive endeavour' (pp. 8-9). This multidisciplinary collection of essays is a substantial contribution to that endeavour and will be helpful to those interested in theological approaches to environmental ethics. * Studies in Christian Ethics *