This book covers the contribution of Christianity in the care, stewardship, and management of the environment. It uses ideas from the logical position of a Christian, created in God's image, redeemed by God, and given responsibility to subdue and keep the earth, arguing that a Christian has the responsibility and mandate to care for the environment. It shows that successful stewardship happens when a Christian is aware of God's intention for creation, exerts effort to increase it, and is expected to give an account to God for their actions toward it. The book presents environmental concerns in Kenya as an opportunity for change, describing situations and why they could become opportunities for change. Seven worldviews are presented that discourage Christians who want to do environmental stewardship, and Christian theological doctrines are discussed that could be used to cause ecclesial participation in environmental stewardship. Finally, the book envisions a "Conserving Church" with specific activities the church can do to successfully influence people to do environmental stewardship.

Sandra L. Richter cares about the Bible and the environment. Using her expertise in ancient Israelite society as well as in biblical theology, she walks readers through biblical passages and shares case studies that connect the biblical mandate to current issues. She then calls Christians to apply that message to today's environmental concerns.

Stories from across North America of contemporary church leaders, parishioners and religious activists who are working to define a new environmental movement, where honoring the Creator means protecting the planet. Sacred Acts documents the diverse actions taken by churches to address climate change through stewardship, advocacy, spirituality and justice. Contributions from leading Christian voices such as Norman Wirzba and the Reverend Canon Sally Bingham detail the concrete work of faith communities such as: Englewood Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN, where parishioners have enhanced food security by sharing canning and food preservation skills in the church kitchen Georgia's Interfaith Power & Light, which has used federal stimulus funds to weatherize congregations, reduce utility bills and cut carbon emissions Earth Ministry, where people of faith spearheaded the movement to pass state legislation to make Washington State a coal-free state. Sacred Acts shows that churches can play a critical role in confronting climate change - perhaps the greatest moral imperative of our time. This timely collection will inspire individuals and congregations to act in good faith to help protect Earth's climate.

What should Christians do to protect the Earth and its people? Amounts and patterns of consumption and production in the West have reached a level that cannot be maintained. Lifestyles based on our present way of creating and using energy are no longer environmentally sustainable--and are threatening the health and well-being of both planet and people. Our activities and the policies that shape them need to change. In light of those realities, Spencer, White, and Vroblesky offer serious Christian engagement with the emerging issue of Sustainable Consumption and Production. They analyze the scientific, sociological, economic, and theological thinking that makes a Christian response to these trends imperative and distinctive. And they offer practical conclusions that explore and explain what can be done at the personal, community, national, and international levels to ensure that next generations will have the resources necessary for life. Firmly rooted in the good news of the Christian faith, this is, above all, a constructive and hopeful book that offers a realistic vision of what the future could and should look like. This book is endorsed by A Rocha: Christians in Conservation, The Jubliee Centre, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, and The Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies.

Is stewardship a useful way of regarding our relationship with our environment - or is it a dangerous excuse for plunder? Is it possible for us to be effective stewards? This book gathers together expositions of stewardship with criticisms of the concept and adds other contributions written especially for this collection.

Beyond Stewardship is intended to equip Christians to live better in this world by helping us all think more intentionally about the relationship we have with the nonhuman creation in which we are necessarily and thoroughly embedded. It responds to these questions: "What if God didn't place humans on earth to be stewards of creation, but something else?" and "if not stewards, then what?" The chapters in Beyond Stewardship are written by scholars from diverse disciplines who share a deep passion for a flourishing creation. Each chapter begins with a compelling story that draws the reader into new ways of thinking. Each author then looks beyond stewardship from the context of her or his own discipline and experiences. Some reimagine creation care by expanding on the traditional notion of stewardship. Others set aside the stewardship model and offer alternative ways to understand our presence within the broader creation. The chapters mark out ways to live better in the places we inhabit as individuals, communities, and institutions. Collectively, the essays in Beyond Stewardship offer an expanded and enlivened understanding of the place of humans in the context of God's creation.

Biologists Fred Van Dyke, David C. Mahan, Joseph K. Sheldon and Raymond H. Brand provide hope for today's environmental crisis and bring Scripture into dialogue with current scientific findings and commitments.