Few people realize that the first character in the Bible (after the headline sentence of Genesis 1.1) is Earth. What if we read the creation story and the primal myths of Genesis from the perspective of that key character, rather than from the anthropocentric perspective in which our culture has nurtured us? This is the project of Norman Habel's commentary, resisting the long history in Western culture of devaluing, exploiting, oppressing and endangering the Earth. Earth in Genesis first appears wrapped in the primal waters, like an embryo waiting to be born. On the third day of creation it is actually born and comes into existence with its green vegetation as a habitat for life of all kinds. It is hardly a moment before Earth is damaged by human sin and suffers a divine curse, and then must cry out for justice for the blood of Abel it has been compelled to drink. It is an even greater curse when Earth, together with almost all life on Earth, comes near to total annihilation at the Flood. Has Earth brought this fate upon itself, or is it the innocent victim of human wrongdoing? Genesis has God regretting the threat to Earth and its children that the Flood has brought, and vowing to green Earth again, remove the curse, restore the seasons and make a personal covenant of assurance with Earth and its creatures. The ecological approach of this commentary was first developed in the five-volume multi-authored series, The Earth Bible (2000-2002). In The Earth Bible Commentary, of which this is the first volume, a group of scholars dedicated to the re-valuing of Earth pursue these themes in their commentaries on the books of the Bible. Other volumes in preparation are: Deuteronomy, Ruth, Job, Psalms Book 2, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah 1-39, Joel, Matthew, Luke, Colossians, Revelation. The Earth Bible logo was created by Jasmine Corowa, an Indigenous Australian

This ecological reading of the book of Ruth takes into account the power which this short story holds, speaking to the whole person by engaging each reader's emotions, imagination, memory, and reason. Alice M. Sinnott demonstrates how the story of Ruth transcends geographical, spatial and historical boundaries by appealing to all concerned with the plight of the Earth. Sinnott highlights the ecological dimensions of the text that scholars have ignored or dismissed in the past, and explores how the narrator gives voice to the way in which the Earth functions throughout the story. Integral to her reading of the text is a concern for Earth and matters such as food, famine, death, harvests, grain, day and night and members of the Earth community. Sinnott considers non-human characters as legitimate determining factors in the structuring of the narrative, and recognizes Earth and members of the Earth community as equally valid subjects. By identifying with these aspects of Ruth, Sinnott is able to read the text with new eyes; and by placing special emphasis in how the narrator depicts the natural world, she reinforces how subjects from that world emerge as integral components.

Qoheleth is one of the most challenging and intriguing of the biblical authors. Above all, he is attentive to life's realities, neither optimistic about the world nor unappreciative of its goodness and pleasures. In this volume, Turner examines the writings of Qoheleth in the book of Ecclesiastes and provides an ecological reading of the text that gives readers clear insights into how biblical wisdom literature can be used to respond to the challenges facing the environment in the present day, as well as advancing the field of ecological hermeneutics. In this commentary Turner looks at the concept of Qoheleth's 'eternal earth', moving through the chapters of Ecclesiastes with an ear attuned to the voice of the Earth as it struggles to be heard above the voice of the economy. Such a voice is not necessarily antagonistic to that of Earth, but neither is it neutral. The ecological reader knows that a prudent economy is necessary for living, but if it is given precedence at the expense of Earth, there will be no future, let alone 'eternity', for Earth. Eco-justice demands that contemporary readers should be mindful of future generations and heed Qoheleth's counsel to value the fruits of one's labour without greed, allowing ecological hermeneutics to provide insights into contemporary environmental issues. Illustrating how a biblical framework for environmentally responsible living may be generated, Turner's analysis is vital both to those studying Qoheleth and to those invested in the Bible and ecology.

"As . . . newer approaches [to biblical criticism] become more established and influential, it is essential that students and other serious readers of the Bible be exposed to them and become familiar with them. That is the main impetus behind the present volume, which is offered as a textbook for those who wish to go further than the approaches covered in To Each Its Own Meaning by exploring more recent or experimental ways of reading." „from the introduction This book is a supplement and sequel to To Each Its Own Meaning, edited by Steven L. McKenzie and Stephen R. Haynes, which introduced the reader to the most important methods of biblical criticism and remains a widely used classroom textbook. This new volume explores recent developments in, and approaches to, biblical criticism since 1999. Leading contributors define and describe their approach for non-specialist readers, using examples from the Old and New Testament to help illustrate their discussion. Topics include cultural criticism, disability studies, queer criticism, postmodernism, ecological criticism, new historicism, popular culture, postcolonial criticism, and psychological criticism. Each section includes a list of key terms and definitions and suggestions for further reading.

Have you ever wondered how you can connect with the sacred in nature, or whether there is anything sacred in nature? Has the Christian tradition obscured the sacredness of nature? Is the Bible alive to the wonder of creation? How can we sustain a sense of mystery and an appreciation of the sacred in nature? In the biblical Flood narrative, the rainbow was the sign of God's covenant promise to never again to destroy the Earth with flood waters. The rainbow served to remind God of God's own bond with Earth. "My rainbow," says Habel, "represents my covenant promise to explore my bonds with Earth, my spiritual connections with creation." Each colour represents an often-overlooked aspect of creation and inspires the reader to consider our place in nature. Using poetry and prose, Norman Habel journeys deep into his personal experiences of the sacred in nature, from his initial sense of alienation from Earth to his eventual "homecoming." Along the way, he investigates seven wonders of nature and their spiritual dimensions or mysteries. He explores biblical texts that praise or suppress creation and examines each mystery through the lens of ecology and his own experiences. Ultimately his goal is to discern how to sustain each mystery and its spiritual dimension. The book includes a suggested workshop outline, and seven rites to explore mystery in nature.

The publication of the Vatican II document on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) was an exciting and challenging moment for the Church. While honouring the tradition, it also marked a quite dramatic development in the Church’s attitude to modern critical analysis of the Bible and encouraged study and reflection on it by all members of the Church. The golden jubilee of its publication is a timely moment for a book such as this. It contains essays on various aspects of Dei Verbum by authors from around the world. They write from the perspective of their respective disciplines of biblical studies, patristics, theology, liturgy, philosophy, and communications media. They situate the document within the Jewish-Christian tradition, assess its reception since Vatican II, and its implications for the future.

Genesis 1–11: A Narrative Theological Commentary combines critical acumen with concern for the theological message of Scripture. It is a commentary in two stages. First, the text is allowed to speak for itself, using a narrative approach. Then, specific Jewish and Christian traditions flowing from the text are identified, and the underlying hermeneutical moves analyzed.