B 674 New Creation and Ecology: Practicing in the Garden
Betsy Taylor Flory and Stanley Saunders, Instructors
Fall 2006: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-3:00, September 7-October 19
This course a) explores dimensions of the ecological crises facing the present generation, b) presents theological, scriptural, and anthropological resources for shaping ecological behavior, c) examines traditional Christian practices pertaining to community, the Body, and the world, and d) offers resources and models for working with congregations and young people on environmental issues.
Required Texts
*Larry L. Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics. Orbis Press, 1996.
*Robert R. Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and the Roots of Christian Faith. Rowman
& Littlefield, 1995.
Recommended
Emilio Moran, People and Nature: An Introduction to Human Ecological Relations.
Blackwell, 2006.
Other Resources to Consider (a growing list ) *=on reserve in the library
*Dorothy C. Bass, ed., Practicing our Faith.
Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997.
Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich, One with Nineveh: Politics, Consumption, and the
Human Future.
Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers: How Man is Changing the Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth.
*Mary C. Grey, Sacred Longings: The Ecological Spirit and Global Culture.
*Norman C. Habel, ed., The Earth Bible, Vol. 1: Readings from the Perspective of Earth
*Norman C. Habel & Vicky Balabanski, eds., The Earth Bible, Vo. 5: The Earth
Story in the New Testament.
Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability.
*Dieter Hessel & Rosemary Radford Reuther, eds., Christianity and Ecology.
John Houghton, Global Warming: the Complete Briefing, 3 rd ed.
Barbara Kingsolver, Small Wonder.
Elizabth Kolbert, Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Change.
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005: Ecosystems and Human Well-Being; Synthesis
Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
Michael Schut, ed., Food and Faith: Justice, Joy, and Daily Bread.
Michale Schut, ed., Simpler Living: Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective.
James Gustav Speth, Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global
Environment.
*David Toolan, At Home in the Cosmos.
Worldwatch Institute, Vital Signs 2006-2007.
Requirements
1. Earth Journal: stake out a 10’x10’ spot of earth and spend time in it, with it, observing it, studying it every day. Keep a journal that records what you see and experience, what changes you observe, and other pertinent observations.
2. Project: Each participant will present a final project to the class (October 17 & 19). Possible topics: focused examinations of issues pertaining to water, air, and land resources, climate change, deforestation, ocean life, animal life, storms, recycling, sanitation, trash and garbage, ecological economics, transportation (Can you get around without a car this term? Where do the goods you purchase come from), food (e.g., sources, economic systems, genetic modifications, eating locally produced foods, etc.), human migration/dislocation, population, poverty and ecology, health systems, etc. Your project should entail: gathering resources (primary and secondary readings), clarifying issues, analyzing the relation of ecological concerns to human social behavior, and discussion of pertinent theological and biblical resources and perspectives. Most important: your project should entail alternative practices and behavior for its duration (e.g., an intentional change in eating or purchasing habits, Sabbath keeping, etc.).
3. Regular participation in class and completion of assigned readings.
Schedule
Thursday, September 7: Course overview; community building; premises; assessment
Tuesday, September 12: State of the Earth I
Suggested Readings: Moran, People and Nature, chapter 1
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
Worldwatch Institute, Vital Signs
Thursday, September 14: State of the Earth II, continued. Why we are in trouble: Habits of thinking, economic practices, materialism, ritual dislocations
Readings: Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 1-173
Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 1-28
Rasmussen, “Shaping Communities,” in Bass, Practicing our Faith, pp. 119-132.
Suggested Readings: Moran, People and Nature, chapters 2-4, pp. 25-92
Tuesday, September 19: Biblical Resources I: Old Testament
Readings: Psalm 104, Genesis 1:1-2:3, 2:4-3:24
Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 177-226, 248-269
Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 29-65
Sharon Daloz Parks, “Household Economics,” in Bass, Practicing Our Faith, 43-58.
Thursday, September 21: Biblical Resources II: New Testament
Readings: Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 270-294
Suggested Readings: Revelation 15-22; Romans 8
Habel, Readings from the Perspective of Earth, pp. 24-53
Barbara K. Rossing, “ River of Life in God’s New Jerusalem,” in Hessel and Radford Reuther, eds., Christianity and Ecology, pp. 205-224.
Tuesday, September 26: The Garden vs. the Brickyard I: The Church’s Calling: Why should the church care? Sacramentality of Place, Spirituality of the Body
Readings: Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 295-354
Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 67-117
Michael Lerner, in Dov Peretz Elkins, A Shabbat Reader, pp. 172-185
Suggested Readings: Moran, People and Nature, chapters 5, pp. 93-115
Thursday, September 28: The Garden vs. the Brickyard II: Responses to the crises; What models are available and how do we sort through them?
Readings: Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics, pp. 227-247
Gottfried, Economics, Ecology, and Roots, pp. 119-149
DeWitt in Schut, Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, pp. 175-180
Berry in Schut, Food and Faith, pp. 125-136
Suggested Readings: Moran, People and Nature, chapters 6-8, pp. 116-177
Tuesday, October 3: Practices: Food
Readings: Schut, Food and Faith, pp. 123-125, 136-147
Barbara Kingsolver, “A Fist In the Eye of God,” in Small Wonder, 93-108.
Suggested Reading: Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Thursday, October 5: Practices: Water
Tuesday, October 10: Practicing in the Garden
Thursday, October 12: Site Visit
Tuesday, October 17 & 19: Final Projects
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