Description
Written by Scott Sabin, executive director of Plant With Purpose, a Christian relief and development agency, Tending to Eden is an invaluable resource for environmentally conscious congregations and community groups. In this practical guide for creation care, Sabin offers:
• Theological foundations for environmental stewardship
• A global perspective
• Practical strategies and case studies addressing:
• Sustainable agriculture and forestry
• Creating enterprise (micro-credit, micro-finance, and micro-enterprise)
• Empowering the poor
• Sidebars by leading voices in the Christian church who are passionate about environmental stewardship, including: Calvin DeWitt, Tony Campolo, JoAnne Lyon, Rusty Pritchard, Matthew Sleeth, Leroy Barber, Robert Linthicum, and Paul Robinson.
The book also includes a comprehensive Bible study and study guide for small-group use. With the holistic tools provided in this innovative and practical resource, churches and organizations can transform lives, communities, and ministries.
Reviews
"After reading this very readable book with its powerful storytelling and its accessible survey of best practices in creation care, for the rest of your life you will see a bigger picture than you've ever seen before when it comes to matters of human poverty, health, prosperity, and security." —author, speaker, and pastor Brian McLaren
"The evangelical recovery of creation continues with this compelling account of why environmental problems matter for Christian faith and mission. Vividly narrated from his own experience, Sabin makes practical and theological connections between poverty and ecology, evangelism and climate change, earth and gospel." —Willis Jenkins, PhD, Margaret Farley Assistant Professor of Social Ethics, Yale Divinity School
"This is a highly personal approach to educating and inspiring today's evangelical church to think biblically, locally, and internationally about environmental stewardship. Using conversational narrative, Scott weaves together hard data and personal experience to highlight the issues and to present solutions. Easy to read and practical to implement, Tending to Eden offers a fresh vision of how Christians in this new century can love our neighbors, especially 'the least of these,' by caring for God's creation." —Rev. Jim Ball, PhD, senior director, Climate Campaign, Evangelical Environmental Network
"Scott Sabin is visionary yet practical. This book teaches us that the balance of life is the result of diverse and interconnected parts embedded in cycles of soil, water, diversity and fertility. For years, Scott Sabin has been a leader in teaching Christians a simple truth: when we hurt the earth we hurt the poor. He is able to bridge the chasm between despair and hope by also showing us that when we do even simple things like plant a tree, we protect and restore these cycles and then a miracle happens. Life comes back in raging glory. This book speaks to that sacred trust of humanity." —Peter Illyn, Founder and Executive Director, Restoring Eden
"In sharing his own journey, Scott Sabin shares important theological principles, shows how science can be applied effectively, and demonstrates how successful a comprehensive program like that of Plant With Purpose can be. This is must reading for anyone who wants to really make a difference in the world today." —Edward R. Brown, author of Our Father's World: Mobilizing the Church to Care for Creation and Director of Care of Creation Inc.
"The real beauty of this book comes in the author's ability to explain to readers, with remarkable insight and simplicity, the inherent connection between caring for the environment and caring for the poor and oppressed." —from Life as Mission blog
"Probably the most encouraging thing about Scott's book is him reminding us explicitly and implicitly that there's a lot of good stuff happening in the world. As bad as the environmental crisis is – and Tending to Eden will not let you off the hook on that score – there are people and organizations working, and working together, to make real and effective change happen." —from Our Father's World blog
"I am thankful for Scott Sabin's book, because he is able at the same time to cast light on the seemingly insurmountable plight of the poor, while also offering tangible advice on ways to begin addressing a myriad of issues affecting people around the globe." —from the blog Into Fluorescent White
"Compelling language and eloquent story telling..." —from Care2 Make a Difference
"If you care about alleviating poverty and tackling ecological challenges then Tending to Eden is a must read. Also, if you're ready to get your hands dirty, get in touch with Plant With Purpose." —from the blog Pastoralia
"I think you'll find Tending to Eden enriching to your life and your own perspective on impacting Creation in a positive, Christ-reflecting way." —from Dean Simmer's blog
"Thank you, Scott, for sharing your personal testimony and the ministry of Plant With Purpose; then, giving your readers a theological basis for environmental stewardship, practical illustrations, resources for small-group Bible study, and practical applications that demonstrate how the gospel can be and is being proclaimed through proclamation and demonstration." —from the blog Oikonomia
"While most Christians understand the dangers of poverty and desire to help out those less fortunate, most do not realize the connections between poverty and deforestation or other environmental issues. Sabin helps his readers to better understand these connections while offering important suggestions of way churches and Christians can help make a difference." —from The Fellowship Blog
"An exceptional tool for both educating and moving committed readers toward meaningful action." —from The King's Green Pad blog
"The real beauty of Tending To Eden is hope. The hope we have for restoration, resurrection, and sustainable living by following our Risen Lord and his teachings." —Rev. Mitch Hescox, president and CEO, Evangelical Environmental Network
"Scott Sabin's Tending to Eden is a well-documented and engaging introduction to transformational development principles applied to environmental stewardship. The inclusion of a study guide makes the book ideal for small groups and most especially for churches in any part of the world seeking to respond to the Biblical call to be stewards and restorers of creation." —Kristen deRoo VanderBerg, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee
"Timely and important...Sabin does not pull any punches, especially when he writes about the harm Americans sometimes do when they try to provide quick solutions to poverty and suffering in places like Haiti and Guatemala. He aims to help [readers] understand how high the stakes are if they ignore caring for the environment. This is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand the broader issues facing today's world." —Church Libraries, Spring 2010
"A good tool, with well-chosen stories, serviceable prose, and an appropriate tone for calling Christians (and others) deeper into earthcare and service to the poor." —Prism, July/August 2010
"For a strong Christianity-based backing of environmentalism, Sabin's easy-to-read guide to simultaneously living for God and the Earth is packed with scriptures and analyses from an environmental perspective. Without being too preachy, the author provides reasoning through narrative, history, and real-life illustrations of how nature and religion go hand in hand. Sidebars sprinkled among the pages from other environmental theologians round out this compelling read." —from The Green Life, the Sierra Club's blog
"This book engages the individual reader as well as opens the possibility for groups to come together and feel empowered to help those who are not." —4 out of 4 rating (highly recommended), Libraries Alive, Fall 2010
"A fine collection...highly recommended." —The Bookwatch: November 2010
"For Christians who want to be disciples, reading and practicing the message of Tending to Eden is a good beginning." —Alison Bennett, as reviewed for The Presbyterian Outlook, Jan. 24, 2011
"Since mission and development work has often overlooked the broken relationships with creation, Sabin helps readers envision what this could look like, constantly anchoring his ideas with stories of the lives of villagers in the developing world." —reviewed for Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (June2011 issue) by David O. DeHaan, Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of San Diego
"I highly recommend this book, which is inspirational. I found it especially helpful in clearly explaining the interrelatedness of environmental and social issues, as well as providing a theological basis for Christian stewardship of the earth." —reviewed by Mary Beth Mankin, First Baptist Church of Laramie, WY for Review & Expositor, Winter 2011
Author Bio
Scott Sabin, MA, is executive director of Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit Christian, environmental organization that works in six countries to eradicate poverty through reforestation efforts, economic empowerment, and spiritual renewal. Sabin has been published in various periodicals including The New York Times, Christianity Today, and the San Diego Union-Tribune. He is currently a contributing editor to Creation Care magazine and a national speaker in the creation care movement.