and Robert White is probably the best Christian book I’ve read on the environment, climate change and sustainable living. With 255 footnotes, and at 220 pages long it feels well researched but not a slog or impossible for the non-scientist or non-accountant to read. It’s split very cleverly into three clear sections:- The nature of the problem
- The Biblical perspective
- The Christian response
Spencer and White clearly and concisely outline the problem of global warming and sustainability in the first sixty pages. They then answer some of the big moral questions around should Christians be involved in this issue. Where it becomes more interesting is that the rest of part two is devoted to a Biblical perspective on climate change and sustainable living: firstly based on Isaiah 40-66, which is secondly, put into a vision for today (based partly from the Jubilee Manifesto).
This all then encourages the reader into the last section which looks at what next. Chapter 6 includes an example vision as to where we should be going, which is followed in chapter 7 with sections on how the individual reader can respond, the community should respond and nationally we can respond. The sections for individuals and nations was very helpful, although I was disappointed by the lack of substance in the section on communities – to me it is clear that individuals need to be passionate on this topic, and governments do need to use ‘a stick’ to persuade people and organisations to change, but people power should not be under-estimated, and this book seems to make little attempt to encourage that.
Overall, a very stimulating read, which has a lot of detailed research backing up its opinions. For the Christian who wants to start reading about climate change and sustainable living this has to be a must read.
