Stewards of Eden
What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters
### by Sandra L. Richter


InterVarsity Press

IVP Academic
Christian
Pub Date 25 Feb 2020


I am reviewing a copy of Stewards of Love: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters through Intervarsity Press and Netgalley:




In Stewards of Eden, the question of whether or not a Christian can be an environmentalist is brought up?






For some reason it is believed that if you are a Christian you cannot be an environmentalist, there is this idea that if you are a Christian you cannot also fight for the environment.




Sandra L Ritcher is a Christian who cares about both the Bible and the environment. In Stewards of Eden she uses her great knowledge of ancient Israelite society, economy as well as in Biblical Theology.





Ritcher walks the reader through the passages both familiar and those less familiar to show how significant environmental theology is Biblical. She asks for readers to apply these messages to the environmental concerns we have today.






In Each chapter of this timely book Richter a Master Biblical Scholar draws out a biblical mandate about care for the land, for domestic and wild animals, for people at the margins, and more.



Sandra Richter is not only a Master Bible Scholar, but a Master Storyteller, she is very informed and is informative most significant challenges to present-day environmental stewardship.



In Stewards of Eden Richter includes case studies connecting the biblical mandates to modern day issues.



If your looking for a well informed book that deals with Christianity and environmentalism Stewards of Eden is a book I highly recommend.


I give Stewards of Eden five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Having read Dr. Richter's book The Epic of Eden I was looking forward to reading this. Her study her is well written and very well documented.

This was such an informative read as to the various Biblical passages that support our active role in the care and stewardship of God's Creation. His creation is the definitive phrase, because it is not ours to use in any whch way we please.

This certainly is a book I will recommend to others to read along with The Epic of Eden. Thank you Dr. Richter for your knowlege and expertise.

“This book is my contribution to exposing and uprooting these misconceptions that have rendered the church silent on a critical concern.” - From “Stewards Of Eden” by Sandra L. Richter

“Stewards of Eden, by Sandra L. Richter, is an amazing book which unpacks the major ways our environment suffers and then what the Bible has to say about each. She then gives an example of the damage being done and ways in which we can help course correct.

“As any organic farmer would tell us, and as the history of urbanisation in Mesopotamia dramatically illustrates, the continuous cultivation of a single crop in the same field depletes the soil of nutrients and encourages the proliferation of pests and diseases specific to that particular crop.” - From “Stewards Of Eden” by Sandra L. Richter

The Biblical study alone is fascinating and moving. Sandra carefully creates a narrative of God’s view of the world from creation to the Second Coming. She explains the context of the verses which relate to our environment by digging into history and cultural practices.

“What most of us do not realise is that environmental degradation strikes those on the margins first. It is the subsistence farmer and the poor who pay the highest price for any society’s failure to utilise land in a sustainable fashion.” - From “Stewards Of Eden” by Sandra L. Richter

The scientific explanation of the damage humans have done and continue to do is well-reasoned and compelling. I am passionate about the environment and still learnt a huge amount. The examples are heart-breaking and distressing, particularly those relating to the harm we are doing to animals.

Sandra gives practical ways we can, in our daily lives, engage with this world crisis and make a difference, It is so empowering and encouraging to be able to do something! I’m am so excited to see a book in the world calling Christians to action to protect our Eden.

I highly recommend “Stewards of Eden”, it’s elegantly written, insightful and so important. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale,

I loved Stewards of Eden and I'm both sad and angry that it needed to be written. Richter walks her reader through the Old and New Testaments, demonstrating from Scripture, that not only is there no contradiction between being an environmentalist or a conservationist and being a Christian, we are called to care for the environment and the creatures of this world. This is a clear, straightforward primer on our biblical mandate to steward creation. With reflection/discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this would be a great book to work through as a congregation or small group.

A quick but powerful read about why ecology should matter to Christians. I thought it was a very accessible read, allowing me to think about this important subject.