NEWS
Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action, and Climate Change.
Stephen Jurovics, Ph.D.
North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women Book Review
Full Review:
Hospitable Planet by Stephen A. Jurovics is a work of witness about our faith and the connection to God which should lead us to save and heal our planet from environment catastrophe. While reading this book, you can’t help but recall all the environmental issues that we have faced in the past year: fires, mud slides, hurricanes, tornados.
Based on the first five books of the Bible, the book speaks to people of faith by offering us guidelines for choosing life for the earth and all its people. Jurovics compares what needs to be done to preserve our lands and people to what Dr. King did for integration. Yes, there are some facts and figures in the book, but these are overridden by the Biblical references and the truth of what is being shared.
For UMW this book is a great supplement for our Mission Study: Climate Justice. This challenging book is a bonus book and counts as two books in the Social Action category.
Full Review by: at North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women, KEDE, Spring 2018, Vol. 34, Issue 1
The Presbyterian Outlook Book Review
Excerpt:
Jurovics combines biblical exploration (faith) with practical application (action) around this most pressing of planetary concerns (climate change). . . . I am convinced that this brief book can be a helpful resource for people of faith who want to combine their spirituality with concrete action, both personally and communally.
Full Review by: at The Presbyterian Outlook
Climate Change News Article
An article by the author of Hospitable Planet, discussing the importance of the faith community in advancing climate change mitigation, was posted to the climatehome.org website. You can read the article by clicking on the following link:
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/09/26/can-christian-groups-heal-bitter-us-climate-rift/
Midwest Book Review
The following excerpt from the review of “Hospitable Planet” is featured in the June 2016 issue of the monthly book review publication “Wisconsin Bookwatch”
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, “Hospitable Planet” impressively informed and informative, making it very highly recommended and critically important reading for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.
*Please scroll down to the 15th review by: Midwest Book Review
Book review: A biblical basis for fighting climate change
The Bible that Christians and Jews hold sacred places numerous limitations upon our behavior toward the natural world, meaning that we have been treating the environment in ways that damage our personal relationship to the divine,” he writes. “Christians and Jews who care about that relationship may seek to change personal behavior and find motivation to influence national policies.
Review by: Richard Stradling at NewsObserver.com
Endorsements
Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action, and Climate Change seeks to fill the gap in religious and secular texts by providing both a compelling biblical case for action on climate change and by identifying substantive measures to mitigate climate change and how to achieve their implementation.
Churches can massively reduce their impact on God’s good earth if they understand the Bible’s mandate to care for creation and develop practical skills to decrease their energy use. This book hits the target directly on both counts.
Stephen Jurovics’ book is an important work of witness: faith and connection to God should lead us to save and heal our planet from a looming environmental catastrophe. Based primarily on the Five Books of Moses, sacred to both Christians and Jews, this book is written with passion, wisdom, and intelligence. The author’s sensitivity enables him to speak movingly to people of faith, offering a handbook on the Bible’s greatest mandate for mortal existence – to choose life for the earth (which is the Lord’s) and all its inhabitants.
As a pastor for 30 years, a psychologist, and a civil rights activist for 55 years I am convinced that Hospitable Planet has provided a powerful objective strategy for why we all must work together (i.e. science, faith, business, politicians, community folks) to ensure that climate change, global warming, and environmental justice are the civil rights issues for this century. Read this book. Share its message. Now – get involved!! We can and must make the difference!!
Take action – it starts with you.
“The book seeks to enroll a hitherto under-represented, though large and influential, portion of the U.S. population in addressing climate change: committed American Christians, of all denominations. If members of this faith community not yet involved in mitigating climate change began demanding a forceful response, I believe it would bring the country to the tipping point of full engagement. If America engages, most of the world community not yet committed will follow and a de-fusing of the climate change crisis will be underway.” – Excerpt from the Overview of Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action and Climate Change