Can the Desert Be Green?
Our world is in peril. Environmental degradation, human suffering, and relentless calamities confront us daily, painting a picture of a planet in distress. Amid this daunting reality, how can God’s people respond effectively? This critical question beckons for a thoughtful and proactive response that intertwines faith and ecology with tangible action in our increasingly fragile world.
Hope for Creation offers a unique blend of theological insight and practical application. It gathers perspectives from theologians and practitioners, each giving a comprehensive understanding of creation care. The contributors not only diagnose environmental and humanitarian issues but also propose actionable solutions rooted in biblical foundations and contemporary experiences.
This book is a call to action for Christians and mission leaders worldwide, urging active participation in restoring and preserving our planet. It equips church leaders, missionaries, and believers with the knowledge and tools to make a meaningful impact. By embracing this mission, readers contribute to a sustainable, hopeful future, joining a transformative journey towards environmental and human healing.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Preface
Section A. Bible and Theology
Chapter 1 God’s Word to a Nation in Denial and Rebellion: Jeremiah 1
Chapter 2 God’s Word in a Culture of Delusion and False Security: Jeremiah 7
Chapter 3 God’s Word of Global Judgment and Salvation: Isaiah 24–25
Chapter 4 Toward a Biblical Theology of Calamity
Chapter 5 Biblical Foundations for Creation Care
Section B: History and Culture
Chapter 6 Learning from the Past and Finding Hope for the Future
Chapter 7 Indigenous Epistemologies: Connecting with Christ and Creation
Chapter 8 Creation Care: The Gospel’s Third Dimension
Chapter 9 Environmental and Human Calamities in Korea and Implications for Mission
Section C. Economics, Sufficiency, Justice, Perceptions of Christian Leaders
and Missionaries
Chapter 10 Climate Crisis and Stewardship: A Christian Economist’s Perspective
Chapter 11 A Critical Analysis on the Transformation of Korean Missionaries’ Epistemological
Beliefs on Environmental and Human Calamities
Chapter 12 Who Will Feed the World in the Twenty-First Century? Lessons and Questions
from a Brief Comparison of China’s, India’s, and Africa’s Food Systems
and Food Sovereignty
Chapter 13 Gold Mining in the Southwest of Burkina Faso and Christian Mission:
The Great Commission and Structural Evil
Section D. Local and Regional Responses to Climate Change and its Effects,
Historical and Current
Chapter 14 Partnership with God in Restoring Creation: A Story of Hope
Chapter 15 Onnuri Church’s Environmental Mission and Strategy
Chapter 16 Economically Viable Green Energy from Waste Plastic: A Fourth River
Energy Proposal to Support Missions and Bless the Environment
Chapter 17 Environment, Natural Disasters, and the Experience of the Dandelion Community
Chapter 18 Evangelizing All Creatures: Pastoral Ecology as Mission
Chapter 19 Can the Desert Be Green? An Environmental Mission to Plant Hope
in the Wilderness
Section E. Testimonies
Chapter 20 The Founding of Shine Church and Its Environmental Missionary Work
Chapter 21 My Journey of Growth and Hope: From God’s Word to Works and Wonders,
to World Care
Chapter 22 KGMLF Missional Koinonia
Section F. Summary and Conclusion
Chapter 23 The Gospel of Hope in a Hopeless World – Jonathan J. Bonk
Appendix: Resources for Mission and Congregation
Acknowledgments – Jinbong Kim
Participants
Contributors
Indices – Subjects, Names, Scriptures
Über den Autor
Jae Hoon Lee is senior pastor of Onnuri Church and chair of the Korea Lausanne Committee.