This book is available at
https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Water-Robert-D-Sluka/dp/B0DGF74MT2

Bob writes,

Early memories of family vacations to Daytona Beach and the Florida Keys sparked a desire to learn more and experience the vast and wonderful deeds of God in the ocean. I didn’t have the language to describe these events spiritually or even an understanding of how the ocean could relate to my faith. That came much later as our family embarked on an adventure that would take us to various parts of the Caribbean, the Great Barrier Reef, a remote island in the Maldives, India, Southeast
Asia, Kenya, and the beaches of the UK and southern Europe.

While this is the story of my experiences and only a subset of them, the subject of the book is the ocean. I hope that you get to know her more through my interactions with the communities, species, and habitats in various locations. I also hope to trace some of the changes in my thinking through time and take you on a journey to understanding a way of thinking about the ocean and its relationship with God including our part in that. I hope that you will increase your love for the ocean, God, each other, and yourself in a way that will cause you to actively participate in ocean conservation.

The emphasis is on the experiences, the places, sometimes the people, and the learning rather than an exact, full, and detailed account. My hope is that you will enjoy a trip to far-off places and a desire will grow to get to know better the one who made the oceans and all that is in them. This is my attempt to express in words my thanks to God, to tell of His wonderful deeds in the ocean.

The Whole Easter Story: Why the Cross is Good News for All Creation by A Rocha International’s Jo Swinney is a 40-day Lent devotional exploring how the cross transforms not only our own individual connection with Jesus, but also our relationships with each other and our world.  

Published by BRF, all royalties go to A Rocha’s conservation work around the world. Listen to some commendation of her writing:

Narrated with honesty, warmth and the insightful perspective of a storyteller – and accompanied by Jo’s warmly sensitive sketches of particular species – the Whole Easter Story helps us see afresh the immense power and wisdom of the cross for the salvation of the whole world. Thoroughly recommended! 

Professor Paul S Williams—Chief Executive, Bible Society  

This is a truly enjoyable devotional book, providing an excellent guide as we journey through our relationship with God, others and God’s wider creation, as well as God’s own relationship with his creation. Refreshingly honest, laugh out loud, attentive to all of God’s creation – your heart and soul will be fed. 

Jo Herbert-James—Head of Engagement, A Rocha UK

But not only that! Consider participating also in the…

Lent book club

You are warmly invited to join a six-week virtual book club based on The Whole Easter Story. Hosted by Jo Swinney and Jo Herbert-James, the club will run on Wednesdays from 5 March to 9 April 2025, 8 to 9pm GMT.  

Do find out more and book your place HERE. 

We need to know who we are, where we are, why we are here and where we are going, not least in a time when so much is changing. This book is Kasper’s contribution to respond to these existential questions in relation to our place on Earth, in God’s creation. Does the Christian faith and theology have anything to do with everything around us – the birds, the bees, the trees, and all in between? Does God have anything to do with the Earth, and does the Earth have anything to do with God’s salvation?

Kasper shares with us that,

“…I cover most of the central theological fields from a biblical and eco-theological perspective: Christology, pneumatology, cosmology, anthropology, hamartiology, soteriology, eschatology, and ecclesiology. I have also included a chapter on beauty and biodiversity – and biodiversity as an expression of God’s greatness.

Regarding anthropology, my basic point is that as humans we receive a three-staged calling, and that the order of these stages is very important: First, we receive a passive call to be creatures in God’s creation. Second, we receive a semi-active call to admire and revere God’s creation. This ability is what qualifies and directs our third call, an active call to be God’s servants in the world.”

If you understand Danish, or know anyone who does, we welcome you to give the book a read or as gift!

In her book, agricultural scientist Naomi Bosch explores the root causes of the ecological and social crises of our times. She also outlines biblical solutions to these, further offering a hopeful perspective by recounting inspiring stories of people who are already walking the talk. And, she provides ideas on how to help regenerate your little corner of God’s creation—both individually and as community. 

Our very own Dr Dave Bookless commends this book for your attention:

‘This is a beautiful and important book – please read it! It is filled with love for nature, biblical wisdom, challenges to our lifestyles, and realistic hope. Be warned, it may change your life!’

You can order the book on Amazon and SCM-Shop, or get a signed copy directly from the author (message naomi@plentiful-lands.com or through Instagram/Facebook @plentiful_lands).

What happens when you put a pastor, a theologian, and a geospatial analyst together in Singapore? A primer on creation care, of course! On 23 September 2023, Rev. Kuo-Yung Lam (the pastor), Ps. Wen-Pin Leow (the theologian), and Mr Dennis Tan (the geospatial analyst) launched their new introduction to creation care, specifically written for churches, entitled Creation Care and the Gospel. The 52-page book comprises both biblical theology of and discussions on how creation care can be lived out as an essential part of Christian discipleship.

The book had its genesis (pun intended!) at a creation care conference organised in 2022 by Creation Care Singapore (a youth-led Christian advocacy group). The conference was very well-attended, and there were several calls to convert the conference’s teaching into a more-useable format. Thus, in collaboration with Armour Publishing, the book project was conceived as the first volume of a series entitled Asian Resources for Ministry (ARM)–a book series written by Asians for Asians that equips the Church in Asia to address complex modern issues.

The book launch had a good turnout. After a short introduction to the book by Ps. Leow, Mr Tan brought the attendees through a spiritual reflection exercise that drew discipleship lessons from creation (cf. Job 12:7–10). Thereafter, Rev. Lam and his team brought the attendees on a tour around the launch venue, Katong Presbyterian Church (where Rev. Lam is the Senior Pastor). Creation care is one of the church’s core values, and is lived out in the church’s everyday life, including in church building’s design.

You can purchase Creation Care and the Gospel in e-book format and paperback format (the latter is printed on FSC-certified paper). Use promo code ‘ARMCCTG’ to get 20% off (valid till 30 Sep 2023).

A Place at the Table

We are eager to share with you a good read, an invitation to encounter and consider hospitality, through the story of A Rocha and the life of the late co-founder Miranda Harris.
This book was jointly written by Miranda Harris and her daughter, Jo Swinney, now ARI’s Director of Communications.

The book was published posthumously last year.

Consider purchasing your copy here, or through Amazon.

World-renowned agronomist Tony Rinaudo – who spoke at the LWCCN conference in Jordan in October 2022 – has helped millions through his work in Niger. Now he wants to inspire the next generation by telling his story. Nicknamed the ‘Forest Maker’, Tony Rinaudo is widely known for bringing back forests without planting trees. His work has been called “the largest environmental transformation in the Sahel and perhaps in all of Africa.” For his influential contributions, Tony has received numerous awards including the Right Livelihood Award, and was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia.

A Rocha Australia asked him about his miraculous journey and recent autobiography, The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis – Australia’s Christian book of the year, 2022. This version has been edited for the Pollinator:

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re known for!

I am 65 years old, married with four children and eight grandchildren. Liz and I spent 17 years in Niger Republic, West Africa with SIM, working to improve the livelihoods of rural communities. Now, I’m the Principal Climate Action Advisor for World Vision. I’m called the ‘Forest Maker’ because of my work on restoring trees and landscapes. While in Niger, I began developing and promoting a low cost, rapid form of reforestation called Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), which is spreading around the world.

 So, what is FMNR, and what potential does it have?

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is both a technical practice and community development approach for mobilising and empowering local communities to restore their natural environment through the systematic regrowth and management of remnant vegetation on diverse landscapes, which has climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits. Basically, FMNR is an embarrassingly simple and affordable method of regreening land by reviving trees rather than planting new ones. You can find out more about it and all its benefits at https://fmnrhub.org.au.

There is enormous potential to implement FMNR across large swathes of land in a wide range of environments – from hyper-arid, through arid and semi-arid zones, tropical, alpine and even coastal environments. Tens of millions of hectares contain remnant living tree stumps with the capacity to re-grow, or dormant seeds with the ability to germinate and grow given the right conditions. Even where there are no seeds or living stumps, if land management patterns change in previously forested areas nature has a chance to colonise the land with grasses, shrubs and trees.

What is The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis about?

The Forest Underground is my autobiography, tracing my early years growing up Australia, my struggles to find solutions to severe desertification and the global spread of FMNR and challenges ahead. The book speaks of my motivation and faith journey and outlines how the Lord has called, provided, and led me. Ultimately, The Forest Underground is a story of hope in the face of climate change, deforestation and land degradation, biodiversity loss and poverty. It really is the good-news story that, I hope, will move hearts and hands to care for God’s planet.

This is an incredibly powerful story. What do you hope readers will take away from it?

I hope readers will not just be inspired, but moved to action in whatever capacity God has provided an opening for. I hope those in the land restoration sector will take the hard-earned lessons to heart and incorporate an FMNR type approach to environmental problem solving to their work; that donors and governments will increasingly give to these types of interventions. I think too that The Forest Underground is a call to all of us to trust God and listen to him in the face of our most pressing problems. He is there for us. Let’s reach out and let him lead us.

If God is calling you to this type of work, or calling you to support somebody else who is—then please consider it prayerfully and with wise counsel from others.

And finally, how can we buy the book?

It’s available as hardback, paperback and e-book from major online retailers. Royalties go towards the FMNR movement! (Amazon). Tony was interviewed by Christianity Today last fall.

Rachel Mander has given us a new resource – a short, 50-page primer, Redeeming All Things: Integral Mission and Creation Care. This is published by Micah Global, and is available in paperback or e-book format through Amazon.

Here’s the blurb:

Is caring about climate justice and investing in creation care part of our mandate as Christians today? Is it core to the gospel or is it merely a trending distraction? If you have heard anyone argue the latter, or have asked yourself this question – this M.Series booklet, Redeeming All Things, will help answer that in 50 short pages. In this booklet, Rachel Mander explains very clearly and simply why creation care is core to us living out the gospel, a key part of the proclamation and demonstration of this good news. Mander reminds us: “In the words of John Stott, “The gospel itself includes God’s creation as well as his work of redemption.”

Incidentally, Micah’s M-Series has a number of books that you might find useful, all short and easy to read. Check out the series here. (Rachel’s has not yet been added to this list).

Order from Amazon here.

A new book ‘The Creation Care Bible Challenge’ is about to be published (April 22^nd), with 50 bible passages, each with a reflection, discussion questions and a prayer. Dave Bookless is one of the contributors, most of whom are from the US and largely Episcopal (lots of Bishops), but others include Katharine Hayhoe, Karenna Gore (Al Gore’s daughter), Rachel Mash from South Africa, the Hodsons from UK and a scattering of Bishops from Africa, Pacific etc. Details are here https://www.forwardmovement.org/Products/2633/the-creation-care-bible-challenge.aspx, and it will be available online from usual suppliers and possibly as an e-book too.

There is much more material available than just a few years ago on what they call Integral Theology and many of us think of as ecotheology. The Laudato Si’ Research Institute is responding to a global need for such materials by launching on 3 March (this week) the Laudato Si’ Integral Ecology Collection.

In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis emphasised the importance of a united, global response to the current ecological crisis. Yet dialogue and learning on integral ecology is often hindered by limited access to the academic publications on the subject, which are not affordable for many individuals and institutions in lower-income countries.

The Laudato Si’ Integral Ecology collection seeks to address this problem by making open access a selection of key texts on integral ecology. The collection will provide a valuable resource for lay readers, students, and those undertaking more advanced academic study. Publications in the collection could also be read as part of a book reading group, or an online course.

It appears that the list will include some titles familiar to many, and others that are new, including a selection of authors from the Global South. Here is a sampling:

• Eco-theology by Celia Deane-Drummond (Darton, Longman and Todd, 2008)
• Creation in crisis: science, ethics, theology by Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam (Orbis Books, 2014)
• Bible and ecology: rediscovering the community of creation by Richard Bauckham (Darton, Longman and Todd, 2010)
• An ecological theology of liberation: salvation and political ecology by Daniel Patrick Castillo (Orbis Books, 2019)

[LWCCN does not necessarily endorse the theological viewpoints represented in these volumes…]