Spiritual perspectives on climate change, sustainable living, and food insecurity are drawing attention from religion publishers. Upcoming books address the spiritual significance of the food we eat, the water we rely on, and our responses to issues such as the struggles of Indigenous peoples to protect their sacred lands.
Herald Press, which publishes many Amish and Mennonite authors, has two such titles forthcoming. Rooted Faith: Practices for Living Well on a Fragile Planet (Sept.), by ecotheology professor Sarah Renee Werner, draws on scripture, Christian history, and practical theology to call on Christians to confront consumer culture and turn instead toward protecting and restoring the environment. Acquisitions editor Laura Leonard calls it “a compelling antidote to the anxieties and despair of life on our fragile planet in crisis.” So We and Our Children May Live: Following Jesus in Confronting the Climate Crisis (Oct.) is by Sarah Augustine, who has worked in relationship with vulnerable Indigenous peoples since 2005, and Sheri Hostetler, who is cohost with Augustine of the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery podcast. They offer insights and action plans for “ways to resist Earth-destroying practices, join with Indigenous communities as they advocate for life and land, and follow the way of Jesus in pursuing shalom and right relationship,” says editor Sara Versluis.
A Fire at the Center: Solidarity, Whiteness, and Becoming a Water Protector (Oct.) from Skinner House Books, an imprint of the Unitarian Universalist Association, is by pastor and activist Karen Van Fossan. She joined with Indigenous peoples in protesting pipelines that threatened sacred waters on their lands. Her book blends memoir with history, and cultural critique of what Van Fossen calls white colonialism to advocate for restorative justice.
Also in October, Broadleaf releases The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection and Celebration by Derrick Weston, a filmmaker and community activist, and Anna Woofenden, a pastor and cohost of the Food and Faith podcast. Their book connects climate crisis to food insecurity and social responsibility to everyone’s kitchen table, according to the publisher.
