Book: Tending To Eden by Scott Sabin

There has been a fair amount of activity in recent years around a Christian posture toward environmentalism, but few people I know in the church have a genuinely holistic understanding of how the degradation of environmental resources contributes to severe poverty like Scot Sabin, and few organizations are working to address those holistic problems as effectively as Plant With Purpose, the San Diego-based non-profit that Scott directs.

Scott has a new book out on the subject called Tending To Eden. I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy, and lest you think it’s just another Christian gloss on planting trees and recycling waste, think again. Here’s an excerpt:

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Most of us long to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Our consumer-oriented culture has done a miserable job of giving us any sense of purpose. Yet mainstream Christianity has often failed to provide an alternative.

Fresh off my summer in Guatemala, and on the heels of the Los Angeles riots, I asked a pastor what he saw as the biggest challenge facing the church. I yearned to hear how Christians might confront racism and injustice. Instead, he responded with concern over the church’s upcoming fundraising campaign to raise money for its new office building.

To be fair, the pastor had misinterpreted the question. But my sense of betrayal was compounded when I saw the campaign, crafted around the idea that “people without a vision perish.” Expensive banners called the congregation to be “Faithful to the Vision.” It was effective fundraising, but the scale of the vision made a mockery of the Kingdom of God.

The body of Christ is the only hope for a hurting and unjust world. God help us when our biggest visions are limited to building campaigns.

The message of the church has often been that what we do in this life doesn’t really matter as long as we avoid certain since such as drinking,  swearing, and fornicating. God has already won the battle, and we just have to stay out of trouble until Jesus returns to take us away.

But the Christian life isn’t only about what not to do. We have a role in bringing the justice, hope, and peace of Christ to the world. God has given us an active role in the grand story of the redemption of the universe. How many people outside the Church would be drawn in if they saw us bringing justice, hope, and peace?

I am heartened by the renewed interest in social justice I see within the church, especially among youth. Today I meet twenty-three-year-old college students at the same point in their vocational development I reached at age thirty-two. Social justice is now fashionable. I hope it is more than merely a fad.

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If you care about alleviating poverty and tackling ecological challenges then Tending To Eden is a must read. Also, if you’re ready to get your hands dirty, get in touch with Plant With Purpose. They have amazing opportunities to partner with them in their mission to restore broken communities around the globe.

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