New Book by Matthew Sleeth Explores what the Bible has to Say about Caring for the Earth

For today’s blog post we’d like to feature Plant With Purpose’s friend and fellow creation care advocate Dr. Matthew Sleeth. Sleeth is the founder of Blessed Earth, an online community whose focus, like Plant With Purpose, is to serve God and the planet.

Here is an overview of Sleeth’s new book, The Gospel According to the Earth, taken from the Blessed Earth website:

As an emergency room doctor, Matthew Sleeth saw a disturbing increase in asthma, autoimmune diseases, cancers, and other environmentally related health issues. Although he considered himself an environmentalist, he lacked the commitment to do anything about it. One slow night in the ER, Sleeth picked up a Gideon's Bible in the waiting room. Although raised in a Christian home, he had long ago abandoned his childhood beliefs. Reading the gospels that night, Sleeth became a Christian, and to his shock, he began to uncover in the Scriptures an enormous wealth of environmental answers that he had been seeking. As a result, his family took an account of their lifestyle, drastically reduced their reliance on electricity and fossil fuels, and began sharing their inspirational journey with others. Here, Sleeth invites you on his family's journey as they realize that one cannot be a Christian without recognizing the Bible's call to care for God's creation.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with instructions on how we can demonstrate our love for the Creator by caring for the earth. Sleeth leads us on a highly creative journey through Scripture, visiting some of the most important characters in the Bible and discovering what they can teach us about issues such as stewardship, caring for our neighbors, and pollution. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden teach us the importance of physical work in relation to discovering fulfillment and a sense of human purpose, the prophet Daniel calls us to question our dietary habits, and the story of Noah addresses key issues for life on earth: how do we relate to the Creator, to others in the human community, and to the rest of the natural world? With passion and faith, Sleeth provides a new green lens through which we can read the Bible to discover answers to our biggest questions about the environment and how to care for it.

The Gospel According to the Earth is available to pre-order here: http://www.harpercollins.com/book/buy.aspx?isbn13=9780061730535

Also, Blessed Earth will be hosting a “Hope for Creation” interactive simulcast on the eve of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, (Wednesday, April 21^st). To register, click here.