Creation's Diversity

"A useful contribution to the continuing dialogue between theologies and the sciences on environmental issues." - Reviews in Science and Religion "This collection of essays is the fruitful outcome of a conference on science and theology...Timely and relevant with thoughtful and balanced arguments. The question of sustainable living is not only a religious one but a cultural and political one as well. Drees and colleagues highlight the imminent need for theological reflection and dialogue, as the future of sustaining creation's diversity becomes more tenuous." -Ilia Delio, Worship, Vol. 83, July 2009

Willem B. Drees is professor of philosophy of religion and ethics at Leiden University, the Netherlands, President of ESSSAT, and author of Religion, Science and Naturalism (Cambridge UP, 1996), and Creation: From Nothing until Now (Routledge, 2001). Taede A. Smedes is research fellow at the Catholic University Leuven, Belgium, and Scientific Programme Officer of ESSSAT. Hubert Meisinger, Ph.D., is director for environmental affairs at the Center Social Responsibility in Mainz, associate director of studies for science and theology at the Protestant Academy Arnoldshain, associate lecturer in Systematic Theology at Darmstadt University of Technology and Vice-President of ESSSAT.

Contents; Preface and acknowledgements; List of contributors; Chapter 1 Creation's diversity: Voices from theology and science, Willem B. Drees (Leiden University); Chapter 2 Rationality and mystery in the Universe; Daniel Ciobotea, Metropolit of Moldavia and Bucovina; PART ONE A DIVERSITY OF VISIONS OF CREATION; Chapter 3 Geohistory, Gaia science and an ecological theology; Anna Primavesi (Birbeck College, London); Chapter 4 Humans as part of nature: The concept of life and the temporal implications of Actions; Regina Kather (University of Freiburg, Germany); Chapter 5 The noble Leviathan and the twisted serpent: An Eastern Orthodox perspective on the ecological message of Genesis, Job, and Isaiah; David K. Goodin (McGill, Canada); Chapter 6 The Creatures' Yes and No to their creator: A proposal in evolutionary theology, kenotic trinitarianism, and environmental ethics.; Christopher C.B. Southgate (Exeter, UK). Chapter 7 The diversity of environments: Nature and technology as competing myths; Alfred Kracher (Iowa State University, USA); Chapter 8 New cosmologies and sacred stories: Re-imagining the human-environment relationship via religio-scientific metaphor and myth; Tony Watling (UK & Leiden University, NL); PART TWO SUSTAINING CREATION'S DIVERSITY; Chapter 9 Sustaining diversity or developing sustainably; R.J. Berry (Univ. College London).