A Christian's Guide to Planet Earth: Why It Matters and How to Care for It

by Betsy Painter, Muti (Illustrator)

Overview

From conservation to protecting endangered species to sustainable living, A Christian's Guide to Planet Earth offers a faith-based framework for viewing our responsibility to the natural world as well as practical, biblical ways we can care for the magnificent creation around us.

Drawing on science and Scripture, this hope-filled and reader-friendly guide helps us navigate questions about caring for and respecting God's world. With a focus on real-life solutions, this book explores answers to questions such as:

• What does the Bible say about food shortages, forests, and pollution?
• How can we make ethical choices about what we eat and what we wear?
• Why is reducing our carbon footprint a way of loving others?
• What do animals tell us about God's design for the earth?
• What simple choices can we make to help recover God's beauty in creation?

Four-color infographics throughout highlight the inherent grandeur of the natural world, stirring our hearts to care about the wild and wondrous things God has made. Each chapter concludes with practical tips on how to become better stewards of the Earth, including how to support efforts that make a positive difference in the world.

A Christian's Guide to Planet Earth is ideal for:

• Anyone who wants to make a difference for the planet but doesn't know where to start
• Readers interested in how stewardship of the water, air, land, and gardens relates to serving God and our neighbor
• Bible studies and church small groups
• Homeschooling families and networks
• Anyone who loves God's beauty in nature
• Readers with questions about how changes to our earth affect the planet and our lives

Equal parts philosophical and practical, this guide provides us a deeper understanding of God's love for His creation and the delightful, God-given privilege we have to enjoy it and care for it well.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310458630
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	04/05/2022
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	1,094,421
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Betsy Painter is a creative writer and conservation biologist, who is passionate about environmental care and its human dimensions. She has studied Religion and Ecology in graduate school with a focus on the beautification of nature in the redemptive Biblical narrative and its implications for environmental hope and messaging today.

Muti is a creative studio founded in 2011, based in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. They’re a dedicated team of illustrators and designers who are passionate about producing original and inspiring artwork, from lettering to icons, digital painting to animation. Muti have worked across a broad spectrum of projects for clients all over the world, from advertising to publishing, branding, apps, fashion, packaging and more.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Introduction xi

Chapter 1 Fresh Water

Our Most Precious and Scarce Resource 1

Chapter 2 Endangered Species

The Plants and Animals on Our Watch 15

Chapter 3 Mountains and Minerals

The Peaks and Possessions We Prize 31

Chapter 4 Air and Sky

Our Breath and View of the Heavens 47

Chapter 5 Woodlands

Our Disappearing Forests 63

Chapter 6 Soil

Agriculture's Active Ingredient 79

Chapter 7 Pollinators

Our Overlooked Helpers 95

Chapter 8 Wetlands

Nature's Beautiful Borders 111

Chapter 9 Coral Reefs

Earth's Underwater Playground 127

Chapter 10 The Ocean

Our Immense and Unsearchable Waters 141

Chapter 11 The Poles and Global Climate

Our Planet's Future 157

Notes 176

Infographics Facts and Figures 186

Acknowledgments 187

About the Authors 191

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

'This is a practical and inspiring book. With admirable brevity, Betsy Painter takes us on a journey around the wonders of creation, along the way providing a balanced assessment of the challenges we face and informed, detailed advice about how we can faithfully care for God's beautiful earth. It's rare to find such a rich combination of the scientific, biblical, and practical in a compact and accessible format. Highly recommended!' — Dr. Jonathan Moo, Professor of New Testament and Environmental Studies, Whitworth University

'There are numerous references to stewardship in The Bible. God created a wondrous Earth, and we have a moral, ethical, and spiritual obligation to care for the only home we have. Betsy Painter eloquently captures the challenges and opportunities of loving God by caring for his Divine creation. This is a magnificent book!' — Paul Douglas, author of'A Kid's Guide to Saving the Planet: It's Not Hopeless-and We're Not Helpless'

Editorial Reviews

This is a practical and inspiring book. With admirable brevity, Betsy Painter takes us on a journey around the wonders of creation, along the way providing a balanced assessment of the challenges we face and informed, detailed advice about how we can faithfully care for God's beautiful earth. It's rare to find such a rich combination of the scientific, biblical and practical in a compact and accessible format. Highly recommended!

Dr. Jonathan Moo

There are numerous references to stewardship in The Bible. God created a wondrous Earth, and we have a moral, ethical, and spiritual obligation to care for the only home we have. Betsy Painter eloquently captures the challenges and opportunities of loving God by caring for his Divine creation. This is a magnificent book!

author of"A Kid's Guide to Saving the Planet: Paul Douglas