The Paradise of God: Renewing Religion in an Ecological Age

Rating:
Summary: Eloquent, encompassing, compelling, accessible
Review: It broke my heart to see that this book hadn't been reviewed yet. This work is intelligently written and (like much environmental thought) touches so many ideas, that no matter your discipline you will be able to connect with and respond to what Wirzba espouses.

Mr. Wirzba has written a book which should prove a milestone in the fields of agrarian thought and Christian environmentalism. The scope of the book ranges from theology to gardens, from the meaning of a Sabbath to the Christlikeness of soil. Throughout it is peppered with widely-discussed environmental ideas (sense of place, sublimity of nature, etc.). Often, I found myself being blown away (in a good way) by the distinctly postmodern ideas in Mr. Wirzba's Christo-agrarian ethic. In the end, it is an ethic that is sensible, authentic, godly, and merits closer inspection.

To the Christian, I reccommend this book as a means of (re)considering many parts of your faith. Whether gaining a more acute insight of the pervasiveness of God's providence, better retaining the doctrine of Creation, or reigniting meaningful Sabbaths, this book nourishes oft-starved doctrines without offending (mainstream American) evangelical theology. For what it's worth, I'm a pentecostal raised in the church, and I know God's Word fairly well. After reading this book, I could not find one doctrine Mr. Wirzba trespasses at any point. This book is safe for our theology, but *will* challenge how we live.

To the agrarian or environmentalist, this book provides an avenue of how to better appeal your ideas to Christians. If mainstream white-bread Protestants are the demographic American environmentalists are most wanting change in, then this is wonderful ammunition for igniting such change.

If you are not any of these, I reccommend this book as a means of seriously evaluating humanity's cosmic and ecological purpose, potential, and limits. No matter where you're at, this book will stimulate thought and incite deep-felt change.