The Ecological Challenge

the long version

We live in an age where for the first time the human commu¬ nity must decide whether future generations will inherit an earth capable of sustaining life. We can no longer count on nature itself to overcome human ecological irresponsibility. To meet this new challenge we need both technical and religious resources. The contributors provide beginning insights, coupled with practical suggestions, for an authentically religious response to the ecological crisis. Drawing upon the biblical, ethical, liturgical, and spiritual wisdom of the covenantal traditions ofJudaism and Christianity, they lead us on a path of retrieval of frequently underemphasized aspects of our religious heritage. They also suggest areas which require new creative reflection that will push us beyond traditional understandings. They stand united in the belief that our basic faith expression, personal and communal, must begin to integrate ecological concerns as a core element. In several chapters, they suggest ways in which such concerns might be concretely included which retain the integrity of the Church’s liturgical and spiritual traditions.