http://www.apcaem.org/scripture-culture-and-agriculture-an-agrarian-reading-of-the-bible Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:16:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.apcaem.org/scripture-culture-and-agriculture-an-agrarian-reading-of-the-bible/comment-page-1#comment-75 David Vandiver Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:38:06 +0000 http://www.apcaem.org/scripture-culture-and-agriculture-an-agrarian-reading-of-the-bible#comment-75 Ellen Davis has done with scripture what Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan have done with our current food supply-- she has exposed the ancient roots that support small farms and intimacy with the land as the most secure foundation for a stable society and sustainable earth. <br /> The book, though somewhat technical in its Biblical scholarship, is interspersed with excerpts from modern writers and researchers (primarily Wendell Berry) in ways that illustrate the rich Biblical work, making it accessible for most any reader with a good foundation in Bible study. It would be excellent as a group study, and could be paired with one of the writers above or other current books on the subjects of food security and land use ethics. <br /> Anyone who values religious roots and/or spiritual wisdom related to the use and care of the earth, and the role of the human species in it, will find rich ground to plow here. Davis shows not only that the Bible has a concern for the earth and the well-being of its creatures, but that this concern is central to the Israelites. She even finds this at the heart of the holiness codes in Deuteronomy, which readers often skip over to avoid boredom. <br /> In short, "Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture" makes it clear that the Bible's most ancient wisdom, in terms of food production and land use, was local, sustainable, and organic when local, sustainable, and organic wasn't cool! Rating: 5 / 5 Ellen Davis has done with scripture what Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan have done with our current food supply– she has exposed the ancient roots that support small farms and intimacy with the land as the most secure foundation for a stable society and sustainable earth.

The book, though somewhat technical in its Biblical scholarship, is interspersed with excerpts from modern writers and researchers (primarily Wendell Berry) in ways that illustrate the rich Biblical work, making it accessible for most any reader with a good foundation in Bible study. It would be excellent as a group study, and could be paired with one of the writers above or other current books on the subjects of food security and land use ethics.

Anyone who values religious roots and/or spiritual wisdom related to the use and care of the earth, and the role of the human species in it, will find rich ground to plow here. Davis shows not only that the Bible has a concern for the earth and the well-being of its creatures, but that this concern is central to the Israelites. She even finds this at the heart of the holiness codes in Deuteronomy, which readers often skip over to avoid boredom.

In short, “Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture” makes it clear that the Bible’s most ancient wisdom, in terms of food production and land use, was local, sustainable, and organic when local, sustainable, and organic wasn’t cool!
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> http://www.apcaem.org/scripture-culture-and-agriculture-an-agrarian-reading-of-the-bible/comment-page-1#comment-74 John D. Nachtrieb Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:45:38 +0000 http://www.apcaem.org/scripture-culture-and-agriculture-an-agrarian-reading-of-the-bible#comment-74 I'm not aware that this approach has been taken before--and it's so obvious and sensible. I also appreciate the frequent references to Wendell Berry who has so much of great iportance to say about caring for the land. Rating: 5 / 5 I’m not aware that this approach has been taken before–and it’s so obvious and sensible. I also appreciate the frequent references to Wendell Berry who has so much of great iportance to say about caring for the land.
Rating: 5 / 5

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