Book Review: Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt
Posted in Academic Pursuits and tagged with America, Book Review, Christianity, Creation Care, Environment, Reading on June 7, 2010
I first heard about Green Like God from Carol (her review is here). It sounded like a very interesting book.
And then I looked at the author and recognized the name; we had gone to seminary together. Cool to know the author…or at least know of the author. I promise that hasn’t influenced my review of this book…he blew me away in spite of the fact that we sat before the same teachers.
When I was about halfway through Green Like God, a friend asked me if this was a worthwhile book. I said I thought so. It wasn’t wowing me, but I enjoyed it and felt like there was some good stuff there.
And then I got to the second half of his book, “Our Assignment in God’s World.” Merritt confronted me with facts that I’ve long since avoided…when most environmental horror facts are presented in a doom-and-gloom way, you become jaded and in my case, uncaring.
And then there was chapter 9, “The Enemy in Us All.” It’s an absolutely must-read for every American pastor. Scratch that, for every American believer.
Our actions have consequences. Our affluence is no excuse (if you are reading this right now, yes, you are affluent because you have regular access to a computer, among other blessings). All the paint in the world won’t fix a broken building, but may mask it for a little while.
Merritt is right to point out that the blame for pollution and the destruction of creation (not to mention the exploitation of other peoples) rests largely on America. We’ve allowed consumerism and materialism to be the American way. If we don’t have to live in the filth (or at least we don’t feel like it), then what does it matter, right?
One particular passage struck me:
At the May 7, 2001, White House daily press briefing, Ari Fleischer, White House spokesperson for President George W. Bush, was asked a tough environmental question: “Does the president believe that, given the amount of energy Americans consume per capita–how much it exceeds any other citizens in any other country in the world–does the presdient believe we need to correct our lifestyles to address the energy problem?”
Without hesitiation, Fleischer snapped back, “That’s a big no. The president believes that it’s an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one.” (p. 117, emphasis added)
YIKES. Nine years later, this attitude is still way too common. What’s worse, we aren’t content to keep this me-first-and-only attitude to ourselves, but spread it around the globe.
So, yeah, I think this is definitely a must-read. It’s about time someone with a balanced view and a level head addressed this issue. Our environmental irresponsibility is neither the extinction of the human race nor is it a myth.
And Merritt is right: Christians have every reason to be the best at creation care (after all, our Savior took on human flesh), not the worst.
I’m off to put in to practice what I’ve learned.
June 7th, 2010 at 12:51 am
I heard about this book but hadn’t really looked into it. I was glad to see your review pop up and hear your thoughts on it.
Thanks!
June 7th, 2010 at 8:28 am
Interesting topic! I have to agree with a lot of it! I also think it’s sad that many Americans consider a country less civilized and less 21st century because they still walk to work, to eat, to the grocer, to the post office etc. They use feet and bikes. They eat natural products, grow their own food. They actually buy less, consume less, and are generally happier and more physically fit than most Americans! I think it’s sad that so many countries are incorporating American ammenities and American culture into their own in an effort to keep up and/or follow the American way. I love my country. Really I do. But I think that the other countries who look our way are copying all the wrong things. Americans are consumers, capitalists, fast paced people. Those are not necessarily good qualities.
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June 7th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I am going to have to look for this book, since I am becoming a more conscience consumer and environmentalist. It’s hard to strike a balance. While I don’t think we all need to go back to horse and carriage, I don’t think that we should be wasting and consuming as much as we are today. I think the US has a lot to learn from other countries as far as mass transit and more sustainable lifestyles.
Take plastic bags for instance. In most of Europe, people take reusable bags to the stores. If they don’t, they have to pay for them (say, the equivalent of 50-cents each). Recently DC instituted a 5-cent plastic bag tax in order to pay for the cleanup of the Anacostia River and to get people to use reusable bags. For weeks people were in an uproar about it because – GASP – people have a RIGHT to cheap plastic bags!! I just shook my head at all of the asinine letters people were writing to the paper against the bag tax. There were some people writing in saying that they would drive to either Maryland or Virginia to do their grocery shopping in order to avoid the bag tax. They didn’t stop to consider that (A) it would cost more than $1.00 in gasoline, and (B) both MD and VA charge sales tax, whereas DC doesn’t. They just thought that paying 5-cents per bag was an attack on the American way of life.
I wish more cities would adopt it, truthfully.
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June 7th, 2010 at 9:02 am
Jacki: Just the other day I heard a Christian friend say about the proposed recycling requirement, “You give liberals a little, and they’ll take a lot.” What’s so wrong with mandatory recycling??? You should be recyling anyway, so it wouldn’t matter.
June 7th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Of course, putting it in to practice is the hard part for me.
June 7th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
You said just the thing I was thinking, but wasn’t sure if I should say. I know so many Christians that think that anything that has to do with the environment (recycling, conservation, etc) is left-wing liberal fanaticism. Why is that? I firmly believe that it is something that God commands us to do…be a good steward of His creation. I mean, I hate it when I clean Emma’s room or bathroom and then she messes it up. I am sure God is up there shaking his head at what a mess we have made the Earth.
.-= Jacki´s last blog ..The circus that didn’t fly… =-.
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June 7th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Sounds like such an important, interesting book – I’ll have to check it out!
June 7th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Saw the comment on mandatory recycling. Our trash company requires it. I confess I am a tree-hugging liberal, but I must say that it really isn’t that much extra work, and I agree–it’s something we should be doing anyway as good stewards of God’s creation. I have definitely added this book to my “to-read” list for the next month.
June 7th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
What an interesting book and subject. It really is our responsibility to treat God’s creation with respect. I’m going to look into this book a bit more! Thanks for sharing!
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June 8th, 2010 at 8:06 am
I think it’s great that books like this exist since there is the unfortunate assumption that Christians = conservatives = no concern for the environment. We should all, regardless of politics and religion, take care of our planet.
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June 8th, 2010 at 8:30 am
So interesting! I’m really glad to see this post! I’ve always been confused about why environmental concerns are considered primarily politically liberal…seems like at their base, it’s politically neutral–something all Americans, all people, should be concerned with.
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June 10th, 2010 at 10:27 am
Carol: Me, too, definitely. Still working that out.
Jacki: I think it’s especially the regulation that has people on the right up in arms about such a thing. I don’t get it though…as long as it’s done on a local level, I like the idea if it’s done well. Good example!
Amanda: I’m not sure that we’re required to recycle, but I know that it comes with the trash service. I’m just glad that I’m in a house now so that we have containers (in the apartment we had to drive it in to the recycling center).
Michelle: I think that Christians do themselves and the gospel a disservice when they are anti-green so to speak.
WhatACard: You’d think, but I guess some environmental issues are seen as anti-business, and business=right (?).