March 28th: East of Eden: The Hebrew Bible & Ecology

A small handful of biblical passages have been cited in the past to justify human dominion over nature and the environment, and ecological concerns are sometimes thought to be foreign to biblical theology. Christians and Jews, however, are often unaware that numerous texts in the Hebrew Bible contain a more complex picture of the relationships between God, humanity, the earth, and its creatures. Many of these texts link God’s role as creator and sustainer of the environment to God’s concern for humanity and social justice. Dr. Ken Stone will lead us in exploring a number of such texts, as we consider the ways in which the Hebrew Bible can be read in support of Christian concern for the environment.

Ken Stone is Professor of Bible, Culture and Hermeneutics at Chicago Theological Seminary, where he also serves as Academic Dean. A member of the United Church of Christ, Professor Stone focuses his research on biblical interpretation and matters of gender, sexuality, animals and ecology.

A complimentary light lunch will be served.