Eco Bible explores Hebrew Bible's ecological and spiritual wisdom

A groundbreaking new Eco Bible explores the Hebrew Bible's ecological as well as spiritual wisdom, to address humanity's greatest challenges in protecting life on Earth. Eco Bible connects the Five Books of Moses/Pentateuch, and Jewish rabbis' biblical teachings past and present, with contemporary scientific understanding of human health, biodiversity, and environmental protection of air, land and water.

The new ecological commentary, published by the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD), affirms a spiritually grounded vision for long-term sustainability and immediate environmental mindfulness and action. Drawing on 3,500 years of Jewish commentary, the book underscores how the Hebrew Bible and great religious thinkers have deeply embraced care and stewardship for God's creation as a fundamental message.

"At a time of both ecological and spiritual crisis, understanding the Hebrew Bible can have profound impact on human behavior, since billions of people worldwide consider it a holy book," says ICSD founder/director Rabbi Yonatan Neril, the book's co-editor. "Applying Hebrew Bible teachings to stewardship of God's creation is not just an idea for today, but essential for a future in which we achieve a balanced, worldwide ecosystem and thrive on a planet viable for all life." Eco Bible spotlights 450 bible verses with commentary from over 100 rabbis and other Jewish thinkers. Until now, their ecological insights were scattered across hundreds of books.

ICSD celebrates its 10th anniversary by publishing Eco Bible Volume 1- Genesis and Exodus on November 16, 2020 and Volume 2- Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in early 2021. The Julia Burke Foundation will fund 800 free books for pastors, priests, rabbis, and Hebrew Bible professors at theological schools.

Bill Brown, Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Georgia, calls Eco Bible "a rich repository of insights…for people of faith to move forward with wisdom, inspiration, and hope, all for the sake of God's good creation."

Rabbis Yonatan Neril and Leo Dee are Eco Bible's co-editors and lead contributors. Yonatan Neril founded and directs ICSD and its Jewish Eco Seminars. He speaks internationally on religion and the environment, and co-organized 12 interfaith environmental conferences. Leo Dee served as a community rabbi for six years in the UK, and as ICSD's director of programs.

ICSD connects current and future faith leaders to advance and teach faith-based environmental sustainability. The Center publishes on religion and ecology, including Eco Bible and Report on Faith and Ecology in North American Seminaries, and organizes interfaith environmental conferences.

LINK

Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development www.interfaithsustain.com.