The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and Ecology ed. by Hilary Marlow and Mark Harris (review)

Reviewed by: The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and Ecology ed. by Hilary Marlow and Mark Harris Jaime L. Waters hilary marlow and mark harris (eds. ), The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and Ecology (New York: Oxford University Press, 2022). Pp. 496. 150. This volume is a collection of thirty essays that address a wide range of topics related to biblical study, ecological hermeneutics, and theological responses to ecological crises. In the introduction, Hilary Marlow and Mark Harris set the scene for the diverse collection, offering the rationale and scope of the volume, and highlighting relevant terminologies and worldviews that inform many of the essays. The editors note that the contributors were invited to "offer a contemporary critical analysis of a particular topic or text, reflecting their own interests and engagement with the issues, but also drawing in other theories and opinions" (p. 4). The goal of this endeavor is to spark conversations and "provoke debate on the relationship between the Bible and contemporary ecological concerns" (p. 4). The interest in critically examining the Bible and ecology is an important one for its academic and theological implications, and this volume adds to the growing publications on ecological hermeneutics and the relationship between ecology and the Bible. The volume is arranged in four parts, each containing five to thirteen essays. Part 1 offers a historical overview of ecological and theological discourse and various methodologies and methodological issues. Part 2 deals with biblical books or collections, offering exegesis and analysis of ecological elements contained in the respective books. Part 3 shifts to a variety of themes associated with the Bible and ecology, and part 4 considers contemporary ecological issues, political and ethical considerations, and responses from faith communities. Part 1 ("Issues and Methods") contains five essays: "The Historical Roots of the Ecological Crisis, " by Jeremy H. Kidwell (pp. 9–18) ; "Ecological Hermeneutics: Origins, Approaches, and Prospects, " by David G. Horrell (pp. 19–34) ; "Ecological Feminist Hermeneutics, " by Anne Elvey (pp. 35–48) ; "Ecological Hermeneutics and Postcolonialism, " by Madipoane Masenya Ngwan'a Mphahlele (pp. 49–62) ; and "Literary Ecocriticism and the Bible, " by Timothy J. Burbery (pp. 63–77). Multiple chapters discuss the impact of Lynn White Jr. 's 1967 essay "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis" (Science n. s. vol. 155, no. 3767 Mar. 10, 1967 1203–7), which links Christianity and ecological degradation. This section also reviews the development of Green Theology, the Earth Bible Project, and the Exeter Project. End Page 405 Several authors in Part 1 discuss interdisciplinary approaches, especially engaging feminist, postcolonial, and literary criticism. This section introduces readers to some of the key thinkers, themes, motivations, and intersectional methodologies used by scholars engaged in ecological hermeneutics. These intersectional methodologies are used minimally in parts 2–4. For instance, postcolonial literature is discussed by Masenya but is not engaged in a robust way in much of the volume. Considering the disproportionate effect of ecological crises on marginalized and disenfranchised communities, a discussion of the intersections of race and class could have enhanced this volume and advanced discourse on the Bible and ecology. Part 2 ("Specific Biblical Texts") contains thirteen essays: "Genesis, " by Ted Hiebert (pp. 81–94) ; "Leviticus, " by Deborah Rooke (pp. 95–110) ; "Deuteronomy, " by Raymond F. Person Jr. (pp. 111–22) ; "Reading from the Ground Up: Nature in the Book of Isaiah, " by Hilary Marlow (pp. 123–35) ; "Re-viewing the Book of Jeremiah: An Ecological Perspective, " by Emily Colgan (pp. 136–47) ; "God's Good Land: The Agrarian Perspective of the Book of the Twelve, " by Laurie J. Braaten (pp. 148–65) ; "'Deep Calls to Deep': Ecology of Praise in the Psalms, " by William P. Brown (pp. 166–83) ; "The Book of Job, " by Kathryn Schifferdecker (pp. 184–96) ; "The Ecotheology of the Song of Songs, " by Ellen Bernstein (pp. 197–210) ; "Synoptic Gospels, " by Mark Harris (pp. 211–27) ; "John's Gospel, " by Susan Miller (pp. 228–40), "Pauline Epistles: Paul's Vision of Cosmic Liberation and Renewal, " by V. S. Balabanski (pp. 241–55) ; and "Revelation, " by Micah D. Kiel (pp. 256–65). The angles and scopes vary widely in this section, which is not surprising given the diversity of literature in. . .