I recently found out that HarperCollins will be publishing a Green Bible in October. Its purpose is to show
that God is green and explains how we can care for and protect God’s creation. According to the Amazon link above, there are over 1,000 references to the earth in the Bible, compared to 490 references to heaven and 530 references to love, so the Bible carries a powerful message about the earth. This Bible is designed to draw attention to each and every reference by highlighting green scriptures in green ink in an effort to bring greater awareness to how this message is woven throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is supposed to help us view it through a “green lens”.
This Bible also has some other unique features like essays from key leaders and thinkers on various aspects of scripture and its mandate for creation care as well as quotes from Christian teachings throughout the ages from St. Augustine to C.S. Lewis.
The book itself is also green . It is printed on environmentally sustainable FSC paper, has a cotton and linen cover, and uses soy-based inks.
So what do you think? Is this just a shameful way to make money off of green or a needed product? Personally I think it is a little of both. The Bible is the number one bestseller right? And green is HOT right now. Of course publishers would love to tie the two together and make some money. BUT in my experience the most hardened global warming skeptics and environmental deniers are religious. No of course this doesn’t apply to all but in my community at least the religious folk are the first to scream scam when it comes to anything environmental. I have heard of preachers who give lectures about denying global warming and staying away from the “religion” of environmentalism. No Impact Man recently posted an email he got from one such person who claimed that God would never allow global warming to occur. I commented on that post if you care to read the comments. Franky it boggles my mind. I have read the Bible several times in my life and got no such message. Maybe this Bible has some possibilities then?
Well regardless I do have a collection of Bibles at home. I started collecting them when I found the version I grew up with had some erroneous translations that completely changed the meaning. I love all the different kinds of Bibles there are and wouldn’t mind having this one either. The cover is lovely. You can preorder them on Amazon.
So what do you think? Shameful or cool? Would you buy it?
