FEATURED: A CONSERVATIONIST MANIFESTO. By Scott Russell Sanders. [Vol. 2, #22]
Friday, May 29th, 2009
“The Work of Creating
Wise and Loving Communities “
A Review of
A Conservationist Manifesto.
by Scott Russell Sanders.
Reviewed by Chris Smith.
A Conservationist Manifesto.
Scott Russell Sanders.
Paperback: Indiana Univ. Press, 2009.
Buy now: [ Doulos Christou Books $17 ] [ Amazon ]
A Conservationist Manifesto is a glorious new collection of essays by Scott Russell Sanders, the noted, novelist, nature writer and Distinguished Professor of English at Indiana University. Sanders set forth the tone for this collection in the preface by challenging the prevailing consumerism of Western culture and issuing the call for us to “savor and preserve” the world instead of devouring it (xi). The book is divided into three parts which represent facets of Sanders’ vision of conservation: “Caring for the Earth,” “Caring for Home Ground” and “Caring for Generations to come.” The use of the language of care here stands in contrast to the carelessness of consumer culture (see, for instance, John McKnight’s The Careless Society) and should also should be of interest to the Church as we seek to embody our vocation as stewards of creation. In the book’s first part, Sanders explores the language and imagery that we use to speak of the Earth as a whole. He begins by drawing on the biblical story of Noah (artfully juxtaposed with that of present-day tree-sitting environmental activists) to challenge us to see the Earth as an Ark. He concludes:
We are not the captains of this vessel, although we may flatter ourselves by thinking so. We are common passengers, and yet because we are both clever and numerous, we bear a unique responsibility to do everything we can to assure that this one precious ark will stay afloat, with all the least and greatest of our fellow travelers safely on board (21).
The next essay, on “Common Wealth” is reminiscent of Wendell Berry’s work, and especially of Bill McKibben’s renowned book Deep Economy. In an age where consumerism implores us to amass a wealth of stuff for ourselves as individuals, Sanders argues eloquently that we need to recover a sense of resources that we hold in common with our neighbors. Churches, in particular, should meditate on the wisdom of his thought that “The work of creating wise and loving communities begins with cherishing our common wealth” (32). In the essay, “Two Stones,” Sanders uses two small stones – one a chunk of 320-million-year-old Indiana siltstone, the other a lump of pumice taken from the shore of Ghost Lake after the explosion of Mt. St. Helens – to tell two inter-woven stories about the Earth. The siltstone tells the story of the Earth’s “great age and ceaseless flow and perennial vigor” (66). The pumice, on the other hand, tell the story of nature’s resiliency and capacity to heal herself. These stories, taken together, remind us of the importance both of conserving the “living abundance” of the Earth and of the humility with which we must approach this task.
The woods are dry. No rain has fallen for some time, and the forest is parched. It awaits either water to sustain it or a spark to set it aflame. Either way, something must change, whether by growth or purgation.
Thomas Sieger Derr recently posted a critical review of Liberty Hyde Bailey’s THE HOLY EARTH on the blog for FIRST THINGS ( 
Drawn to The Story Blanket by the beautiful simplicity of its cover as well as the recommendation of a friend, I discovered a book that will become a favorite in my home, with myself, my husband and my children. The Story Blanket, written by Ferida Wolfe and Harriet May Savitz, illustrates the time-honored principles of contentment, selflessness, thriftiness without hitting children over the head with a moral.
On one hand, Restorative Commons: Creating Health and Well-Being Through Urban Landscapes is the proceedings of the Meristem 2007 Forum and is published as “General Technical Report” of the US Forest Service. But wait, before you write this book off, allow me to add that this book is typical of neither conference proceedings nor government technical reports. Printed in full color, laid out with an edgy design and illustrated throughout with a host of photographs, Restorative Commonsis not only a beautiful book but also is written in a very engaging style and draws its readers into a conversation about how the landscape of cities can be redeemed. Considering that we are called to be people marked by God’s shalom (health and wholeness) and considering the scriptural image that we are given of the New Jerusalem – in which all has been reconciled – as a city lined with trees (Rev. 22), this book promises to be of great interest to urban Christians. Restorative Commons starts with three diverse essays that offer the “theory” behind this vision of restored urban landscapes. Don’t let the term “theory” fool you, however, as these pieces are written in plain language and frame the conversation from the perspectives of history, psychology and urban planning. The next section includes two “thought pieces” which again are engaging and serve to introduce the areas of green building and green infrastructure (landscaping, gardens, etc.) respectively. The latter half of the book is narrative and serves to flesh out through stories and interviews the ideology offered in the first half of the book. The interviews with practitioners, albeit brief, are perhaps the highlight of the book. This book is a fabulous resource for seeding the imagination of urban churches who desire to seek the shalom of the particular places in which they find themselves. From starting community gardens to promoting green buildings to participating in conversations about how public spaces should be planned and used, this book is an excellent resource for introducing these conversations and for making a case from the place of ecological health and well-being that such endeavors are well worth our attention and energy. And if this book were cake, the icing would be its price tag; it is being made available for free in both printed format and PDF e-book thanks to our federal tax dollars hard at work. 
