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Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice
Love in a Time of Climate Change challenges readers to develop a loving response to climate change, which disproportionately harms the poor, threatens future generations, and damages God's creation. This book creatively adapts John Wesley's theological method by using scripture, tradition, reason, and experience to explore the themes of creation and justice in the context of the earth's changing climate. By consciously employing these four sources of authority, readers discover a unique way to reflect on planetary warming theologically and to discern a faithful response. The book's premise is that love of God and neighbor in this time of climate change requires us to honor creation and establish justice for our human family, for future generations, and for all creation. From the "As we entrust our lives to God, we are enabled to join with others in the movement for climate justice and to carry a unified message of healing, love, and solidarity as we live into God's future, offering hope in the midst of the climate crisis that 'another world is possible.' God is ever present, always with us. Love never ends."
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2017
9 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Delgado
6 books22 followersSharon Delgado is an ordained United Methodist minister, author, speaker, and activist. She travels widely, speaking before spiritual communities and secular audiences on climate change, economic and environmental justice, peacemaking, and globalization. Sharon is author of Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice (Fortress Press, July 2017) and Shaking the Gates of Hell: Faith-Led Resistance to Corporate Globalization (Fortress Press, 2007). Her blog is Progressive Christian Social Action at http://sharondelgado.org.
Find out more about Sharon at https://sharondelgado.org/about/
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 6, 2017
Sharon Delgado has taken John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement seriously and applied his approach most effectively to address how the church can act on climate change. Like Wesley, she takes Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience seriously and concludes that love of God and Neighbor requires a faithful response to climate change that leads to climate justice for all. The problem that she does not fully struggle with is that the church's members and even the church's financial structure are a REALLY big part of the problem. Wes Jackson, head of the Land Institute, speaking at a 1987 conference of church leaders on environmental problems addressed that problem by saying: "The Bible tells us to love our enemies, when it comes to environmental problems the problem the church has is that we already love them, we are related to these enemies, we go to church with them." Delgado gives us some guidelines for loving these enemies. Just as the issue of slavery split the church, so too might forcing an honest response to climate change, but Delgado gives us the tools to have hope that we can do this work as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Buy the book, read the book and then act on its suggestions.
July 10, 2017
Initial Endorsements for Love in a Time of Climate Change
Michael E. Mann, Ph.D., Director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center and author of The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial Is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy:
“Climate change is the greatest challenge we’ve yet faced as a civilization. Meeting that challenge will require we use both our heads and our hearts. There are many primers that target the former, but fewer that target the latter. And that is why Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice by Sharon Delgado proves such essential reading.”
Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, author of The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job, and the Scale of Creation:
“This book is an act of witness, and a powerful one. It reminds us that if church is going to mean anything in a time of rapid climate change, it's going to have to take on this toughest of all questions.”
Catherine Keller, Ph.D., George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology, Drew Theological School. Author of On the Mystery: Discerning God in Process; and Cloud of the Impossible:
“To live in love—and in a perilously changing climate: with wonderfully readable wisdom, Sharon Delgado invites us, Christians and all, to follow her on this honestly hopeful and adventurously holy way to our shared future.”
Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary, National Council of Churches:
"Solutions to the world’s problems must include the churches if they are to be effective, and the churches must understand these challenges theologically if they are to be mobilized. Sharon Delgado masterfully articulates an unapologetically Wesleyan framework for climate justice, and in doing so, gives the churches the resources necessary to bring about lasting change. This book is a gift to Christians everywhere, one that ultimately extends to all of God’s creation. I highly recommend it.
Ted Peters, Ph.D., Co-editor, Theology and Science, Distinguished Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary:
“Honor the creation. Strive for justice for all our planet's creatures both now and in future generations. Sharon Delgado reminds us vividly and forcefully how today's Christians have a responsibility for tomorrow's Earth.”
The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham, President of The Regeneration Project, Interfaith Power & Light:
“There is no more important challenge facing creation than the changing climate. Love in a time of Climate Change gives a thorough understanding of the moral and spiritual implications of the climate crisis. This book emphasizes the injustice of not addressing the climate crisis. With love at the center of the conversation it will motivate readers into taking urgent and serious action that will curtail the most catastrophic affects.
The Rev. Pat Watkins, Ministry for the Care of God’s Creation:
“Love of God, love of each other, and love of God’s creation are so masterfully intertwined by Sharon Delgado. Easy answers, a checklist of 5 things we can do to save the planet are not found here. Delgado calls for a transformation of the world, no less! How audacious to speak of love in an age of climate injustice. But isn’t that our job as Christians; to love the world into a new reality? It will be a very difficult job to solve the climate crisis, but Delgado has unlimited hope that, in love, we can do it!”
John B. Cobb, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate School; Founding Co-Director, Center for Process Studies:
“Sharon Delgado makes it clear that we, especially we who stand in the Wesleyan tradition, cannot choose between being scriptural in the fullest sense and activity to save as much as possible from destruction through climate change. There is no tension between biblical preaching and preaching on the overwhelming, life-determining issues surrounding climate change. Let's stop hemming and hawing and work with God to save God's creation.”
The Rev. Jenny Phillips, Fossil Free UMC Founder, Minister for Environmental Stewardship and Advocacy, Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church:
“Climate change is already impacting church ministries, from the fight against malaria to disaster relief and recovery. Love in a Time of Climate Change is the book we need now to help us articulate a Christian understanding of the climate crisis and respond with boldness, urgency and hope.”
The Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith:
“We all know we’re up against a cliff when it comes to climate change, and that we need a transformation in our culture, politics and personal behavior to protect life on earth. John Wesley understood what it meant to be in need of such a holistic and profound transformation, and Sharon Delgado brings a much-needed Wesleyan urgency and wisdom to bear on this issue. It’s an important and eloquent contribution.
Nicky Bull, from Operation Noah (UK):
“Sharon Delgado’s Love in a Time of Climate Change is a timely and important book that deserves to be read widely by people of faith… Her call for Christians, wherever we may be, to look more closely at the issues of justice and creation care and to live out our faith in a time of climate change, challenges us all.”
Peter Moore-Kochlachs, Executive Director, Environmental Ministries of Southern California:
"An intelligent, biblically and theologically sound rationale that argues for the Christian's engagement in the Climate Justice movement. Sharon has elegantly integrated scripture, the writings of John Wesley, and postmodern theology, along with science, politics, and personal experience, in this strong meditation on "righteous love" in a global and community context. I highly recommend that a book group or congregational study group take up the challenge of reading and studying this book together over a month's time and then making an action plan to implement."
Michael E. Mann, Ph.D., Director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center and author of The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial Is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy:
“Climate change is the greatest challenge we’ve yet faced as a civilization. Meeting that challenge will require we use both our heads and our hearts. There are many primers that target the former, but fewer that target the latter. And that is why Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice by Sharon Delgado proves such essential reading.”
Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, author of The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job, and the Scale of Creation:
“This book is an act of witness, and a powerful one. It reminds us that if church is going to mean anything in a time of rapid climate change, it's going to have to take on this toughest of all questions.”
Catherine Keller, Ph.D., George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology, Drew Theological School. Author of On the Mystery: Discerning God in Process; and Cloud of the Impossible:
“To live in love—and in a perilously changing climate: with wonderfully readable wisdom, Sharon Delgado invites us, Christians and all, to follow her on this honestly hopeful and adventurously holy way to our shared future.”
Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary, National Council of Churches:
"Solutions to the world’s problems must include the churches if they are to be effective, and the churches must understand these challenges theologically if they are to be mobilized. Sharon Delgado masterfully articulates an unapologetically Wesleyan framework for climate justice, and in doing so, gives the churches the resources necessary to bring about lasting change. This book is a gift to Christians everywhere, one that ultimately extends to all of God’s creation. I highly recommend it.
Ted Peters, Ph.D., Co-editor, Theology and Science, Distinguished Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary:
“Honor the creation. Strive for justice for all our planet's creatures both now and in future generations. Sharon Delgado reminds us vividly and forcefully how today's Christians have a responsibility for tomorrow's Earth.”
The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham, President of The Regeneration Project, Interfaith Power & Light:
“There is no more important challenge facing creation than the changing climate. Love in a time of Climate Change gives a thorough understanding of the moral and spiritual implications of the climate crisis. This book emphasizes the injustice of not addressing the climate crisis. With love at the center of the conversation it will motivate readers into taking urgent and serious action that will curtail the most catastrophic affects.
The Rev. Pat Watkins, Ministry for the Care of God’s Creation:
“Love of God, love of each other, and love of God’s creation are so masterfully intertwined by Sharon Delgado. Easy answers, a checklist of 5 things we can do to save the planet are not found here. Delgado calls for a transformation of the world, no less! How audacious to speak of love in an age of climate injustice. But isn’t that our job as Christians; to love the world into a new reality? It will be a very difficult job to solve the climate crisis, but Delgado has unlimited hope that, in love, we can do it!”
John B. Cobb, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate School; Founding Co-Director, Center for Process Studies:
“Sharon Delgado makes it clear that we, especially we who stand in the Wesleyan tradition, cannot choose between being scriptural in the fullest sense and activity to save as much as possible from destruction through climate change. There is no tension between biblical preaching and preaching on the overwhelming, life-determining issues surrounding climate change. Let's stop hemming and hawing and work with God to save God's creation.”
The Rev. Jenny Phillips, Fossil Free UMC Founder, Minister for Environmental Stewardship and Advocacy, Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church:
“Climate change is already impacting church ministries, from the fight against malaria to disaster relief and recovery. Love in a Time of Climate Change is the book we need now to help us articulate a Christian understanding of the climate crisis and respond with boldness, urgency and hope.”
The Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith:
“We all know we’re up against a cliff when it comes to climate change, and that we need a transformation in our culture, politics and personal behavior to protect life on earth. John Wesley understood what it meant to be in need of such a holistic and profound transformation, and Sharon Delgado brings a much-needed Wesleyan urgency and wisdom to bear on this issue. It’s an important and eloquent contribution.
Nicky Bull, from Operation Noah (UK):
“Sharon Delgado’s Love in a Time of Climate Change is a timely and important book that deserves to be read widely by people of faith… Her call for Christians, wherever we may be, to look more closely at the issues of justice and creation care and to live out our faith in a time of climate change, challenges us all.”
Peter Moore-Kochlachs, Executive Director, Environmental Ministries of Southern California:
"An intelligent, biblically and theologically sound rationale that argues for the Christian's engagement in the Climate Justice movement. Sharon has elegantly integrated scripture, the writings of John Wesley, and postmodern theology, along with science, politics, and personal experience, in this strong meditation on "righteous love" in a global and community context. I highly recommend that a book group or congregational study group take up the challenge of reading and studying this book together over a month's time and then making an action plan to implement."
June 13, 2017
Sharon Delgado’s Love in a Time of Climate Change is beautifully structured and accessibly articulated. This work meets the highest standards for scholarship and is excellent standard reading for a wide range of discourses. She offers us inroads for discussing our faith in these times and much for contemplation, discussion, and practice
In this work Sharon Delgado leaves no stone unturned in looking at what we are facing. Her work offers deep healing in the sense that it can help us find a way to be with what is now our shared reality. So balanced and thorough it accomplishes all this in a meaningful, wholesome, awakened light.
I am infinitely grateful that she raises her voice in concert, harmony, and alignment with all the sound and seaworthy Spiritual directors of our day. This work is Universally relevant in calling for our continued exploration of new ways we can create community.
In this work Sharon Delgado leaves no stone unturned in looking at what we are facing. Her work offers deep healing in the sense that it can help us find a way to be with what is now our shared reality. So balanced and thorough it accomplishes all this in a meaningful, wholesome, awakened light.
I am infinitely grateful that she raises her voice in concert, harmony, and alignment with all the sound and seaworthy Spiritual directors of our day. This work is Universally relevant in calling for our continued exploration of new ways we can create community.
June 15, 2017
I Love that Sharon Delgado’s new book is out. My own modest work on Climate Justice has intersected with Sharon’s work at a few points in the last three years. She clearly lays out the need for urgent action to protect the environment, the climate, and God’s good creation. As a United Methodist lay person working for Climate Justice I find that Sharon’s writing rings true to everything I know and at the same time challenges me to go to a deeper level on what really is an existential crisis. I have proposed to my journey group at Middletown UMC, Middletown MD, to take up Sharon’s book as a study.
August 25, 2018
Rev. Sharon Delgado’s Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice is a “faith response to climate change” (p. 178) that tells the truth about how far down the road we already are in global warming, while simultaneously giving us hope for transformation – IF we have the political will to take action for systemic lifestyle changes.
Many books talk about changing our individual lifestyles, and several dare to call us to systemic changes we need to do. But Love in a Time provides two distinctive things beyond that:
• First, it acknowledges the equal importance of overcoming readers’ emotional blocks of guilt and denial, as well as presenting scientific information about global warming and its consequences. This book goes for motivation, not just information, and lays out thirteen real, powerful things we can do if we join the global coalitions of activists, youth, Indigenous peoples, women’s groups and others who lead in the same direction.
• Second, it provides the essential connection between caring for the earth and its creatures (“honoring creation”), and “establishing justice” with advocates for a terrifying number of other species already facing extinction as well as poor and Indigenous people, who live in the regions most vulnerable to climate extremes and “sacrifice zones” polluted by fossil-fuel extraction and overconsumption.
The basis from which Love in a Time speaks could have been the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014), a stunning consensus of global climate-change scientists across continents who have measured global warming caused largely by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions (17-20). But instead, it explores and stands on John Wesley’s four sources of authority: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Using each of these viewpoints, Rev. Delgado unpacks Romans 8:18-26 to hear creation’s groans, affirm our creaturely interrelatedness, and seek the presence and advocacy of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Then in the book’s second half, on “establishing justice,” the author digs into the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), leading us not just to healing victims, but also admitting our own complicity and taking responsibility to help transform the entire “Jericho Road.”
Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice is well worth reading, studying in a group, and taking action as part of one of the many Internet-linked networks that are working on this urgent, paramount issue.
Betsy Schwarzentraub
Many books talk about changing our individual lifestyles, and several dare to call us to systemic changes we need to do. But Love in a Time provides two distinctive things beyond that:
• First, it acknowledges the equal importance of overcoming readers’ emotional blocks of guilt and denial, as well as presenting scientific information about global warming and its consequences. This book goes for motivation, not just information, and lays out thirteen real, powerful things we can do if we join the global coalitions of activists, youth, Indigenous peoples, women’s groups and others who lead in the same direction.
• Second, it provides the essential connection between caring for the earth and its creatures (“honoring creation”), and “establishing justice” with advocates for a terrifying number of other species already facing extinction as well as poor and Indigenous people, who live in the regions most vulnerable to climate extremes and “sacrifice zones” polluted by fossil-fuel extraction and overconsumption.
The basis from which Love in a Time speaks could have been the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014), a stunning consensus of global climate-change scientists across continents who have measured global warming caused largely by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions (17-20). But instead, it explores and stands on John Wesley’s four sources of authority: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Using each of these viewpoints, Rev. Delgado unpacks Romans 8:18-26 to hear creation’s groans, affirm our creaturely interrelatedness, and seek the presence and advocacy of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Then in the book’s second half, on “establishing justice,” the author digs into the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), leading us not just to healing victims, but also admitting our own complicity and taking responsibility to help transform the entire “Jericho Road.”
Love in a Time of Climate Change: Honoring Creation, Establishing Justice is well worth reading, studying in a group, and taking action as part of one of the many Internet-linked networks that are working on this urgent, paramount issue.
Betsy Schwarzentraub
August 1, 2017
Climate change is descending around us. Only something as effective as the power of love can swing earth’s citizens to the behaviors and policies that will save the health of our grandchildren and the vitality of earth. Sharon Delgado’s newest book is built on the evidence of faith community success and the theological framework of John Wesley to provide both hope and resource. Thank you!
Delgado anchors her work in Wesley’s teaching that love is radically inclusive-- of creatures and creation as well as all people-- and that such personal holiness is paired with social holiness to establish the centrality of justice for the poor and vulnerable, other species, and future generations. She persuasively employs the “Wesleyan quadrilateral” to call us to honor creation and establish justice. I appreciated, for example, her energizing application of the quadrilateral to the parable of the Good Samaritan, using scripture (“What is written in the law?” Love God and neighbor), tradition (Jesus again turns status assumptions of “the good” and of “the enemy” upside down), experience (compassion moves us to serve those most vulnerable), and reason (“Go and do likewise”) to unfold a path for personal and corporate impact (pp 108-112).
“Love in a Time of Climate Change” is well researched on the testimony of scripture, the rich history of love-driven social change, and thoughtful analysis of cultural resistance, capped with practical illustrations for movement-building and with “get-going” encouragement. The book is quickly proving useful for small group motivation and for sermon preparation. And it’s critical. As Delgado quotes from Deuteronomy 30:19” “Choose life so that you and your descendants may live!” Amen.
Delgado anchors her work in Wesley’s teaching that love is radically inclusive-- of creatures and creation as well as all people-- and that such personal holiness is paired with social holiness to establish the centrality of justice for the poor and vulnerable, other species, and future generations. She persuasively employs the “Wesleyan quadrilateral” to call us to honor creation and establish justice. I appreciated, for example, her energizing application of the quadrilateral to the parable of the Good Samaritan, using scripture (“What is written in the law?” Love God and neighbor), tradition (Jesus again turns status assumptions of “the good” and of “the enemy” upside down), experience (compassion moves us to serve those most vulnerable), and reason (“Go and do likewise”) to unfold a path for personal and corporate impact (pp 108-112).
“Love in a Time of Climate Change” is well researched on the testimony of scripture, the rich history of love-driven social change, and thoughtful analysis of cultural resistance, capped with practical illustrations for movement-building and with “get-going” encouragement. The book is quickly proving useful for small group motivation and for sermon preparation. And it’s critical. As Delgado quotes from Deuteronomy 30:19” “Choose life so that you and your descendants may live!” Amen.
April 24, 2018
This book suggests how churches and Christians should address climate change. There are two sections, as implied in the subtitle: Creation and Justice. Each section has 4 chapters analyzing Creation and Justice using the Wesley Quadrilateral - a very Methodist way of discernment. The Wesley Quadrilateral comes from John Wesley's writing and sermons in which he advocated thinking about issues from 4 perspectives: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. By using these as chapter subjects, the author really gives us a deep-dive into how Wesley might have thought about these issues, which I really appreciated. In addition, she applies direct quotes from Wesley's sermons and writing to modern-day scenarios. The book did a great job of teaching me more about the Wesley Quadrilateral and John Wesley while helping me think more deeply about climate change, its implications, and what more we can do about it.
June 8, 2017
This was a good read on a rainy afternoon! I enjoyed Sharon's optimistic take on climate change. She is a scholar and a theologian and a practical, hopeful Christian. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to blend rational realistic understanding of the science of climage change with warm and tender compassion for earth and all life. I especially appreciate Sharon's attention to the connection between climate change caused by humans, and the related economic injustice that goes with unchecked capitalism. For all who are Methodists or interested in understanding Methodism, Sharon's knowledge of the works of John Wesley are deep and relevant to our times.
July 7, 2017
Sharon Delgado's 'Love in a Time of Climate Change' is a timely and important book that deserves to be read widely by people of faith. Her call for Christians, wherever we may be, to look more closely at the issues of justice and creation care and to live out our faith in a time of climate change, challenges us all.
July 31, 2021
The subject matter is important and Delgado makes some excellent observations once she finally gets to the meat of the subject. The first four chapters or so, however, are very repetitive and slow reading. Delgado is not the most inspiring writer but she has an important message to deliver so stay with it.
September 5, 2022
Makes one ponder God’s gift and humanity’s true purpose on earth. Did God place us on earth to be caretakers of our land/planet? If so…well, we apparently suck in this role. Our planet is weeping, screaming and needing us to step up and answer God’s call to action. The message is clear, i found the writing to read as a college textbook … def not a page turner, but appreciate the message.
August 16, 2017
Exceptional scholarship and and theology. Every Christian should read before they begin speaking of justice and the love of Christ.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews