Decomposing Holy Ground : Theological Compost for Shifting Worlds

For the church, “creation care” is back on the agenda. But is creation care really the full picture or do we need to learn that we are a part of the very creation of which we claim to be stewards. Does our climate crisis demand a more radical theological response? This book argues that as our scientific, cultural and historical awareness of the complexities within the ground beneath our feet increases, it should lead us to full scale reimagining of ourselves, not as individuals but as a part of the land we mourn. In this startling and radical piece of theological work, drawing on her understanding of earth, soil and compost, Emma Lietz Bilecky challenges us to rethink our understanding of land, church, race and God. This is a book for anyone tired of shallow optimism and cheap faith in the face of climate breakdown, and who wants to better understand the deeply interconnected web of theology, race, colonialism and the environment.

For the church, “creation care” is back on the agenda. But is creation care really the full picture or do we need to learn that we are a part of the very creation of which we claim to be stewards. Does our climate crisis demand a more radical theological response? This book argues that as our scientific, cultural and historical awareness of the complexities within the ground beneath our feet increases, it should lead us to full scale reimagining of ourselves, not as individuals but as a part of the land we mourn. In this startling and radical piece of theological work, drawing on her understanding of earth, soil and compost, Emma Lietz Bilecky challenges us to rethink our understanding of land, church, race and God. This is a book for anyone tired of shallow optimism and cheap faith in the face of climate breakdown, and who wants to better understand the deeply interconnected web of theology, race, colonialism and the environment.