How are we meant to understand the worsening ecological crisis, and how do we discover God's presence within it? These are questions Courting Chaos explores with the help of Scripture, art, and poetry. Focusing particularly on the writings of Jeremiah, this book sees parallels between the looming threat of Babylonian invasion which hung over the people of Judah and our own global predicament. Because it offered a hope that would survive the chaos of defeat and exile, the book of Jeremiah is presented as a spiritual resource for us today, as we face living with an increasingly unstable climate. Courting Chaos weaves together the teaching of Jeremiah with the linked ministries of Jonah and Jesus, each of whom came through the chaotic waters of death to deliver a message of hope. Combining this with arresting works of art and poetry, and his own struggles since participating in a pilgrimage to the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, the author thoughtfully applies biblical theology to our current ecological situation.
Kevin Durrant is the minister of Keynsham Baptist Church, near Bristol, England. Formerly a geography teacher and trainer in the civil service, he was ordained in 1997. For many years, he has been helping Christians of all traditions to make the care of God’s creation a priority. He is the author of The Earth will Teach You (2014).
“A master of intertextuality, Durrant brings together his three main sources—Jeremiah’s prophecies, artistic creations, and our contemporary crises—with profound insight and skill. Not a comfortable vision, but a necessary one and in the end a hopeful one, too.”
—Jonathan Ingleby, former Head of Mission Studies, Redcliffe College
“This timely exploration of climate change uses the prophecy of Jeremiah, poetry, and art, which both separately and together enable the reader’s imagination to flow and biblical reflection to grow. The words of Jeremiah in the face of the Babylonian annihilation of Judah are creatively applied to our modern context, presenting the Christian church with the stark challenge of scientific analysis, the failure of governments, and yet the hope in God’s love beyond the chaos brought about by a deteriorating climate. This is a book of the moment.”
—John Weaver, Vice President, the John Ray Initiative connecting Environment, Science & Christianity
“To understand the relevance of the prophets to modern life—please read this. Kevin shows how the prophetic voice illuminates the crucial issue of our day—the climate and ecological emergency—by wonderfully combining scriptural insight with contemporary art and culture. I knew something of the former, but nothing of the latter—one of many reasons why I am grateful to have read this book.”
—Nick Read, Director, the Brightspace Foundation
“The ecological crisis is the great issue of our time, and our generation will be judged by the effectiveness of our response. In this significant book, Durrant draws on deeps wells of spirituality, experience of practical engagement, artwork, and poetry, all in conversation with the prophecies of Jeremiah, to craft an insightful and thought-provoking contribution to our thinking and our praying. We are being weighed in the balances. If we take Kevin’s thought seriously, we may not be found wanting.”
—Stephen Finamore, Principal, Bristol Baptist College
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