Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action, By Kyle Meyaard-Schaap
Following Jesus in a Warming World
paperback
  • Length: 208 pages
  • Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.5 in
  • Published: February 21, 2023
  • Imprint: IVP
  • Item Code: A0445
  • ISBN: 9781514004456

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Have you ever looked at the effects of climate change and the apathy of so many around you and wondered, "What are we missing here?"

Climate activist Kyle Meyaard-Schaap understands this feeling from personal experience. But in his years of speaking to and equipping Christians to work for climate action, he's seen the trend begin to shift. More and more young Christians are waking up to the realities of climate change. They want to help, but they're not sure how.

Through stories from the field, theological and scriptural exploration, and practical advice, Meyaard-Schaap offers hope to Christians paralyzed by the scale of the crisis, helping us turn our paralysis into meaningful action. Following Jesus in a Warming World is a field guide for Christian climate action—one grounded not in a sense of guilt or drudgery, but in the joy of caring for creation.

"This book is absolutely urgent today. Everywhere we look, there are clear signs that creation is in crisis. Following Jesus in a Warming World offers a warning, a wake-up call, and a way forward for Christians striving to be faithful disciples in the twenty-first century. Rather than pile on the guilt and shame, Kyle Meyaard-Schaap winsomely invites readers to embrace a faithful life that accounts for the ecological state of our world. This book is a balm for the climate-anxious soul!"

Jonathan Merritt, contributing writer for the Atlantic and author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch

"In a world suffering from ever-higher temperatures, loving one's neighbor has to mean coming to grips with the climate crisis. This faith journey provides both illumination and inspiration for action!"

Bill McKibben, environmentalist and author of The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon

"Kyle Meyaard-Schaap has helped so many understand that caring for creation is a response to the call of the Creator. In this book, Kyle helps us see anew both the crucial responsibility Christians have in caring for the environment and how issues of environmental promise and degradation can bring us closer to Jesus."

Michael Wear, author of Reclaiming Hope

"This is a marvelously engaging book about overwhelmingly urgent matters. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is convinced that we are formed by stories in how we understand reality, and he urges us to approach climate change action in the light of the gospel's Big Story. I pray that many will be moved to climate advocacy by the compelling personal stories that Meyaard-Schaap tells in making his case."

Richard J. Mouw, senior research fellow at Calvin University's Henry Institute for the Study of Religion and Politics

"This book does far more than share compelling facts about a warming world. It tells the story of how following Jesus leads us to protect a world threatened with ecological catastrophe. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap shares the stories of real people on this journey and offers pathways for us to follow. We often say, 'Let's hear the voices of young people shaping our future.' Kyle has empowered them. But those voices are shouting, 'Our future is on fire!' Reading this book doesn't just tell us what to think but shows us what to do."

Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, general secretary emeritus of the Reformed Church in America

"While fellow Christians remain apathetic or dismissive, Christians concerned about the climate crisis can feel they are walking a lonely journey. For these lonely journeyers, Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is a patient, trustworthy, experienced encourager. His irresistible passion calls us back from deceptive narratives into the real story of God's redemptive love for all creation. This book is a deeply scriptural call to advocacy for people and planet as both moral necessity and spiritual discipline. What a gift! Finally, Christians can take courage and hand this book to others, saying, 'This. Read this.'"

Debra Rienstra, professor of English at Calvin College and author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth

"Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is a storyteller, and in issuing 'a Christian call to climate action' he invites readers to listen to others' stories—to theological stories, to political and historical stories, and to deeply personal stories. Most importantly, by educating, equipping, and inspiring, he invites readers to inhabit a redemptive story. Following Jesus in a Warming World is an essential guide for individuals and churches seeking wisdom and loving kindness, and pursuing justice in an era of climate change."

Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

"Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is a leading voice calling American Christians to more faithful climate action. This book shares his captivating and convicting journey as an ordinary Christian seeking to love God and neighbor in these extraordinary days of global climate and biodiversity crisis. Read this to be inspired to take a stand and be empowered to find your voice as a follower of Jesus in God's good but groaning world."

Ben Lowe, author of Green Revolution and deputy executive director of A Rocha International

"This is an excellent book: insightful readings of the Bible, a perceptive analysis of our culture, and honest and engaging reflections in well-written prose. Following Jesus in a Warming World is a must-read for any Christian seeking to understand what it means to live one's faith in these tumultuous times."

Steve Bouma-Prediger, Leonard and Marjorie Maas Professor of Reformed Theology at Hope College

"This is an inspiring book! Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is unfailingly honest, charitable, and compelling, whether he is interpreting Scripture or unfolding the history of evangelicalism or sharing his own journey toward taking seriously the whole story of the Bible and what it means to follow Jesus in this age of climate crisis. Rather than vague platitudes, his advice bears the marks of an experienced leader and activist. Yet what will stick with readers the most is a host of characters whose stories help us see the reality of climate crisis, the power of the gospel, and the beauty of what might be possible when Christians act in joyful and defiant hope."

Jonathan A. Moo, professor of New Testament and environmental studies at Whitworth University

"Meyaard-Schaap easily balances matters of faith with those of action, and has a knack for helping readers reframe scriptural understanding without pandering to them. Christians will welcome this definitive faith-driven take on climate change."

Publishers Weekly, November 2022
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CONTENTS

Introduction
1. Coal and the Greatest Commandment
2. How Did We Get Here?
3. Recovering the Big Story
4. Climate Action Is Good News
5. Being Pro-Life in the Age of Climate Chaos
6. A Story Can Change the World
7. God's Pleasure, Our Joy
8. Loving Our Neighbors in Public
9. Christian Citizenship in a Warming World
Epilogue: Commencement Day 2066

Acknowledgments
Appendix A: The Spiritual Disciplines of Climate Action
Appendix B: Writing for Change
Notes

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Kyle Meyaard-Schaap

Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is vice president of the Evangelical Environmental Network. Previously, he was the national organizer and spokesperson for Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, and he has been featured in news outlets such as CNN, PBS, NPR, NBC News, and U.S. News & World Report. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and two children.