Rising winds, ravenous wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, floods: the world we will pass on is different than the one we inherited. With an unflinching gaze and a blunt pen, David Williams spells out how we will be morally tested on this harsher, hotter planet we have made for ourselves. Yet we are not without hope. In Our Angry Eden, Williams beckons readers toward a belief and a promise resilient enough to face the effects of the climate crisis. From altering our diets to welcoming refugees to reclaiming humble lifestyles, he offers nine actions we can take to fulfill the fierce demands of our faith and embody hope in the middle of catastrophic truth. For followers of Jesus, the practices of wisdom and thrift, patience and generosity, welcome and mercy, grace and justice have always been essential and will be key to human thriving in the years and decades to come. As temperatures move inexorably upward, living with our angry Eden will mean sustained difficulty and disruption. Find the hope that transcends time and the faith that rises to meet our harsh and unforgiving reality.
Rev. Dr. David Williams is the author of several books, including his critically acclaimed debut novel When the English Fall. His work has also appeared in The Washington Post, WIRED, Religion News Service, and The Christian Century, among other outlets. He is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and currently serves Poolesville Presbyterian Church, a small congregation in Maryland. Before becoming a pastor, Williams worked for ten years at the Aspen Institute. He and his family live in Annandale, Virginia.
"A beautiful and timely reminder that there's plenty we can be doing to fit in better with creation. Read it and change!" ---- Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature "When it comes to abusing creation, we have the science, knowledge, and understanding that we need to do the right thing, but we lack the spiritual fortitude. In Our Angry Eden, David Williams tends to our courage by giving voice to our spiritual crisis, longing, and hope." --Carol Howard Merritt, writer and pastor of Bedford Presbyterian Church "We have been waiting for more Christians to speak out and speak up about the dangers of our climate emergency. David Williams is doing just this in an engaging manner. This book is personal, prophetic, and practical." --Mary Evelyn Tucker, cofounder and codirector of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University; coauthor of Journey of the Universe "Our Angry Eden by David Williams is a must-read. With clear-eyed honesty and a perceptive analysis of the existential threat of the climate crisis, Williams forces us to face the mess we are in, but he also conjures hope through lively storytelling, biblical insight galore, and sound practical ideas that embody God's good future." --Steve Bouma-Prediger, author of For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care and Earthkeeping and Character: Exploring a Christian Ecological Virtue Ethic "In a time when the words climate emergency send many people into a panicked despair or an overwhelmed paralysis, David Williams offers a third way. This book gives attainable, tangible ways to engage, while spreading out a rich theological foundation for how to love our neighbor as we care for our earthly home." --Anna Woofenden, author of This Is God's Table: Finding Church Beyond the Walls and founder of The Garden Church
