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The Bible goes green — and not everyone is happy about it
December 29th, 2008, 3:45 pm · 42 Comments · posted by Pat Brennan, science, environment editor
The new “Green Bible” from HarperOne is printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink. It features biblical passages about protecting the earth highlighted in green letters. And, as the Arizona Republic reports, it is causing a bit of a dust-up among religious groups. 
On the “pro” side of the equation: the “Creation Care” movement, a growing group of Christians who promote environmental causes.
On the “anti” side: more conservative Christians who reject environmentalism because they associate it with liberal politics.
HarperOne’s president said he hoped to stimulate discussion by publishing the Green Bible, after noticing increased momentum in the Creation Care movement.
He seems to have guessed right. Within weeks of the book hitting store shelves in October, the Republic says, the first 25,000 copies sold out.
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This is good I guess, however continuing to use bibles as toilet paper could prove to be a problem.
Christians who reject environmentalism do so because it is associated with pantheism and paganism. It comes very close to worshiping the creation and not the Creator. It has nothing to do with liberal or conservative politics.
What a dumb fad-ish gimmick. This ranks right up there with an acid-washed jeans bible from the late 1980′s.
I agree with Troy. The Bible is God’s Holy Word whether in Black or Green ink. Just one more ploy to make money. Hmmm….I wonder what Jesus would say about that?
I’m a very conservative Christian. I really have no issue with the bible being printed on recycled ink, I actually think that’s awesome, and same goes with the soy-based ink.
The only issue is that the message of the Bible isn’t perserving the enviorment. The primary message is Jesus. The Old Testament points to Him, and the New Testament points back at Him.
We are to be responsible with the land God had given us, but that shouldn’t be portrayed as something more important that what God has done for us.
That’s where I personally stand on this.
This is another liberal delusion to undermine core Biblical teachings. Don’t tell me if your greener you go to heaven and heaven is very lush and green…
“Let He Who Is Without Sin…”
>>On the “anti” side: more conservative Christians who reject environmentalism because they associate it with liberal politics.
No, most Christians reject environmentalism because of its association with earth worship and pantheism. Environmentalism being generally a liberal hang-up doesn’t do it any favours, either, I suppose, but liberals flatter themselves if they think Christians reject environmentalism because of them.
I’m a bit surprised that soy-based ink is being used because soy-based ink has proven a failure in the direct marketing and printing industry. It fades fast, tends to bleed, and doesn’t work well with varnishes.
Well, john daly, what’s the rest of the verse? If it’s the one I’m thinking of, it doesn’t apply to anything here.
People should be more concerned about protecting the earth and taking care of it more than worshipping a book of fairy tales. The earth and nature are real and around you every day and will be around your child and their children so show respect for your enviroment and protect it.
We don’t own the planet we just all just occupy it for a less than 100 years each and the planet has been here millions of years. Let’s not destroy it 100 years.
I couldn’t agree with Jaime more. Well put. Thanks!
I don’t have a problem with recycled paper or soy inks. Highlighting those passages that indicate we should take care of God’s gift to us doesn’t hurt anything as long as we worship the creator and not the creation.
We will all be held accountable for (among other things) how well we treated our gifts from God. Including how well we treated the planet.
Highlighting passages on the environment?? What a hoax. Why don’t you highlight the passages that talk about the heavens and earth passing away? Better yet take it as a whole and in context and concern yourself with what will last forever which is your soul and where you will spend eternity.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about heaven or hell for eternity because there isn’t such a place however there is earth and that’s real and needs to be taken care of before it’s too late.
I hope your not saying don’t take care of the planet because you think your going somewhere else after you die. The only place your going is in a box buried in the ground.
openminded,
Please do not presume to speak for me or read into what I said. I was addressing the article and stating that the Bible’s message is far greater than just preserving the earth which will ultimately pass away. It is about saving souls. If you would read it with a “open mind” asking the author to reveal Himself to you, you would have known that.
I find it interesting that the article says it is causing “a bit of a dust up” since dust is a type and shadow of sin.
When religion is used an excuse not to be concerned about the enviroment becuase liberals have pro-enviromental politics. Just goes to show how religion can be used to manipulate people and how corrupt it is.
We have no control over anyones soul but we have control of how we treat the earth. I am not concerned about anyone else soul, thats thier own personal business. We should be concerned about what type of planet were passing to the next generations.
While taking care of the earth and preserving it for the use of future generations is an incredibly important thing, it is far from being a main point of the Bible.
I think this book is a very poor idea and that it is, arguably, blasphemous from a theological perspective to take the focus away from God’s love, justice, and plans in an entire new version of the Bible in favor of highlighting a few verses on taking care of the earth.
A smaller well-reasoned book on how we should take care of the earth based on the grounds that we are merely stewards–not owners–would have sufficed.
As a side note: Christians and non-Christians need to learn to dialogue better. There are ignorant and intelligent people on both sides of the issues that divide us, do not judge either side based on one or two people. Listen, research, and think. Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly through poor reasoning.
(As a Christian, I get very discouraged by the destructive actions of zealous–but ignorant–Christians).
Openminded, I am not manipulated, unconcerned, or corrupted.
I simply have my priorities straight.
Do you think Luke 5:36-39 is talking about recycling?
To me this truly seems like a product of over-bloated America. If our country had bombs flying over our borders like Israel would anyone really care whether they had a “Green” Bible vs any other? I do like the idea of using recycled paper and soy ink but highlighting environment related verses in green seems a bit over the top.
Why not? If you believe that God created the Earth, and made it our home and playground out of love, shouldn’t you try to treat His gifts as nicely as possible?
I basically agree with Jaime.
God did tell His people to take care of the earth so we should be responsible environmentally. But that is not the major message of the Bible. The Bible tells of the Creator’s creation–the earth, the heavens (whats out beyond the earth) and all that are in/on them.
It tells of man turning away from God, but God reaching out to man though His prophets and finally through His Son coming to die for us–John 3:16–with eternal life to those who believe and accept His gift of eternal life.
I respect God’s creation that we have been entrusted to care for while we are here. So I recycle in various ways, use rechargable batteries, take my own bags to the grocery stores most of the time, try to plan my driving so that I combine errands, etc. But the focus is on the Creator, not worshiping the creation. Caring for the environment can be an act of worship and is part of Bible teaching, but not the central focus.
I think that printing the bible with earth-friendly ideals is a good idea, but I think they miss the point of the bible if they are highlighting passages about the earth (and taking care of it) in green. That just isn’t the point of the bible. Why not get this trend working on something people use for a couple days and then throw away…like magazines? I am not a religious person (as religion seems a suitable excuse for implementing most evils in the world), but the bible isn’t something that people generally read through just once and then toss in the wastebasket.
Hello openminded,
I see that you’re back at it again!!!
Get real, you obviously don’t have your priorities straight you believe in a book that written thousands of years ago by men. I hope your not a doctor using books written thousands of years ago and using those same techniques that was used in ancient times and refusing to follow the new scientifically proven ways of saving lives.
There is a reason its called blind faith because your eyes closed of what is actually happening around while believing it an outdated book of stories.
Openminded,
Have you read it or do you just like calling yourself openminded?
What did you think the passage I referred you to meant?
I would be willing to bet that most folks that ‘bash’ the green bible as a ploy, hoax or gimmick have at least one or two ‘devotional’ bibles hanging around the house, “How to have a loving marriage” Bible or “How to make sure my teenage daughter stays PURE and doesn’t sleep around” bible. You probably have a couple of good sized Kincade Paitings on the walls to.
The scriptures are clear that Christ will redeem what has been created. The “environment” is earth, Earth is where eternity will be spent not “Heaven” let’s get our theology straight.. N.T. Wright does a nice treatise on this in “Surprised by Hope”.
Its a passage written by someone thousands of years ago which doesn’t have anything to do with our times. It’s was written by people who thought the earth was flat and were wiping thier butts with thier right hand. it’s book of fictional stories that should not be taken literally that has been rewritten used to control people and thier thoughts.
Religion has been used to hold men back from having thier own thoughts. Thats why scientists and professors have been persecuted over history by religious leaders.
Science will truimph over the fairy tales of religion and thats why more and more people are leaving the churches and refusing to be told what to do and what to believe by corrupt religious leaders.
its quite pathetic if you think about it, a bunch of beings stranded on a planet tucked away in a galaxy almost undetectable. and we make up stories to explain our existence and feel important rather then looking out at the vast universe and realizing we are nothing but chemical reactions that have evolved from more simple reactions that all started with the matter and energy in our universe.
Maybe they should include cell phone use while driving or proper computer grammar in the new bible while we are at it.
They should also add a section for types of birth control too..
Oh, come on… They highlight passsages that refer to preserving the Earth in green to stress that God wanted us to preserve the planet, as well? If that’s what you’re gonna do, I could go in there and put in red all the spots where he talks about slavery being okay and everything else nobody wants to point out because modern society doesn’t really approve of it. Give… me… a… break.
I also find it funny how some religious organizations are starting to add their own interpretations or what they think God would say about current issues, like stem cell research, etc. It’s hilarious. I’m feeling religious today and want to make a statement on the morality of internet libel. You know, peopel going onto the internet and writing bad stuff about other people, but remaining anonymous. I want it published in the Bible as my thoughts on how God would respond to it, ’cause the internet wasn’t around when God was… where do I sign up?
I am all for everyone, including Christians being good stewards of the land. But this borders on politics and that is not good.
There isn’t much differnce of what people are saying here on the internet today and what’s written in the bible. It all started as someone opinion nows look what it has turned into an out dated book of stories that are trying to scare and manipulate people ideas and freedoms.
YIKES!!! You guys are scary.
Isn’t getting God’s word out there more important than the paper and ink used to print it.
Why are religious people always so damn scary??????????????
openminded… really I feel bad for you. You just feel like you know it all RIGHT! Some day you might figure out that you were wrong and see it is not a fairy tale book and would wish you could return time and have thought diferently and spoken diferently about the bible. A bible is the word of God speaking to everyone of us. Read it and maybe when you actually do you might think diferently, dont just speak out if you dont know what you are talking about.
God Loves you too!!
Ultimately, everyone is spiritual because everyone has a soul. We are called to do many things, including being good stewards of what we have been given. Being a good steward is an act giving, and giving is essential to our soul’s development. It still amazes me that people characterize and politize concern for our planet in liberal and conservative terms. That’s ridiculous, and it’s certainly past time to think beyond that box. Love and respect for God, humanity, and the earth itself need not be mutually exclusive from each other, nor does it necessarily presume misplaced priorities. Furthermore, depending on motives, exercising conscientiousness and respect by using green material in an effort to convey the Christian message can be a worthy effort. If someone uses ingenuity and wise resourcefulness to convey the message, wny should that be dismissed out of hand as overbloated? And if money is required to spread The Word, is it only acceptable to employ the methods used heretofore without trying a new approach that also witnesses good stewardship?
I wonder how many bibles are allready made with recycled paper and just not advertising it? hummm….. green bible, gimme a break
I can’t believe those who are against this Bible. Would you seriously believe that God wouldn’t want us to take care of His creation. How would you like someone to trash something that you made? I work in the environmental field and I believe strongly that I was led by God to work in this field. The only reason we have environmental problems on earth is because of sin. Should we be repenting of our sin and take care of God’s creation?
This particular Bible is endorsed by the Sierra Club, whose original ideals have given way to some of the most whacky, fringe group, anti technology zealots on the planet. I think it is tragic when the allegedly pure word of God, gets hijacked or in any way contaminated, by causes such as this.
JCS -I read it and the bible is not the word of God. He did not write it and it was written by men. If god had something to say he would have said it by now. It’s amazing how much time and energy and fighting is wasted on a book that is nothing but fairy tales and stories that were created to keep people in line by power hungry and corrupt religiuos leaders.
This discussion is really not necessary/is a waste of time -
Because -
If one is truly seeking The Truth via the Bible, one will be fulfilling God’s overall purpose, which includes TAKING CARE OF OUR TANGIBLE ENVIRONMENT. Those who are not seeking The Truth will not. No amount of legislation or Bible thumping will ever change the heart of mankind, make him responsible towards other men or the environment. The green bible is a carnal idea put forth by people who have put other things above Jesus Christ and God. The fact that it now exists should mean zip to those truly seeking God in their lives (we are to be in the world, but not of the world). Our focus should be on God, not the things of the earth.
Linda- you are so blinded by your religion. You would rather destroy the enviroment and destroy the earth because you think you should focus on god. Your statements just prove how selfish and self centered your are there was a god and if he did create the earth don’t you think he would want to respect it and take care of it.
The bible should be printed on toliet paper so people have something to read while in the bathroom and then use and flush down to the sewer where it belongs..
A few points:
1 – the words of the text have not changed. So the argument that the “word of God is being changed” is invalid.
2 – The Bible implores us to take care of the earth. It doesn’t belong to us.
3 – I would give this bible to someone who was a strong environmentalist, regardless of religious or political views. If it gets people to read the Bible, I’m for it.
4 – If people are closed to the message of the Bible, let them be. Posts on a blog will hardly change someones opinion. (And I do understand the irony of posting this message on a blog…)