These resources are offered as a free download but they are not free to produce. If you would like to take this opportunity to donate to the John Ray Initiative please go to the Giving to JRI page on this site or click on the Paypal linked button below. Suggested donations for each resource download are £1 for .pdf formats and £2 for the e-book formats.
A Christian Look at the Environment
This series of five bible studies have been written for the John Ray Initiative in 2023 by Revd. Rich Clarkson, and is based on a popular earlier series of bible studies written by Dena Burne in 2002 (the latter have now been withdrawn). It draws on both theological and scientific insight to help groups and churches think about what a Christian approach to environmental issues might look like. These are an ideal set of group studies for the Season of Creation or for a Lent Course but could be used at any time. Go HERE to download the resource.
The Big Church Read
BY martin and Margot hodson
Concerned to understand more about environmental issues and how Christians can respond? “A Christian Guide to Environmental Issues” has been selected for The Big Church Read. Join JRI authors, Margot and Martin Hodson as they present 10 sessions with a video for each and discussion questions for churches, individuals, and small groups.
Books and resources are available from: https://thebigchurchread.co.uk/a-christian-guide-to-environmental-issues-2/
and also Bible Reading Fellowship and St Andrews Bookshops. An A5 format flyer, suitable for printing is available HERE
Building on the Rock
Biblical foundations for a stable economy
BY PHILIP LYES
Why do Bible Studies on Economics? Economics is the study of how human society allocates resources. Economic Studies cover the big picture of how economic systems work in nations and across the world, as well as the relationship with the financial decisions of individuals. Economics is global and personal, and everything in-between. Every day, every individual is both influenced by, and influences, the economic systems that we are part of. For Christians, our faith in Jesus Christ impacts on every part of our life, including the economic and financial decisions that we make. God created humanity and God is vitally interested in the way human society operates; including the way human beings allocate resources.
TEN new studies can be downloaded HERE
Christian Discipleship in the Environmental Crisis: An exploration of fullness as an environmental ethic
By Margot R Hodson
We face an environmental crisis of greater proportions than any generation before us and we desperately need to find ways to respond to this crisis. As Christians, our discipleship has been challenged through the COVID-19 crisis and we will continue to face new and very difficult situations in the coming decades. We need practical, spiritual and theological resources to help us respond effectively. The biblical concept of fullness gives us a vision, not only of what once was, but also provides a pathway to enable a restorative response.
Hodson, M.R. (2020) Christian Discipleship in the Environmental Crisis: An exploration of fullness as an environmental ethic, Crucible, the Journal of Christian Social Ethics, July 2020 pp.38-47
A JRI blog post is available to explain this work
This paper is available by kind permission of the Crucible editorial team and can be downloaded HERE.
The journal Crucible is available here
Green Grove
For many years Grove Books have been producing 10,000-word monographs on a whole variety of environmental topics. We thought it would be useful for our supporters if we could bring all of the material together on one page so that it is easier to see what is available. Go HERE.
Mission and Creation Care for Christian Disciples
5 Group Studies and Discussion with accompanying Leaders Notes The focus of these studies is to mobilise congregations and churches in living out the mission of God and to see individual lives, communities, and the environment flourish. A core feature of this is to challenge congregations and communities in the UK to change their values from individual consumerism to justice and sustainability both locally and globally. The 5 session themes are:
- Renewing our understanding of mission;
- The call to care for creation;
- The challenge to sustainable lifestyles;
- A biblical approach to economics;
- The Church’s role as an agent of change
The resources can be downloaded in a variety of formats. The blue text links to the format available. The .pdf versions will be opened in your browser prior to download. Group Study and Discussion in booklet form .pdf (A4 folded to A5, 8 pages) Group Study and Discussion in plain A4 form .pdf (8 pages) Group Study and Discussion in e-book form .mobi (Kindle) Group Study and Discussion in e-book form .epub (other e-book reader devices and apps) Leaders Notes in plain A4 form .pdf (15 pages) Leaders Notes in e-book form .mobi (Kindle) Leaders Notes in e-book form .epub (other e-book reader devices and apps). Please contact JRI for the ebook versions.
ANVIL
The Anglican Evangelical Journal for Theology and Mission published a special edition on the theme of Environment and Hope in September 2013. Details are available from this page on the JRI website, and all articles can be downloaded from links there.
Guidelines – Environment
JRI Director Revd Margot Hodson has produced some Bible Study resources for The Bible Reading Fellowship.
Creationtide
JRI Director, Revd Richard Clarkson, has produced a series of reflections for Creationtide
Old Testament Resources from the late Revd. Keith Innes
The late Revd. Keith Innes (1933-2020) wrote two briefing papers and a number of blog posts for JRI, mostly concerning the environment in the Old Testament. With the permission of his family, we are now posting two of his larger works:
The Old Testament Wilderness in Ecological Perspective. A Christian Investigation
Reports on Climate Change and Environmental Responsibility by Prof. Andrew Basden
This page lists major reports that have emerged since 2018 on climate change and environmental responsibility, giving a link to each and a brief summary. It is in order of publication date, with the latest first. At the end, it suggests some Biblical principles that apply to various reports and calls us to respond.
The Environment in UK Theological Education Institutions: Report on the Environmental Consultation for Theological Educators (07-08 December 2020)
This report which was compiled and edited by Martin J. Hodson and Margot R. Hodson and was published on 12 April 2021 is available HERE