Acts: An Earth Bible Commentary – About Earth’s Children: An Ecological Listening to the Acts of the Apostles

Description
The gospel of Luke presents an ecological symphony that reveals a Jesus connected to Earth. His ministry touches all aspects of creation, human and non-human, and invites disciples into an ecological asceticism. This same spirit continues in the Acts of the Apostles. In this Earth Bible Commentary on Acts, Michael Trainor allows our environmental concerns to shape his interpretative approach, and thus ecological nuances emerge.

Luke’s household of disciples, imbued with the spirit of the risen Jesus, to embrace the world and bring to it a word of reconciliation, embark on this mission. This formally begins at Pentecost with their reception of God’s creative and renewing Spirit that empowers them as Earth’s children. From this moment an explosion of activity moves them over Earth’s lands, beginning in Jerusalem, Earth’s navel (Acts 1.1-8.1), into Samaria, the space in-between that navel and Galilee, the garden of God’s earthly delights (Acts 8.2-11.17), to the ends of Earth, Rome (Acts 11.18-28.33). As we trace Luke’s vast geographical journey around the Mediterranean, key moments highlight fresh environmental insights that offer new hope for contemporary disciples seeking ecological affirmation at this particular time in world history.

Table of Contents
Abbreviations
List of Figures
List of Photos
List of Maps
Introduction: Situating the Acts of the Apostles
PART I
Chapter 1. Acts 1.1-5. An Ecological Orientation
Chapter 2. Acts 1.6-11. The Ecological Mission
Chapter 3. Acts 1.12-2.47. The Ecologically Renewed Household
Chapter 4. Acts 3.1-6.7. The Fruitfulness of Earth’s Children
Chapter 5. Acts 6.8-8.1a. Earth’s Presence in Stephen’s Story of Israel
PART II
Chapter 6. Acts 8.1b-9.31. Water and Earth
Chapter 7. Acts 9.32-11.18. Earth’s Linen Sheet
Chapter 8. Acts 11.19-14.28. Earth’s Interconnectivity and the God of Creation
Chapter 9. Acts 15.1-16.40. Earth Acts at Philippi
Chapter 10. Acts 17.1-18.1. The God of Life and Breath
Chapter 11. Acts 18.2-20.12. The Artisan, Artemis and the Lord’s Supper
Chapter 12. Acts 20.13-26.32. Earth’s Child identifies with Earth’s Children
PART III
Chapter 13. Acts 27.1-28.31. The Final Voyage towards Rome and Earth’s ‘End’
PART IV
Conclusion: Luke’s Ecological Resonances in Acts
Bibliography
Index of Authors
Index of References