The Hebrew Bible and Environmental Ethics: Humans, Non-humans, and the Living Landscape by Mari Joerstad

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Hebrew Bible and Environmental Ethics: Humans, Non-humans, and the Living Landscape by Mari Joerstad Deryn Guest mari joerstad, The Hebrew Bible and Environmental Ethics: Humans, Non-humans, and the Living Landscape (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019). Pp. viii + 247. $99.99/£75. Engaging us from the opening page, the author's friendship with two magnolia trees prompts her to consider whether they have a relationship with her in return. What would a genuine intimacy between humans and trees be like? This segues into: How should we [End Page 307] interpret biblical texts that tell us that landscape, flora, and fauna can speak, rejoice, mourn, praise? If we resist the temptation to explain such things away as poetic license or exuberance, do biblical texts show us a profound interrelationship between authors and nature? Have scholars glossed too readily over the evidence that biblical writers "viewed nonanimal nature as active and alive, that is, as persons" (p. 2)? Acknowledging that attributing the word "person" to mountains, stones, trees, will discomfort some readers, she confirms that is her intent. In fact, it proves to be a justified choice of terminology, enabling readers to think more humbly, respectfully, about the landscape in which we are enmeshed. Joerstad's first aim is exegetical: to interpret the personalistic nature texts across the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Writings. The second is ecological: "to consider how engaging with the Bible's active understanding of nonhuman nature might influence our ethics in the scope and nature of contemporary environmental actions" (p. 3). She succeeds in both. While not part of the Earth Bible Commentary series, this book provides a focused study of how one might listen to and interpret the voice of Earth without creating empathetic, imaginative speeches by trees, rivers, animals, and so forth. In chap. 2, J. presents the theoretical underpinning of the book. It includes engagement with the work of Cora Diamond; with New Animism, a field that highlights different ways of interpreting the world around us by people such as the Ojibwe; and with metaphor theory. Metaphors have been viewed as reading human experience into nature, so references to trees clapping are taken as an expression of human joy and celebration projected onto the trees. But "Isaiah attributes mood to trees, mood, and historical awareness" (p. 40). What he meant by doing that is her pressing question. In chap. 3, J. discusses how Earth and ground are active characters in the Torah, able to witness, devour, swallow, rest, expel, vomit, consume. The chapter closes with J.'s thoughts on how this might encourage readers to take seriously their human responsibilities for the land and its inhabitants. Torah texts critique "elite land grabbing" and are aware of "inequalities" (p. 98), something that J. applies to the way climate change causes and effects are not evenly distributed. Chapter 4 broadens the range of persons to include rivers, trees, fields, mountains, and stars, as J. turns to the Former and Latter Prophets. The chapter is organized into five themes: (1) War: texts include Judges 5; Joshua 10; and 2 Samuel 1 and 18. (2) Theophanies in Habakkuk 3; Joel 2 and 4; and Micah 1. There is an intriguing pondering of nature's "interiority," a quality no longer solely bestowed on humans. It results in these memorable lines: "Perhaps even describing human experiences of meeting YHWH is so difficult that it requires drawing on more than everyday emotions and terms. How do I feel when YHWH arrives? I feel like the storm clouds, like the moon in eclipse, like the tremors of a quake, like rock blistering into lava" (p. 115). (3) Address, which notes the device known as apostrophe (often ignored by biblical commentators), followed by sections on (4) joy and (5) grief. J. concludes that the prophetic challenge is to "live in such a way so as not only to stave off ecological apocalypse, but so that animals, trees, and pasture lands may be pleased to host us, to live alongside us" (p. 155). The Writings are discussed in chap. 5. Reading this chapter reminded me afresh of how noisy the Psalms are! The dialogue between Job and his friends is noted for...