Making America and the Earth Great Again

 

Recently I was given the opportunity to review two books. One focused on making America great again, and the other addressed environmental issues and making the earth healthy (great) again.

David Moore, in his book, Making America Great Again: Fairy Tale? Horror Story: Dream Come True? (Crowdscribed, La Vergne, TN, 2017.) offers a critique and a challenge to the Christian Community. His words are written in the context of the oft repeated slogan, “Making American Great Again.” Moore is direct and makes no excuses for his accusation that be believes the current path for making America great again is wrong.

Writing as an African American, Moore sees the current campaign as an effort for white male Christians to exercise their power and control again. He takes the conservative evangelical branch of Christianity to task for their support of this effort. Noting that historically the branches of the Christian Church have stood in the way of the abolishment of slavery and of civil rights, he accuses the Religious Right of obstructing the justice and equality owed minorities within the United States. Other Christians are criticized for their complacency and reticence in promoting the justice and human rights issues of the marginalized and disenfranchised. Unfortunately, many will excuse Moore’s comments as political in nature and turn a deaf ear to them.

To those who have ears to hear Moore has much to say. He calls for the Christian community to come together with those exploited by the white, male, Christian majority and stand with them. Modeling his vision of action after that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Moore calls for a peaceful, non-violent protest of the current trends of subjugation. Great things can be accomplished if Christians, especially white Christians, join forces with minorities and strive for justice, equality and prosperity for all.

As a white, Christian male, Moore’s words convicted me. I realized that I was still more a part of the problem (even as a liberal, progressive Christian) than I was a part of the solution. Moore’s words inspired me to set aside my complacency and become more involved in truly making America Great—a nation where minorities can thrive and where power and privilege are shared by all. I think that Moore’s words will have a similar effect on you. This is why I highly recommend this book.

 

 

The second book I was given to review is entitled, Order of the Sacred Earth: An Intergenerational Vision of Love and Action, by Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, and Jennifer Listug (Monkfish Book Publishing, Rhinebeck, NY, 2018). This book addresses environmental issues and offers a unique way of improving the health of the earth.

The authors have created a community—an order—The Order of the Sacred Earth, whose members make the pledge, “I promise to be the best lover and defender of Mother Earth that I can be.” It is an intergenerational order that also spans the other artificial boundaries of sex, nationality, economic class, etc. It is an order dedicated to the care and restoration of creation.

The book is inspiring in its vision and goals. The authors espouse a wholistic approach in which individuals’ and communities’ lives are centered on the love of creation. Their love becomes the motivation for their words and actions. It becomes their religion.

This is where I have a problem with the book. The authors are critical of religion, especially Christianity, as well they should be. Christians have stressed the dominion over creation for centuries while, at the same time, downplaying its care. While I believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest motivator for the care of creation, the authors disagree. They want to abandon the Church and other faiths and begin their own—one centered on the love of creation. The image that kept playing through my mind was a reincarnation of the Druids. Though this causes me to reduce my recommendation to read this book from heartfelt and enthusiastic to merely, “It’s a good book to read,” I still think it is worth reading.

Both books are thought provoking, convicting, encouraging and inspiring. All good reasons to place them on your wish lists.

 

 

I received these books free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.