Saving Creation: Nature and Faith in the Life of Holmes Rolston III [Hardcover]

Christopher J. Preston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

Holmes Rolston III has long been recognized as the “father of environmental ethics.” Internationally renowned for the synthesis he has found in evolutionary biology and Christianity, Rolston has followed an immensely interesting life course. In this compelling biography, Rolston’s story is traced from childhood to the present, detailing the process by which he has come to hone his profound philosophies. Culled from countless interviews with Rolston himself, along with his family and colleagues, this biography is both an engaging life story and a compendium of Rolston’s thoughts on the value of nature, resource management, aesthetics, international development, and the relationship of culture to nature, wilderness, and natural theology.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Environmental ethicist Holmes Rolston III, grandfather of the global environmental movement, has spent his life reconciling scientific study with Judeo-Christian religious teachings. Rolston's former student Preston (Grounding Knowledge) synthesizes Rolston's writing, extensive interviews, and a deep knowledge of the history and influence of Rolston's work for a satisfying biography. As a seminary student at Richmond, Virginia's Davidson College, and a doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh, Preston began developing a contrary view of Protestant Reformed theology, rejecting predestination and emphasizing the concept of God's grace. He was forced out of his first pastoral assignment over his "modern" views on natural history; settling in Bristol, Virginia, with a more educated congregation, he returned whenever possible to the nature studies of his school years, preaching against the industrialization of Appalachia and the "dominion interpretation" of scripture: "Nature's real value was as something living and dynamic... in its ongoing creativity." After leaving his pastorate to study the philosophy of science, he made his academic breakthrough with his first professional paper, 1975's "Is There an Ecological Ethic?" This lively intellectual biography fully examines the biblical and academic traditions from which Rolston's philosophy developed, and the world-wide movement which developed from it.

From Booklist

The philosophy profession generally credits Holmes Rolston III, an emeritus professor of Colorado State University, with originating the field of environmental ethics. This work charts Rolston’s journey in nonacademic language, paying particular attention to the development of his conception that the natural world possesses an intrinsically moral content, an idea that dovetailed with the popularization of environmentalism from the 1960s onward. As Preston describes, in that decade Rolston, then a Presbyterian minister, recognized that philosophies of science and religion drew him more than did his vocation. Following circumstances of a career shift that deposited him at CSU, Rolston systematized his ideas in several books , acquired a public profile in several conservation campaigns in Colorado, and in 2003 received the ultimate encomium in the scholarship of science and religion, the Templeton Prize. Preston ably and clearly exposes readers interested in what environmental ethics mean to their fundamentals, to the arc of Rolston’s life, and to critiques of his theology-tinged appreciation for the beauty and regenerative power of nature.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Trinity University Press (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595340505
• ISBN-13: 978-1595340504
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,441,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christopher James Preston lives and writes in Missoula, MT where he teaches environmental philosophy at the University of Montana. As a native of England - who has studied and worked in Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, Washington DC, and South Carolina - he has always been fascinated by the power of landscape to influence the mind. His first book, Grounding Knowledge, is a philosophical exploration of this idea. Saving Creation, a biography of Holmes Rolston III, the "father of environmental ethics", uses some of these same ideas to explore how Rolston came up with his philosophical grounding for contemporary environmentalism. The book also tackles Rolston's reconciliation of evolutionary theory with Christian theology, an account that won Rolston the Templeton Prize and an invitation to present the Gifford Lectures. In his spare time, Preston experiences the power of the Montana landscape through mountain biking, cross-country, and telemark skiing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seeing the Universe as Creation, July 9, 2009

By 

Edward A. Schroder "Ted Schroder" (Amelia Island, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saving Creation: Nature and Faith in the Life of Holmes Rolston III (Hardcover)

This biography introduced me to the intellectual and spiritual pilgrimage of a theologian and a scientist. Preston has done us a service in weaving the story of Rolston with his writings and life so that the major themes are clear and we are saved from being bogged down in minutiae. For anyone interested in reconciling the Bible and science, wilderness and civilization, academia and public service, this is a book that will inspire. I personally was grateful for the last two chapters: Christianity and the Struggle with Evolution, and Cruciform Nature. It led me to read his article, Does Nature Need to be Redeemed? which is most insightful. This is a great gift book. It is easy to read and well written.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rolston did much to bridge the gap between science, faith, and the environment, June 16, 2009

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saving Creation: Nature and Faith in the Life of Holmes Rolston III (Hardcover)

For every concept, there is an originator. "Saving Creation: Nature and Faith in the Life of Holmes Rolston III" is a biography and environmental book focusing on the life of one Holmes Rolston III, called the father of modern environmental ethics. A man who did not entirely shun evolutionary theory despite his deep Christian beliefs, Rolston did much to bridge the gap between science, faith, and the environment. Telling of a life filled with accolades and awards, this biography of Rolston will give readers much to think about. "Saving Creation" would do well in any biography, environmental studies collection, or religion/spirituality reading list.