

R. Shai Held: Biblical Theology in a Time of Climate Emergency Part 1
Aug 11, 2025
Shai Held, a biblical scholar and theologian, dives deep into how scripture can guide us through today's climate crisis. He discusses our intrinsic connection to nature as depicted in Genesis, challenging the view of humanity as separate from the environment. Held emphasizes farming as a divine vocation and the balance between significance and stewardship. He critiques traditional interpretations of Genesis, urging a reevaluation of our responsibilities to the planet, while highlighting the scriptural call for justice and care in governance.
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Created From Topsoil
- Genesis 2 portrays humans as formed from the fertile topsoil of the earth.
- R. Shai Held emphasizes Hebrew wordplay tying adam to adamah to stress our earthiness.
Humans Are Farmers
- Genesis 2 assigns humans the vocation to cultivate and tend the land.
- R. Shai Held reads avad with adama as cultivation, not domination.
Shared 'Livingness' With Animals
- Genesis uses nefesh chaya for humans and animals, denying a strict spiritual divide.
- R. Shai Held warns translations often obscure this shared 'livingness' and our kinship with animals.