Joseph Sittler
Encyclopedia
Joseph Sittler was an American Lutheran theologian who taught at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago
and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
. He is widely credited with pioneering the links between Christian theology
and ecological thought
, having written about environmental matters as early as the 1950s (long before they were widely reported in the mainstream press). He continually insisted that care for the earth and its environment is a central concern of the Christian religion.
He was also interested in the topics of aging, grace, religion and science, narrative in preaching, and biblical interpretation.
He was the uncle of German actor Walter Sittler.
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its degree programs include Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. It offers concentrations in urban ministry, Bible, environment,...
. He is widely credited with pioneering the links between Christian theology
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
and ecological thought
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, having written about environmental matters as early as the 1950s (long before they were widely reported in the mainstream press). He continually insisted that care for the earth and its environment is a central concern of the Christian religion.
He was also interested in the topics of aging, grace, religion and science, narrative in preaching, and biblical interpretation.
He was the uncle of German actor Walter Sittler.
Published works
Sittler was a prolific preaching theologian. His books are, in many cases, derived from his speaking engagements.- The Doctrine of the Word in the Structure of Lutheran Theology (1948), publication of the Knubel-Miller Foundation lectures, ULCA
- The Structure of Christian Ethics (1958), publication of the Rockwell Lectures on Religious Subjects, Rice Institute, Houston, TX (Reissued in the "Library of Christian Ethics" series by WJK Press, 1998)
- The Ecology of Faith (1961), publication of the Lyman Beecher lectures, Yale, 1959
- The Care of the Earth and Other University Sermons (1964) (Reissued by Fortress Press as The Care of the Earth in 2004)
- The Anguish of Preaching (1966), publication of the Dr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Zimmerman Lectureship at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
- Essays on Nature and Grace (1972)
- Gravity and Grace: Reflections and Provocations (1986) (Expanded and reissued by Fortress Press, 2005)
- Running With the Hounds: Conversation with Campus Ministry, June, 1977 (2000) (republication of material found in the CSCM Yearbook 1977-78, Center for the Study of Campus Ministry, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN)
- Evocations of Grace: The Writings of Joseph Sittler on Ecology, Theology, and Ethics (2000)