Prolegomena to the Ecological Interpretation of Hosea

Abstract The Book of Hosea presents a people in crisis. Religious practice has gone off the rails. The agricultural system is failing. And there is worse to come, or so Hosea says! A crisis also looms large in the present—an ecological crisis. So it is tantalizing to wonder if Hosea’s words have relevance to the present current situation. This essay outlines a groundwork for such an exploration. It summarizes the many ecological images and references that occur in Hosea and then analyzes these using the methodology of the Earth Bible project. Other significant contributions to the ecological interpretation of Hosea are also outlined. The book of Hosea shows little regard for elements of the nonhuman world and often portrays them as violent. Since the majority of ecological imagery in Hosea is negative, the question is raised whether a positive ecological interpretation of Hosea is possible. This essay will orient the reader to issues associated with producing an ecological interpretation.