A Christian View of the Environment Ray Bohlin
...d because it is a part of the essence of god. 2. We must act to save our planet because it has equal value with man. 3. But while pantheism elevates nature, it subsequently degrades man and will ultimately degrade nature. . Man has no more value than a blade of grass. a. In pantheism, it is the whole of nature that has meaning. The individual particulars of nature do not have intrinsic meaning or value. b. Therefore, the will to care about a particular species, for example, is derived only by romanticizing nature. c. In practice, pantheism has no answer for the two faces of nature: benevolent and destructive. VII. The true answer lies in a Christian environmental ethic based on the reality of God as Creator and man as his image-bearer and steward. . God is the Creator of all things. The creation is not part of His essence (Gen. 1, 2; Job 38–41; Ps. 19:1, 24:1–2, 104; Rom. 1:18–20; Col. 1:16–17). 1. All of nature is equal in its origin, including man. 2. Nature has value in and of itself because God created it. 3. The rock, tree, and cat deserve our respect because God made them to be as they are. A. While man is a creature, he is also created in God's image (Gen. 1:26–27; Ps. 139:13–16). 1. Man is therefore separated from creation yet related to it. 2. While a cat is not to be romanticized as though it had human emotions, as Christians we respect it as having value since God made it. The cat's purpose is to glorify its Creator. 3. Man was given dominion over nature. . Man is not sovereign over the lower orders of creation. He does not own them. They belong to the Lord. a. Since man was told to cultivate and keep the garden, we certainly may use nature, but only as God intends (Gen. 2:15). An example is the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:15–30). Technology puts nature to man's use, but unnecessary pollution and waste degrades nature. b. We are to exercise dominion over nature not as though we are entitled to exploit it, but as something borrowed or held in trust. ________________________________________ V. The source of our ecological crisis lies in man's fallen nature and abuse of his dominion. A. Man is a rebel who has set himself at the center of the universe. 1. Man has used his dominion wrongly. 2. Man has exploited created things as though they are nothing in themselves and as though he has an autonomous right to use them as he pleases. B. Man's fallen nature has expressed itself with regard to the creation in his use of time and money. 1. Man's uncontrolled greed and haste have led to the deterioration of the environment. 2. We have been guided by the maxim that what we can do, we will do, particularly if it is the least time-consuming and least expensive alternative. VI. The solution to the environmental crisis is the witness of the Christian community within the proper relationship between God, man, and nature. . We are called to exhibit our dominion rightly. 1. As Christians we must treat nature as having value in itself and exercise dominion without being destructive (Matt. 6:26, 10:29). 2. This requires both a human and economic cost. 3. There are numerous Old Testament examples of the care with which Israel was to treat the environment. a. Israel was to care for the land (Lev. 25: 1–12). b. Israel was to treat domesticated animals properly and respect wildlife (Deut. 25:4 and 22:6). c. The Lord judges those who misuse the land (Isa. 5:8–10). d. The Lord nurtured and cared for His creation (Job 38:25–28; Ps. 104:27–30). A. As the second Adam, Jesus redeems all of the effects of the curse (1 Cor. 15:21–22; Rom. 5:12–21). 1. The first Adam brought a curse on man's relationship with his God, his relationship with other people, and his relationship with nature (Gen. 3:14–19). 2. Though the earth will eventually be destroyed, we should still work for healing now. As Christians, we can be rightly related to the creation. B. Christians, of all people, should not be destroyers. 1. We may cut down a tree to build a house or make a fire, but not just to cut it down. 2. We have the right to rid our house of ants, but we should not forget to honor the ant where God made it to be. 3. When the church puts belief into practice, our humanity and sense of beauty are restored. VII. The church in the past has failed in its mission of steward of the earth. . We have spoken out loudly against the materialism of science but have done little to show that we are not dominated by a technological orientation towards nature. A. We are losing an evangelistic opportunity: many are seeking an improved environment, yet they also see that most Christians don't care. B. While there is not necessarily anything wrong with profit in the marketplace, we must voluntarily limit ourselves and not allow something to be done just because it can. C. If individually and as a Christian community we can treat with integrity the things God has made, and do so lovingly because they are His, things change. For Further Reading Badke, William. Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created. Portland, Ore.: Multnomah, 1991. This book is a strongly written attempt to jar the church out of its environmental doldrums. Badke persuasively argues that the church needs to be at the forefront of the environmental movement because only Chris...