The Christian Mandate for Environmental Stewardship

Many Christians believe in creation care or Christian environmental stewardship, which emphasizes the responsibility to care for God’s creation. We view the environment as a gift from God and believe that destroying or exploiting it goes against our faith. This perspective stems from the idea that God is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all things and that His creation exists to glorify Him.

The Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, encourages Christians to care for and appreciate the natural world as a reflection of God’s wisdom and goodness. Christian environmental stewardship involves understanding that human beings have a role as stewards of the earth and that we must exercise fruitful stewardship, exercise dominion, and care for all of creation.

Key Takeaways:

• Christians believe in creation care and view the environment as a gift from God.
• Environmental stewardship is rooted in the belief that God is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all things.
• The Bible encourages Christians to care for and appreciate the natural world.
• Christian environmental stewardship involves understanding our role as stewards of the earth.
• Christians must exercise fruitful stewardship, dominion, and care for all creation.

Theological and Ethical Foundations of Stewardship

The Bible is the cornerstone for Christians in shaping their understanding of environmental stewardship. It affirms that God is the creator of all things and emphasizes the significance of worshiping and adoring Him. The earth and its entirety are manifestations of God’s wisdom, goodness, and power. As bearers of God’s image, humanity is responsible for exercising dominion and fruitful stewardship over the earth. This entails the authority to subdue and govern the rest of creation while caring for it and preserving its well-being.

Recognition is given to the intrinsic value of all creation, yet humanity, as God’s most prized creation, holds the unique position of stewardship. Christians must balance dominion and care, guided by God’s perfect moral law. They are called to be responsible stewards, acknowledging that their actions should reflect the principles outlined in the Bible and their obligation to the environment.

Christian environmental stewardship is grounded in biblical principles that emphasize the interconnectedness of creation and humanity’s role as custodians of God’s creation. This perspective calls for a holistic approach that integrates theological and ethical considerations, fostering a harmonious relationship between human beings and the natural world.

Shaping Environmental Policy with a Biblical Perspective

As Christians, we are uniquely responsible for advocating for environmental policies that align with stewardship principles and reflect our biblical understanding of the environment. By recognizing the intrinsic value of all creation and our role as stewards, we can shape public policy to promote the preservation and sustainability of the environment.

We believe in finding a balance between using and developing natural resources for human benefit while ensuring responsible stewardship. It is crucial to reject extreme ideologies prioritizing the preservation of nature at the expense of human needs or the excessive exploitation of resources without regard for environmental consequences.

By adopting a theocentric view of environmental stewardship, we can promote human justice and the well-being of all creation and ultimately bring glory to God. Through our advocacy efforts, we aim to create policies that uphold the biblical principles of stewardship, recognizing that the earth is a gift entrusted to us by God.

Join us in shaping environmental policy with a biblical perspective, ensuring a sustainable future for all, and honoring the divine mandate to care for God’s creation.