Environmentalism and Christianity? A Paradox? More & more Christ focused evangelistic ministries are starting include environmental work as they are encountering many of the complications of deforestation, over farming, pollution, global warming, that plague the poor of the world.
So why is it that many in Christian circles resist and deny environmental concerns? James Dobson's Focus on the Family called it a "distraction" from abortion and family values.
Ed Brown from Care of Creation gives his ideas of this reluctance in his paper Confessions of a ‘Reluctant Environmentalist’ on the Care of Creations website...
Some of us have regretfully concluded that being in charge is a license to do whatever we want to do. The traditional term ‘dominion’ (1:28, also translated ‘rule over’) seems to suggest many negative elements of leadership – the selfishness and abuse of a domineering dictator.
Nothing could be further from what God intended when he put us in charge. Leadership in God’s plan is exemplified in Jesus, who came ‘as a servant’ (Philippians 2:5ff) and who, as head of the church ‘loved her and gave himself up for her’ (Ephesians 5:25). To act selfish and domineering toward our fellow creatures is to play the part of the servant in Jesus’ story in Matthew 24:48ff. He abused his fellow servants, beating them and ignoring their needs because he did not expect his master’s return. How shortsighted and tragic.
We are in charge of Creation, but like the servant in the story, we hold that charge in trust on behalf of another. This idea – being in charge on behalf of someone else – is captured in the word ‘stewardship’. It’s a word we need to revive in order to bring back it’s full meaning. The secular world uses it to mean care for the environment on behalf of future generations – and this is a valuable insight but far from the full Biblical meaning. Many Christians know ‘stewardship’ well – but think only of ‘time, talents and treasure’ when they use it. The full meaning of stewardship includes all of this, but first it points to the first task God gave us as his representatives – stewards over his Creation.
Nothing could be further from what God intended when he put us in charge. Leadership in God’s plan is exemplified in Jesus, who came ‘as a servant’ (Philippians 2:5ff) and who, as head of the church ‘loved her and gave himself up for her’ (Ephesians 5:25). To act selfish and domineering toward our fellow creatures is to play the part of the servant in Jesus’ story in Matthew 24:48ff. He abused his fellow servants, beating them and ignoring their needs because he did not expect his master’s return. How shortsighted and tragic.
We are in charge of Creation, but like the servant in the story, we hold that charge in trust on behalf of another. This idea – being in charge on behalf of someone else – is captured in the word ‘stewardship’. It’s a word we need to revive in order to bring back it’s full meaning. The secular world uses it to mean care for the environment on behalf of future generations – and this is a valuable insight but far from the full Biblical meaning. Many Christians know ‘stewardship’ well – but think only of ‘time, talents and treasure’ when they use it. The full meaning of stewardship includes all of this, but first it points to the first task God gave us as his representatives – stewards over his Creation.
I know that many of our friends and supporters feel ambivalent about the subject of global climate change. While I respect your feelings on this topic, I hope you understand that we believe this is an issue that is hurting the people God has called us to serve in East Africa – and we are very concerned about it. The climate change “conversation” is about to move to a new level this week when a new report from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) will be released that will summarize the effects of a warming world on God’s creatures and God’s creation, including human beings.. Our local paper previewed the report a couple of days ago with a banner headline: “Global Warming is starting to kill…”
Whether dying frogs or bleached coral reefs, pine trees or mosquitoes – these changes are already being observed around the world. At Care of Creation, we have been noting this kind of thing for some time. You see, to us climate change is not about ice-cores and computer models. It is about people whose water sources have dried up, people whose formerly predictable seasons have been turned on their heads, and people whose already marginal existences are increasingly untenable. These people are our brothers and sisters. When you see the reports, we just want to ask you to take them seriously. It’s our own family and fellow creatures that we’re talking about.
Whether dying frogs or bleached coral reefs, pine trees or mosquitoes – these changes are already being observed around the world. At Care of Creation, we have been noting this kind of thing for some time. You see, to us climate change is not about ice-cores and computer models. It is about people whose water sources have dried up, people whose formerly predictable seasons have been turned on their heads, and people whose already marginal existences are increasingly untenable. These people are our brothers and sisters. When you see the reports, we just want to ask you to take them seriously. It’s our own family and fellow creatures that we’re talking about.
To learn more about Care of Creation's mission and their efforts to Glorify God and make him known through aiding the world poor in environmental education and aid visit their website http://careofcreation.org/ or you can purchase their new book Our Fathers World detailing their environmental mission.
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