Describe The Relationship Between Christianity And The Environment

The issue of Deforestation has been high on the global environmental agenda for many years, and remains a serious problem today. In the tropics and many other parts of the world, nations continue to lose the valuable biodiversity, soil and water conservation, and climate regulation that natural forests provide. Christianity can only address this matter by continuing to combine an acceptance of the command to people to ‘multiply and replenish the earth’ (Genesis 1:28) with a balancing injunction to act as stewards of the environment. Charities such as Christian Ecology Link and World Vision work to increase awareness of the current ecological crisis and encourage adherents to live sustainably and make ‘green’ consumption choices.

Our earthly habitat is not an unexpected occurrence of little worth, but rather, it is one to be highly valued and preserved. The biblical doctrine of creation helps the Christian to understand the true significance of the world in order to deal with the environmental crisis. The Bible says, “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited…” (King James Version, Isaiah 45:18). In Christian teaching, God not only created Heavens and Earth, but expressed His delight in His creation. This creation meant, everything encompassing the trees, the

In our treatment of the environment, mankind is to have dominion over all of the creatures of the earth. Although with this great power over the earth, man has a responsibility to maintain and sustain the earth. The Reverend John Cumming, Minister of the Scottish National Church stated in 1854 that “wherever there is great power, lofty position, there is great responsibility,”

However, the letter from evangelicals said that though human beings are entrusted with taking care of the environment, activities that propel sustenance must not be restricted.

Therefore, the individual’s responsibility is to take care of the earth they live in. for instance, taking care of family and friend and others with dignity is a way to show sign of our respect for the god, who created the earth and the human (Catholic Charities, 2016).

Case (2000, p. 25) mentions, a T.V. commercial when the Native American weeps, because of the pollution, he explains, not only should the Native Americans weep, but all of us should, as we witness tragedies that are taking place on the land God wants deemed as “very good”. In many countries, not only are we not honoring what God deemed as “very good” with pollution,

Christian voice is correcting them or proclaiming the biblical model of man’s relationship to nature which: is unique and superior to the dominant free-market and environmentalist models. . According to Gardner and Stern (1996), in that place are exclusive approaches that have power to be implemented in companionships search to defend the environment. One like approach may take a closer look at holy and regarding duties beliefs and the effects of these beliefs on the environment. The idea to create values and beliefs in environmental issues are important components of having a safer and enjoyable world for its people and the world they live in. Christian and non-Christian, at hand, must see the environment and the shortcoming of business by reason of a proper conversion to an act or purpose of and preservation of the wealth the planet has to support life. Christians as the Bible originate directing the eye to what has to be published by word force in reference to human natures dependence and bounden duty to the nature and its resources. As Christians we should do what ever it takes to make sure this earth glorify God. If we are careless about science and economics — not caring about how they work and what they describe, creation’s economy will suffer (Christians Research Institute).

“You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.” Numbers 35: 33-34

Despite many Christians, such as Patriarch Batholomew from the Greek Orthodox church who states that ‘For humans to contaminate the Earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life, with poisonous substances. These are sins’ in an attempt to encourage prioritising environmental protection, climate skeptic Calvin Beisner states that “the Bible teaches that earth and all its subsystems… are the product of a God who is an infinitely wise designer”, reflecting that his personal interpretation of God’s revelation has led to his understanding of the Earth being intelligently design, so that humankind could not potentially destroy it, consequently leading to him not placing priority on the protection of the environment.

Within both Philosophy and religion there are many examples of humankind’s obligation towards the natural world and as such the role humanity ought to play in environmental conservation. According to the book: “Environmental Ethics:”

“The land grieves and all who live in it fritter away; the birds of the air and the beasts of the field and the fish of the sea are dying.” Although this sentence was written over approx 2700 years ago, but it seems that it was written for today’s situation (Rocha, 2015). We are living in a generation where individuals and corporations are enjoying important “economic gain” at the expense of the environment and other people. In Colossians 1:15-20 it was mentioned that there is a hope as Jesus is firstborn of all creation. And everything is either created by him or for him. As per this sentence, God’s mission involves all of creations (human, earth, animals etc) in “redemptive work”. As per Colossians 1, God builds the healthier communities,

A truly Biblical Christianity has a real answer to the ecological crisis. It offers a balanced and healthy attitude to nature, arising from the truth of its creation by God. It offers the hope here and now of substantial healing in nature of some of the results of the Fall, arising from the truth of redemption in Christ. In each of the alienations arising from the Fall, Christians, individually and corporately, should consciously in practice be a healing redemptive factor—in the separation of man from God (the Gospel and evangelism), of man from himself, of man from man, of man from nature, and of nature from nature. A Christian-based science and technology should consciously try to see nature substantially healed, while waiting for the future complete healing at Christ’s return.

God’s command to “fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion” (Gen 1:28) by tilling the earth shows that man’s capacity to dominate the earth lies within himself, transforming it to his own needs.

Sustainable Agriculture is the main focus of globalization throughout the entire world. Sustainable Agriculture is having and producing food on a consistent basis, so that during periods of long issues food production will be able to keep the people fed. Or, on a basic level, feeding every person consistently without a dip in production. The fact that about eleven percent of the world is undernourished is staggering. 795 million people go hungry everyday. These numbers are the driving force behind the Sustainable Agriculture movement. A movement which has picked up in society and also within Christian Culture.

The environment is quickly becoming one of the greatest topics of debate in modern times as the impacts of climate change and deforestation become more and more apparent to the world, and is arguably man’s next greatest ethical concern. Regardless of one’s stance on ecological issues it is hard to argue that a change in our behaviour isn’t needed to prevent future devastation. The Catholic Church has always to some degree supported environmentalism, and that support is no doubt growing stronger rather than dwindling. To understand the significant extent to which adherents of Catholicism are participating in the ever increasing ethical concern of the environment, it is first important to explore Church teachings and their approach to ecology.