Question:
Dear
Greg,
I have observed that there appears to be dissension between people who
call themselves conservative Christians and those who support laws protecting
the environment and endangered species. On
one hand, I believe that God created resources for humans to use and consume
so we could survive and flourish. On
the other hand, I believe that Jesus taught us to respect the smallest forms
of life and to avoid unnecessary abuse of earthly creatures and plants
provided to us. I find myself
being criticized by fellow Christians because I support the Endangered Species
Act. The Christ that I love and
understand indeed wanted humans to thrive and utilize natural resources and
animals, but many things I am seeing done are for the sake of material
prosperity and appear cruel and wasteful.
When I bring this up I am sometimes pegged a “tree-hugger”.
I don’t believe that Jesus intended us to pillage.
Do you have any analysis that could help me understand why some of my
more right-wing friends (their label, not mine), don’t have much regard for
what I believe to be our duty to tend the earth?
The question was long-winded, and I apologize if I rambled.
Tammy
Answer:
Dear
Tammy,
The dilemma about which you speak is just as you describe it.
Interestingly, both groups of Christians often take their marching
orders from the first few chapters of Genesis.
The “conservative” group looks to Genesis 1:28, as God tells Adam
and Eve to “subdue” (NIV) the earth—or, in the KJV, “have dominion”
over it. This text has been used
for several centuries by Christian industrialists and captains of industry to
justify any means necessary to rape and pillage from the earth.
On the other hand, we must admit that a minority of those who seek to
“have dominion” over the earth have done so responsibly.
But in the main, the earth has been abused, especially since the
industrial revolution, and sometimes in the name of God.
The other passage supports the view it seems you favor and the one
generally espoused by PTM, is found in Genesis 2:15—some 18 verses after the
“have dominion” passage. This
passage records God putting Adam and Eve in the Garden with instructions to
“work it and take care of it” (NIV) or in the KJV, “dress and keep
it”. So God expects us to take
care of the resources he has entrusted to us.
PTM believes that some middle ground is possible, which means that
Christians may both have dominion over and subdue the earth while working it,
taking care of it, “dressing it and keeping it”.
No generation of humanity should so diminish the earth’s resources so
as to leave future generations without adequate resources.
We should replenish, restock, re-seed, rebuild, restore and regenerate
this earth. This view is not
“worshipping mother earth”, as some critics may say, but simply is a
matter of being careful stewards of the blessings God has given us to watch
over, use and enjoy.
“Sojourners” magazine has a great interest in this topic, and while
the Plain Truth covers this topic, it is not as major a theme for us as it is
for “Sojourners”. We
appreciate their good work as Christians.
In Christ,