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Christian environmentalism?

Feb 1, 2005
Faith

I was mid-way through my ecotoxicology exam today, when some thoughts occurred to me about conserving the environment and how it might relate to Christianity. (This wasn’t entirely irrelevant, since ecotoxicology is the study of man-made chemicals and how they interact with environmental systems.) There are more important things to worry about, but I do think that the environment should still be a concern for Christians.

Firstly, we don’t own the Universe. When we pump the air full of toxic chemicals, we’re not only damaging it for ourselves (there is a link between air pollution and asthma, and other diseases) but we’re also messing around with Someone else’s property. It must hurt, and possibly even anger, God to see his creation damaged with such recklessness.

Secondly, the Universe does not revolve around us. While I heartily agree with the idea that we are the things most precious to God in the Universe, I don’t think that we are the only reason for its existence. Think about all the things that go on without humans: the Universe carries on just as well, or even better, in the absence of humans. There are parts of the Universe that humans will never see, or be able to visit—how can these be made ‘for’ us?

Note: This was originally posted in articles. It made more sense to put it on the blog.

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1 Comment

  1. Don  •  Feb 25, 2008 @7:36 am

    Awesome! I need to add a blog link page to my site just to add this link. I have often wondered why so many “Christians” in my country have such a blatant disreguard for the environment. Did you know that the Bible book of Revelation predicts a time when God will say, “The time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth”! (Revelation 11:18)

    Out of curiosity I did a Bible search on pollution and found this:

    Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols with which they had polluted it: (Ezekiel 38:16)

    Now those who believe that Christians do not need to be stewards of the Earth will argue that this passage has nothing to do with air and water pollution etc., but think again!

    Here God is pouring out his fury on a people who have polluted the land with their idols. Isn’t materialism and the love of money a form of idolatry? I don’t know too many religious leaders who would disagree with this statement. It seems to me that consumerism and materialism is the ‘mammon’ of our era. Isn’t this the idol that most of the world worships and as a result pollute the planet that God has given us as a home?

    When God created mankind and ‘blessed them’ and told them to ’subdue’ the earth and have ‘dominion’ (Genesis 1:28) I sincerely doubt that he had in mind our destroying it. It doesn’t fit his character. The God I know is very “conserve”ative in this matter.

    It makes me wonder!