Environment

As God’s representatives on earth, we are called to serve all of creation as humble stewards. It is through the influence of humanity that God’s created world is able to flourish rather than be used simply as a resource for human progress. For this reason, our love of God is reflected by our love for all of that which he has made.
Our Approach to the Environment
Introduction
Humanity’s impact on the planet Earth is growing. Thankfully, our collective awareness of that impact is also on the rise. In recent years, Christian practice has received some justified condemnation for either publicly opposing policies and movements that acknowledge and address the significant negative human impact on the environment, or privately ignoring this impact. Over the course of Christian history, however, caring for our planet and our creaturely neighbours has been an important lived theology of the church.
The MI Approach to the Environment
Why Christians Should Care for the Environment
The word “environmentalist” has strong associations for many of us. For some, it might signify those who care about what is happening to the earth, while for others it might signify radical ideologies that prioritize wildlife over people. Recognizing, however, that our planet is not a replaceable commodity, and that the future of humanity on earth is inseparable from that of the rest of creation can help us reorient our understanding of the environment. In order for creation to thrive, humanity must properly fulfill its role to care for it. Likewise, humanity thrives when its environment thrives. Insofar as an environmentalist is understood as one concerned for the environment, as an advocate, and as a caretaker, such concern is part of our very purpose as humans.
Creation Care as a Response to God’s Call to Humankind
People were uniquely called by God to act as regents within the world on his behalf (Gen 1:28). We have been equipped to fulfil this call through our capacity to dramatically transform the world, and through our conscious ability to act with care for creation. We therefore have a remarkable responsibility to benevolently govern the world as God’s appointed regents.
The Difference Between Dominion over and Destruction of Creation
Our livelihood and that of creation are intimately intertwined, so to care for ourselves is to care for creation. Scripture does, however, acknowledge that humankind has “dominion…over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen 1:26-30). What does this mean? There are ways creation can be drawn upon in a sustainable manner of which the Bible provides examples (Lev 25:1-7). If we consider the world as an unlimited fountain of resources that merely exists for the sake of our own consumption, the world will never be able to sustain our insatiable desires. What we need instead is an alternative approach to our role here on planet earth that carefully considers how our actions serve the rest of creation as those who have been endowed with the responsibility to have dominion over it.
Why the Future of the Earth Matters
Our physical world is not just an interim placeholder in God’s plan for the human race—a stopping point on the journey to heaven. Instead, the biblical story starts and concludes here in creation; this is—and always will be—our home (read Tom Wright's article on this very topic). Of course, the story the Bible tells is not about a static world, but one that is growing and changing from the garden found in Eden, to a garden city in which heaven has come down to earth. Between these two bookends, there are signs of how deeply creation has fallen out of relationship with God such as hatred, sickness, death, and pain. As the priests of creation, we need to care not just for ourselves but also for the world as a whole and work towards its health and wellbeing (Rom 8:18-25).
Featured Resources
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Postcard from Namibia
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Food Forethought
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Lecture Series: Christianity and the Environment
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Other Environment Resources
Christian Reflections in response to the Kinder Morgan Pipeline
Article: Loren Wilkinson
Source: Church for Vancouver
Giving up beef will reduce carbon footprint more than cars, says expert
Article: Damian Carrington
Source: The Guardian
Metro worried B.C.'s water is becoming a hot commodity
Article: Kelly Sinoski
Source: The Vancouver Sun
Reflections on pipelines and energy: World needs power but focusing on fossil fuel is folly
Article: David Suzuki
Source: The Vancouver Sun
A Christian Land Agent in Rural Estate Management: Sonia Brown's Story
Article: David V. Brooks
Source: Marketplace Institute
Book Review of For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care
Book: Sarah Mazengarb
Source: Marketplace Institute
A Biblical Foundation for Creation Care
Article: Jay Ewing
Source: Tenth Avenue Alliance Church: EPIC Magazine
Crop Rotation Generates Profits Without Pollution
Article: Karen Stillerman
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
A Conversation with Environmental Campaigner Wendell Berry
Article: Emma Brockes
Source: The Guardian
Water, Electricity, and Transportation: Preparing for the Population Boom
Article: Carmen Nobel
Source: Harvard Business School
Proprietors or Priests of Creation?
Article: Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon
Source: Religion, Science and the Environment
Climate Change: The Great Distraction
Audio: Olav Slaymaker, Iain Provan, and Paul Williams
Source: UBC Graduate & Faculty Christian Forum
Creating Wealth and the Created World
Audio: Preston Manning, Paul Williams, Iain Provan, Loren Wilkinson, and others
Source: Marketplace Institute
Food-Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the United States
Article: Christopher L. Weber and H. Scott Matthews
Source: Environment Science and Technology
Christians Have Role in Environmental Debate
Article: Paul Williams, Preston Manning
Source: The Calgary Herald
Going Green in 2012: 12 Steps for the Developing World
Article: Worldwatch Institute
Source: Worldwatch Institute
Show All
Christian Reflections in response to the Kinder Morgan Pipeline
Article: Loren Wilkinson
Source: Church for Vancouver
Giving up beef will reduce carbon footprint more than cars, says expert
Article: Damian Carrington
Source: The Guardian
Metro worried B.C.'s water is becoming a hot commodity
Article: Kelly Sinoski
Source: The Vancouver Sun
Reflections on pipelines and energy: World needs power but focusing on fossil fuel is folly
Article: David Suzuki
Source: The Vancouver Sun
A Christian Land Agent in Rural Estate Management: Sonia Brown's Story
Article: David V. Brooks
Source: Marketplace Institute
Book Review of For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care
Book: Sarah Mazengarb
Source: Marketplace Institute
A Biblical Foundation for Creation Care
Article: Jay Ewing
Source: Tenth Avenue Alliance Church: EPIC Magazine
Crop Rotation Generates Profits Without Pollution
Article: Karen Stillerman
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
A Conversation with Environmental Campaigner Wendell Berry
Article: Emma Brockes
Source: The Guardian
Water, Electricity, and Transportation: Preparing for the Population Boom
Article: Carmen Nobel
Source: Harvard Business School
Proprietors or Priests of Creation?
Article: Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon
Source: Religion, Science and the Environment
Climate Change: The Great Distraction
Audio: Olav Slaymaker, Iain Provan, and Paul Williams
Source: UBC Graduate & Faculty Christian Forum
Creating Wealth and the Created World
Audio: Preston Manning, Paul Williams, Iain Provan, Loren Wilkinson, and others
Source: Marketplace Institute
Food-Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the United States
Article: Christopher L. Weber and H. Scott Matthews
Source: Environment Science and Technology
Christians Have Role in Environmental Debate
Article: Paul Williams, Preston Manning
Source: The Calgary Herald
Going Green in 2012: 12 Steps for the Developing World
Article: Worldwatch Institute
Source: Worldwatch Institute