Letter to the Editor: Christian Environmentalism
By: Guest Writer
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
It's 2007 and the world has come to realize that preserving earth for another 4,000 years is something that humans can't take lightly. The human race must somehow alter its path if we intend to keep from destroying our planet. Unfortunately, conservatives forgot to actually conserve things when it comes to the environment.
The problem with Christians and the environment is not our stance. It is that we seem to take no stance at all. For some reason today, being concerned with the environment has become synonymous with being of liberal political and moral thought. We have latched onto Genesis 1:28 and forgotten to look at that verse in context with the rest of God's Word.
It is time that we move away from our fixation on subduing and dominating creation and realize there are a lot of other verses necessary to put Genesis 1:28 into an accurate context.
I understand that we are not here for the salvation of the earth. Genesis 1:28, and the rest of Christ's work, says God put man in control over the rest of creation.
However a balance is needed. We are the final, culminating step in God's work, and as such are the only part of creation that can bring Him glory through the choices we make and the way we live our life for Him.
What we often miss here is that before the Lord ever gave us dominion-or formed us from the dirt with His own hands-He first created much more. He created land and water, birds and animals, trees and flowers. Along the way, God looked at each one and was pleased with his handiwork. He saw what he had done and said, to no one but himself, "It is good."
As Christians, we need to realize that how we love God's creation is a reflection of how we love God. If in fact, as Paul writes in Romans 1:20, "Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse," is believed then should we not strive to show our respect of creation?
Paul is telling us point blank that the earth testifies so powerfully to God's divine power that man is without any excuse to claim unbelief in the Creator.
Today's Christian can do a number of things to take care of God's creation around them. Most of these are not any different from what the secular environmentalist would be doing. Why should they be? We have the same goal, even if the motivations are different.
One week from today, a presentation will be held in the Craine Science Building Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. If you want to hear more on this subject then I invite you to join us. We will look deeper at the Christian call to the environment along with things NGU is already doing and could begin doing to allow us to take a better stance on this issue.
Brad Barron
Senior Outdoor Leadership
The problem with Christians and the environment is not our stance. It is that we seem to take no stance at all. For some reason today, being concerned with the environment has become synonymous with being of liberal political and moral thought. We have latched onto Genesis 1:28 and forgotten to look at that verse in context with the rest of God's Word.
It is time that we move away from our fixation on subduing and dominating creation and realize there are a lot of other verses necessary to put Genesis 1:28 into an accurate context.
I understand that we are not here for the salvation of the earth. Genesis 1:28, and the rest of Christ's work, says God put man in control over the rest of creation.
However a balance is needed. We are the final, culminating step in God's work, and as such are the only part of creation that can bring Him glory through the choices we make and the way we live our life for Him.
What we often miss here is that before the Lord ever gave us dominion-or formed us from the dirt with His own hands-He first created much more. He created land and water, birds and animals, trees and flowers. Along the way, God looked at each one and was pleased with his handiwork. He saw what he had done and said, to no one but himself, "It is good."
As Christians, we need to realize that how we love God's creation is a reflection of how we love God. If in fact, as Paul writes in Romans 1:20, "Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse," is believed then should we not strive to show our respect of creation?
Paul is telling us point blank that the earth testifies so powerfully to God's divine power that man is without any excuse to claim unbelief in the Creator.
Today's Christian can do a number of things to take care of God's creation around them. Most of these are not any different from what the secular environmentalist would be doing. Why should they be? We have the same goal, even if the motivations are different.
One week from today, a presentation will be held in the Craine Science Building Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. If you want to hear more on this subject then I invite you to join us. We will look deeper at the Christian call to the environment along with things NGU is already doing and could begin doing to allow us to take a better stance on this issue.
Brad Barron
Senior Outdoor Leadership
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