April 16, 2008 - Christian stewardship and the environment - Hayward Fong

Genesis 1:1, 27-30; Luke 19:11-27

Next Tuesday has been designated as “Earth Day.” Thirty years ago, we observed “Earth Week.” Like many of our observances, it has been miniaturized in attention and focus.

For a few moments, I would like to reflect on how Christianity has and should play a role in the environment.

Some environmentalists consider Christianity to be a source of the earth’s degradation.

About forty or so years ago, historian Lynn White published a landmark article in which he boldly stated, “We shall continue to have a worsening ecological crisis until we reject the Christian axiom that nature has no reason for existence save to serve man.”

Virginia Vroblesky, in The Gift of Creation: A Discussion Guide on Caring for the Environment (1992), sought to explain Dr. White’s position.

She wrote, “Since Christianity had dominated the West’s world view for at least a thousand year, White concluded that the ‘root’ causes of modern environmental problems were Christianity’s view of the uniqueness of humans (made in the image of God) and the issue of dominion (our role in the natural order). According to White, these two concepts gave us an arrogant attitude towards the earth. People felt that it was a God-given right to rule, and this allowed them to exploit nature as they saw fit.

Dr. White’s view is still alive and well in the ecological debate. Others cite the Western pattern of colonialism - that of conquering, exploiting and moving on - as being a major detriment to the environment as well.

History shows that the Church has not been blameless when it comes to the care and concern for the environment.

William Badke, in his book, Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created (1991), writes, “We have convinced ourselves that people issues are the only important concerns for the Christian. To defend the earth from destruction would be to divert our time and energy away from our God-given mandate to drag human beings out of the jaws of eternal destruction.”

Dr. Badke goes on to say that we have relegated the environment to something we can’t do anything about. So like the moral, ethical degradation of society and the poor, we tend to ignore it, “trusting that salvation will bring economic improvement,” or that Jesus Christ will fix it when he returns.

So what is our responsibility as Christians for the future of this earth?

In Dr. Badke’s opinion, humanity was not created to take advantage of creation, but rather to keep it, nurture it and sustain it: “We were formed in God’s image to represent Him on earth so that all the earth, in turn, could glorify Him better and better.”

The environment is an issue that the Church must not ignore. Many of us know that God gave humanity the job of dressing the earth and keeping it, but how do we accomplish it? How can we even begin to be truly committed to the care and preservation of our earth?

In an attempt to help Christians focus on the environment in its biblical context, let us see what the Bible has to say.

Ms. Vroblesky points out that although much has been written about the environment, “These studies usually begin and end with man - the effects of our presence on the natural world and an exhortation to change. Has this information made a genuine difference in the way we treat the environment.”

The Bible tells us that we have a Creator God, that He does care about the environment, and shows us what our responsibilities toward nature and family are from His point of view.

The biblical definition of a steward is one who looks after and takes care of the possessions of another.

Most Christian authors agree that human beings were put here to be stewards over the physical earth. The concept of stewardship is a most important one.

God did not intend humanity’s time on the earth to be just a temporary layover on its way to the pearly gates. Humanity’s job was - and is - to manage and to take care of what God has given us.

Thus, stewardship, for the Christian, focuses on God’s creation. It encompasses all His gifts, including time, talents, money, earthly opportunities - to name a few. It recognizes responsibility for His world - being proactive in managing the gifts of the Creator.

Our reading from Luke reminds us of this most vividly. Two of the servants managed the money entrusted to them and provided the master with a return. The third put away his talent. This servant did not manage what his master had given him. Rather he ignored his responsibilities. He was an unfaithful steward.

Why has it taken us so long to recognize that our physical environment is crumbling faster than the technicians can reassemble it? Why are we more or less content to watch the world God made turn into a chemical swamp?

Perhaps it’s because we think the problem is too big for us to deal with and that we can’t do anything about it. Perhaps, like the third servant, we don’t want to be bothered.

But like this servant, we also will be judged by what we do with what God has given us.

The environment is an ethical and spiritual issue that should motivate us to prayer, meditation and action. Ecological problems are real and we’re not going to make them go away by consistently ignoring them.

They won’t and can’t fix themselves if we continue to contribute to the problem rather than the solution. Nor can we satisfy ourselves with the standard clichés and platitudes anymore (i.e., Christ will fix it when he returns). Christians must be active and involved.

World crises and problems that command our immediate attention will come and they will go, but acid rain, salinization, pollution of our water ways and the extinction of species will quietly continue.

The trash you see at the street corners eventually ends up in the ocean by way of the storm drains. Many of our communities have taken heed and are doing something about it. Cities have enacted laws controlling litter and trash that eventually end up in the ocean. Heal the Bay mobilizes volunteers to periodically clean up the beaches and waterways that flow into the coastal waters. The hundreds of tons of trash and rubbish these volunteers remove enables God to rehabilitate this watercourse and save His environment. These efforts are good, but it is like placing a Band-Aid to stop a severed artery. We need education and committed Christian stewardship.