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SUSTAIN

JUSTIFICATION

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The growth and expansion of a scientifically and technologically dominant society over the last several hundred years, and especially in the past few decades, has been responsible for constructing what is referred to as the modern industrial state. This relatively new mode of social organisation has been responsible for generating lifestyles that are, at least in the long term, unsustainable. 

In order to correct this new set of potentially catastrophic social habits of humanity, it is simply inadequate to modify current technological and industrial practices. These are purely manifestations of a seriously deficient set of societal values, attitudes and beliefs that are in dire need of alteration.

In order for human societies to successfully establish a sustainable mode of existence in harmony with the environment, it is crucial that a satisfactory alternative set of beliefs, values and attitudes be constructed to necessitate a harmonious and responsible co-existence with, and stewardship of nature.

This misconceived Christian notion of dominion emerges from a wrongful approach to, and interpretation of the Christian scriptures. The prominent scriptures are those found in the creation accounts of Genesis 1 and 2. These passages in the first book of the Bible speak of human beings as having been given “dominion”over the many species of animals and instructed to “fill and earth and subdueit” (Genesis 1:26-28).

These have wrongfully been interpreted as evidence of a divine permission for human beings to make unrestricted use of and recklessly exploit natural resources since they were created primarily for the purpose of providing for the needs of human beings – God’s highest and most valuable creation. However, none of these anti-environmental charges stand up to a more exhaustive investigation of Christian scripture.

We as human beings have been given the right to exercise dominion over nature not as though we are entitled to exploit it but as something borrowed or held in trust. As the scripture of Psalm 24:1 explains, “the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it”. Therefore, human beings have been given stewardship, not ownership of the earth – which belongs to God.

Scriptural references to “dominion” and “subdue” are to be understood as denoting not license but responsibility; that human beings have been given the responsibility to make use of and to care for creation. In Genesis, after creating Adam, God placed him into the Garden of Eden and instructed him to “take care” of the garden (Genesis 2:15). The Hebrew verb translated “to take care” (“shamar”) is also translated “preserve”, “maintain”, “watch”, “keep”, “defend”, and “attend”.

This undoubtedly advocated a certain beneficial use of the environment and nature, however only as God intends. The Bible contains frequent examples of the care with which we are expected to treat the environment.

Leviticus 25:1-12 speaks of the care Israel was to have for the land. Deuteronomy 25:4 and 22:6 both indicate the proper care for domestic animals and a respect for wildlife. In Isaiah 5:8-10 the Lord judges those who have misused the land. Job 38:25-28 and Psalm 104:27-30 speak of God's nurture and care for His creation. And in Matthew 6:26 & 10:29, Jesus spoke on two occasions of how much God cared for even the smallest sparrow.

This model of responsible stewardship opposes the exploitative model that is characteristically adopted by many Christian fundamentalists. A true Christian environmental ethic and notion of dominion therefore differs from that of the misconceived perceptions claimed to be derived from and founded in Christian scripture. Genuine Christian environmentalism, therefore, must incorporate a clear and vigorous doctrine of wise stewardship.

In order to achieve a sustainable mode of existence in harmony with the environment, we must reconstruct our worldview by understanding and recognising our dominant place in society, not as an exploiter with the right to plunder the earth, but as responsible and wise stewards of God’s wonderful creation and its many resources.