Good Stewardship

Good Stewardship
Rebecca Dennison
Liberty University
 
Abstract
There is much debate among Christians as to whether or not they should be involved in environmental causes, and great confusion surrounds the Biblical command to have dominion over the earth. Using the definition of environmentalism, and comparing Scriptural examples, this essay shows that Christians are to be good stewards of the earth. From this premise develops the understanding that stewardship and environmentalism, when boiled down to their basics, are definitively similar. It is a Christian responsibility to care for and learn about God’s creation for the betterment of humankind. 

Good Stewardship

Merriam-Webster defines environmentalism as “advocacy of the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment; especially the movement to control pollution” (2010). Does that describe a part of the Christian’s role here on earth? And if so, what exactly should a Christian be doing to preserve and restore our planet? Many would say that this is a black and white issue; Christians should either be actively involved in ecological political arenas, or they should turn their backs upon this ‘pagan’ movement that only leads to Mother Earth worship and focus entirely on the eternal. But for Christians, this is not an either-or issue. The answer lies somewhere in the middle and can be found neatly placed within the pages of Scripture: Christians are to be good stewards of the earth.
In order to get an understanding of what stewardship looks like, it is necessary to look at the earliest commands that God gave to man. In Genesis, the first man and woman are commanded to reproduce and fill the earth with the human race, to subdue the earth, and to have dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26). They are also told to serve and keep the garden in which they live (Genesis 2:15). There has been much confusion over what it actually means to have dominion over the earth, and in fact, a gross misunderstanding of these terms has led some non-Christians to blame Christianity for the perceived environmental crisis, and some Christians to use it as an excuse to close their eyes to these issues. Henry Morris, Ph.D., (2002) of Institute for Creation Research, explains it this way:
This mandate implies a large population and every honorable occupation – science,
commerce, education, etc. This “dominion mandate” amounts in effect to a magnificent
divinely commissioned stewardship for man over God’s great creation – to understand its
processes and develop its resources to the glory of God and the good of men
(All Nations Under God, 2002).
Morris (1974) further explains that this command was “not a license for despotic exploitation of its [earth’s] resources, but rather a call to service, encouraging him [man] to understand its nature (“science”) and then to utilize its resources (“technology”) for the benefit of all men, under God,” (Creation and the Environment, 1974). God wants his children to be good stewards of his world by learning about it, exploring it, and using it for the good of mankind through the processes of preservation, restoration, and improvement.
A good example of species preservation can be found in the Jewish Torah (the Christian Pentateuch) which contains a law that prohibits the people of Israel from killing both the mother bird and her eggs. They were allowed to eat the eggs, but were to leave the mother in order to allow continuation of the species (Troster, n.d.). According to a recent blog by Carmi (2010), Jewish writings also teach avoidance of recreational hunting, but permit killing animals for food and commerce. Jews are also taught to avoid wasteful destruction of the environment, such as chopping down fruit trees, even when in a time of war (Troster, n.d.). They were also to prevent the pollution of water sources by keeping human excrement away from drinking water sources (Hunter, n.d.), and to keep an undeveloped area of suburbia surrounding each city (Numbers 35:4). A major theme of Old Testament Biblical environmental guidelines is to avoid the wasteful exploitation and destruction of God’s creation.
Humankind lives in a fallen world, and consequently, there are times when preservation will fail. Genesis chapter seven gives a beautiful picture of restoration. The entire world was corrupt and polluted with sin, and had been destroyed with a catastrophic flood. God commanded Noah to load the ark with every kind of animal on the planet. First of all, God’s love is portrayed for all of his creatures as he ensures the continuation of all that he has made, but a man and his family are observed as bringing these animals back to a devastated planet as God’s commissioned care-takers, restoring the balance of nature. God also instituted the Sabbath rest, requiring that his people not plant their fields every seventh year. “Thus, the sabbath year is given to protect the land from relentless exploitation, to help the land rejuvenate, to help it get things together again; it is a time of rest and restoration,” says Dr. Calvin De Witt (De Witt, 2002).
Creation itself cannot be improved upon, as God Himself declared that it was good (Genesis 1); however, as sin, environmental decay, pollutants, and man’s mishandling of their God-given mandate affects the earth, not only will there be the need for restoration, but there will be the opportunity for improvement as well. The Bible is rich with examples of digging wells, thus bringing irrigation not only to people but to animals and crops as well. God was the first to improve the earth by planting a garden, and every time man plants and cultivates the earth we are improving the health and beauty of our planet.
Finally, as proper stewardship is exercised over our world, there is a responsibility to seek out knowledge that will improve life for humankind. Just as Adam named the animals on those first days following creation, so people should discover and classify the varieties of species today. Not only is it wise to keep a record of the Master’s holdings – a good steward develops and multiplies the goods entrusted to him – but many helpful technologies, medications, and tools can be developed from nature. Although human beings are not to selfishly consume all that is under their dominion, they are allowed to advance and better the lives of the people of the world.
Through preservation, restoration, and improvement, Christians can be environmentalists without becoming political activists, or forsaking God to worship nature. These principles are Biblical principles, and when maintained in balance with the Christian priority of reaching the world with the gospel of Christ Jesus, there is no conflict. In fact, as we care for our environment as good stewards, we will have one more way that we can show the love of Christ.


 
References
Carmi. (2010, March 10). Jews in shtreimels (fur hats) and fur coats? Sanhedrin 15B. Retrieved
from Judaism and the Environment in the Talmud: Message posted to
http://svivaisrael.wordpress.com/
De Witt, D. C. (2002, July 14). Three Biblical principles for environmental stewardship.
Retrieved from Leadership University:
http://www.leaderu.com/theology/environment.html
Envionmentalism. (2010). Retrieved May 13, 2010, In Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environmentalism
Hunter, P. (n.d.). The modern environmental movement: Jewish perspectives. Retrieved from
adherents.com: http://www.adherents.com/largecom/jew_env.html
Morris, P. H. (1974, April 1). Creation and the environment. Retrieved from Institution for
Creation Research: http://www.icr.org/article/creation-environment/
Morris, P. H. (2002, October 1). All nations under God. Retrieved from Institute for Creation
Research: http://www.icr.org/article/all-nations-under-god/
Troster, R. L. (n.d.). Ten Jewish teachings on Judaism and environmentalism. Retrieved from
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life: http://www.coejl.org/learn/je_tenje.php

 
Outline
I. Introduction
A. Definition of environmentalism
B. If this describes the Christian’s role, what should Christians do
C. Not a black and white issue
D. Thesis: Christians are to be good stewards of the earth
II. What stewardship looks like
A. The first Biblical commands
B. Reproduce, subdue, dominion
C. Serve and keep
D. Morris quote, what dominion is
E. Morris quote, what dominion is not
F. Stewardship is preservation, restoration and improvement
III. Preservation – Jewish Torah examples
A. Killing mother bird and eggs
B. Recreational hunting
C. Chopping down fruit trees
D. Prevent water pollution
E. Undeveloped suburbs around cities
IV. Restoration
A. Noah as God’s care-taker
B. Sabbath year of rest for the land
V. Improvement
A. Creation cannot be improved upon
B. Biblical example of digging wells
C. Biblical example of planting and cultivating
VI. Responsibility to seek out knowledge
A. Discover and classify species
B. Develop technology, medication, tools
C. Use nature to better humankind
VII. Conclusion
A. Christians can be environmentalists
B. Biblical principles
C. Maintain balance with gospel priority
D. Care for environment as good stewards