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Beliefs
1. Many Christians see the world as God’s creation – creation
stories in Genesis.
Many Psalms describe how the world is part of the glory of God.
Psalm 24 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it,
Some wisdom literature implies that God created the world
Job 38 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it.
In the New Testament Jesus points to the beauty of the earth. Matt 6:28
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil
nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed
like one of these.
2. Many Christians feel that man was put into the world to care for it.
This idea may be seen in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2.
Laws in Deuteronomy instruct the Israelite to be careful and conserve
his produce. It is designed to feed him but also the poor and the destitute.
Attitude
STEWARDSHIP - this word is used to describe the careful use of the world’s
resources.
It is noticeable that the agricultural year runs alongside the religious
calendar and at many points they meet. The feast of Pentecost in the Old
Testament was an agricultural festival.
More recently Christians have started again to celebrate Harvest Festival
and Rogation Sunday.
Some Christians think stewardship is a more important forum than politics
and work to bring green issues to the notice of the major political parties.
Many Christians are concerned about the protection of wild animal habitats.
Action
Organisations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and World Wildlife
Fund enable Christians to put their theological ideas into practice.
Christian Ecology Link has programmes which have specifically Christian
targets and which will benefit local congregations.
Values
Christians appreciate that they don’t own the world, but feel they
have an obligation to take care of it, either for God or for future generations.
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