OPINIONS Christian Perspectives on Environmental Stewardship

Andraya Stuart & Kasmira Warawa

Editor’s Note: This article was written as a research project for GENV 131 last semester. Part of the assignment was to share the results of the research with the public.

In the past decade, topics related to the environment such as climate change, conservation, and restoration have been attracting attention. At a Christian university, subjects such as environmental stewardship and creation care, or in other words, evangelical environmentalism, are also frequently mentioned in the sciences because of the belief in God as the creator. The question is, what exactly does it mean to be a steward of the environment? Why should Christians care about the environment? Do Christians share a common perspective on the environment, and how does this shape the way we interact with nature?

was the thing that was missing: . . . taking some tangible action. I feel like my work here is meaningful in the sense that I can see progress happening and see restoration efforts being successful.”

There is a discernible link between creation care and consumerism. When we asked A Rocha’s restoration technician about what can be done for the environment, we were simply encouraged to “stop buying stuff.” Particularly in the Western world, great focus is placed on what we own and what we can buy, but this mindset can be at the expense of natural resources. We need to have priorities when it comes to choosing what is essential to own and what is unnecessary to have. In the case of stewardship, the key is to live simply. Living simply can take various forms, but at its core, value is not found in material items.

Even though news stories about climate change can be overwhelming, we need to remember that there is hope. One biologist, Amelia Hesketh, shared, “Creation, in the natural sense, is resilient. Seeing that is also really hopeful. Small changes can make bigger impacts.” Therefore, small actions can have significant effects, and this applies to both actions that harm the environment and actions that help restore it.

Genesis 2:15 paints a beautiful image of humanity and creation coexisting harmoniously: “The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.” to action; you are called to action. Taking care of creation is a responsibility that is given to you. So, what do you do to care for the environment? Do you recycle or use a reusable water bottle? Avoid food waste? Do you spend time in nature? Do you think twice before making a purchase? Have you considered getting involved with an organization that is working closely with the local natural environment? If some of these actions are part of your rhythms, what more could you do? Environmental stewardship is not only a concept to be explored but a lifestyle to embody. After all, we live on this planet, so should we not all take care of it?

John Mark Comer, in his book Garden City, eloquently encourages us by saying, “You are a modern-day Adam or Eve. This world is what’s left of the Garden. And your job is to take all the raw materials that are spread out in front of you, to work it, to take care of it, to rule, to subdue, to wrestle, to fight, to explore, and to take the creation project forward as an act of service and worship to the God who made you.” As such, if we say that we are serving and worshiping God, then we must look after His Creation that is placed in our care.

To answer the questions at hand, a group of students from the last fall semester’s Global Environmental Issues class decided to seek perspectives from different sources, namely students, professors, pastors, environmentalists, and literature.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to care for creation. In fact, we hold a greater obligation to care for creation than non-Christians, as a result of our calling in Genesis 2:15 to “work and keep” the garden. Sometimes, it is easy to learn about global environmental issues without taking any action. We believe that these issues are too great and far removed for tangible action to occur. A staff member at A Rocha, a Christian environmental stewardship organization in Surrey, BC, shared, “I found I was learning a lot about what the effects of climate change would be on our ecosystems in British Columbia, but I wasn’t doing a lot to contribute to efforts to combat climate change. I sought out this work because I think that

When it comes down to it, important questions that we should be asking ourselves is, “What is creation?” and “What is my role in ‘tending’ to it, as stated in the book of Genesis?”. One woman from A Rocha had an insightful perspective: “Creation is anything that contains the breath of life, anything that has been created by God. Creation is intentional life that God has gifted to this Earth and we’re a part of it. Creation is creaturely. It’s tangible, dirty, and there are problems with it, but it’s beautiful.” There is immense joy and peace to be found in God’s good creation, but it is our responsibility, as part of creation, to be involved in its care.

With these perspectives in mind, we are called