Why does it matter to you?
Our Theological Statement
(For more on sustainable development and social justice, go to our page on Environment and development)
(We have gathered together some recommended reading on Book List)
Environmental issues have cropped up regularly in the news over the past few months, and many of us are wondering about how serious the problems really are, and what, if anything, we can do about it. There’s also a lot of confusion around about why the world is in such a mess, with many scientists blaming Christianity. For example, in a recent interview with David Attenborough he stated that the people of the Old Testament believed that nature was hostile and the natural world was there for them to exploit. (Natural World, Summer 2005). But the Bible’s view of the world is a much more connected and holistic one, as we shall see. And while it’s true that the Church has not in the past been at the forefront of the environmental movement, in the Anglican communion, as in other denominations, environmental issues are now seen as part of the wider mission of the church.
A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
1. THE BIBLICAL STORY
- God saw that it was very good
The creation account in Genesis tells us that ‘God saw everything he had made and it was very good’ (Gen 1:31), Elsewhere in the Old Testament the natural world is described as a wonderful arena of God’s creativity and care, for example in Psalm 104 and Job chapters 38 and 39.
But throughout church history the tendency has been to stress the importance and uniqueness of human beings over the rest of creation. This trend arises in part from a misunderstanding of the command in Gen 1:28 to ‘fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion…’ While ‘dominion’ expresses the ideal of the servant leadership expected by God of his servants, the kings of Israel, it has all too often been wrongly read as ‘domination’, in other words a licence to exploit the world’s natural resources for human gain.
In the second creation account of Genesis 2, God’s instruction to Adam in the Garden of Eden is ‘to till and to keep’ it or as one modern translator puts it, ‘to serve and preserve’. This is a good description of the task God has entrusted to human beings. The fact that Genesis describes us as made ‘in the image of God’ (whatever that means – it’s a phrase much debated by theologians!), does not give us inalienable rights over the rest of creation, but it does entail responsibilities.
God’s verdict on the goodness of his creation suggests that he is not indifferent to the widespread destruction of the natural world. How then can we can claim on the one hand to love God, and then to be indifferent to his creation, or even worse to live destructively? As has been well said, ‘It is impossible to say you love Rembrandt while you trash his paintings.’ As Christians, we need to learn to appreciate and to preserve the good and beautiful world that God has placed us in.
- Redemption and Hope
It would be so easy to become very discouraged by the state of the world and the size of the task facing us all. Indeed many environmentalists are very pessimistic about the future of the planet. But the biblical story also reminds us that God’s love reaches out to all creation. From the rainbow in Genesis 9 17: ‘This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on earth’, to the ringing hope of Romans 8:19–21: ‘The creation itself was subjected to futility... in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God’, we read that the whole of creation is included in God’s purposes. Likewise the gospels portray Jesus as Lord over sickness, religion, politics, the personal life, but also, in the stilling of the storm, as Lord over the weather, and by extension over all creation. And his mission is described in John’s gospel as the salvation of the whole world (John 3:17) and by Paul in 2 Corinthians as reconciling the world to God. As Christians we can have hope that the world is still in God’s hands and that he has a future for it as he has for us all. But we cannot ignore our responsibilities as his representatives on earth.
2. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
It is a mistake to think that the church’s call to mission begins and ends with people. In fact it has been said that God’s instructions to Adam to tend the earth could be called ‘the first Great Commission’ - the second one being Jesus’ command to his disciples in Matt 28. That this is fully part of the Anglican Church today is demonstrated by the fifth of the Marks of Mission of the Worldwide Anglican Communion: ‘To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.’
But this is part of a wider picture, since environmental problems are often closely connected with issues of trade injustice and human poverty. The fourth Mark is ‘to seek to transform unjust structures of society’. By being concerned about environmental issues, whether locally or globally, we are part of the church’s response to degradation and exploitation of all kinds, and are playing our part in bringing hope to our world and offering loving service to those in need (the third Mark).
What is more, the Church’s apparent indifference to environmental issues is often cited by seekers as a significant reason for rejecting Christianity and turning to alternatives. By working collaboratively with those who care for the Earth, the Church is helping to proclaim the Gospel (the first Mark). As we nurture new believers (the second Mark) we can share with them a real Christian concern for the Creation.
If you want to read more follow these links to address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/2005/050308.htm;
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/2005/051009.htm
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/2004/040705.html
Also the Bishop of London, Richard Charters
http://www.london.anglican.org/SermonShow_4465
"Is it sinful to fly on holiday?" http://www.london.anglican.org/NewsShow_6296
For more about the theology of creation see the Resources pages on http://en.arocha.org/res/index.html and the Briefings page on http://www.jri.org.uk/brief/index.htm
Related Links
- Why does it matter to you?
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- Who's had a go already?
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