Care for the Earth is a Christian responsibility because we believe in a Creator God of “heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.” We believe we are created “in the image and likeness of God,” and that our Creator God looked upon us and all creation saying, “it is good, very good.” We believe that we and all of created reality – each in our own unique way – represent God’s design for good order, fruitfulness, and sustenance of the Earth.
We are not separate from the rest of creation. In fact, insofar as we all come from the same source, we are kin with all created reality. As such, we have a place within the community of creation, of which we are living threads in a web of intricate relationships. As with all of creation, Earth is our home, our household. We depend on its resources; we are blessed with its abundance and fruitfulness; we marvel at its beauty.
We are also becoming increasingly aware of the widespread destruction of our environment due to human behavior, which is impacting th3e very sources and sustainability of life and the beauty of the Earth. We are responsible for the care of God’s Earth, because we take seriously the words of Scripture: “Be fertile and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and all living things that move on earth.”
Earth is our home, our household. We depend on its resources; we are blessed with its abundance and fruitfulness; we marvel at its beauty.
To understand today what these words mean, we have to interpret them in their original historical, cultural, and religious context. The meaning of the word “subdue” is not to destroy the Earth, but to cultivate and to care for it as wise and caring stewards. It is not a license to exploit any creation. Rather, it is a directive to reclaim the Earth for what it was intended, to transform it to its original sanctuary, where God could be properly worshiped.
“Dominion” in its broader biblical context, does not mean domination, as if we control it and can do anything we want with it. On the contrary, to “have dominion” is to be concerned about the continued development of other living creatures. The term speaks of an inherent relational interdependence of humans with the rest of creation. Even the oft-used expression “Responsible Stewardship” does not quite capture the meaning of “dominion,” as do the following words: The root cause of our violence with one another and the increasing destruction of all of created reality is our lack of proper respect for life. Respect for life and for the dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation (emphasis added)
– Pope John Paul II
Questions for Discussion:
1. What responsibilities do we have to Mother Earth in light of what the Bible tells us about creation?
2. How do you understand the notion “that we are kin with all created reality?”
3. Please comment on the words of Pope John Paul II (The root cause of our violence with one another and the increasing destruction of all of created reality is our lack of proper respect for life. Respect for life and for the dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation (emphasis added)