Religion and Environmental Responsibility -Part 1

The following is an excerpt from the New York Times bestselling novel, The Shack (Jesus is speaking to the main character, Mackenzie Phillips about the way humans have mistreated the earth.):

"Our earth is like a child who has grown up without parents, having no one to guide and direct her." As Jesus spoke his voice intensified in subdued anguish. "Some have attempted to help her but most have simply tried to use her. Humans, who have been given the task to lovingly steer the world, instead plunder her with no consideration, other than their immediate needs. And they give little thought for their own children who will inherit their lack of love. So they use her and abuse her with little consideration and then when she shudders or blows her breath, they are offended and raise their fist at God." (144)

This is just one of the huge inventory of Christian theological issues addressed in the book. While many theological positions are developed (facilitated by a fictional meeting and multiple conversations between Mackenzie and God), many of which are no doubt problematic to some, the subject of creation care is dealt with in a profound way. Jesus speaks to Mackenzie of the lack of concern and the selfish manner in which man has taken care of that which is entrusted to him.

Last night, I was listening to a broadcast on our local NPR station called Charlotte Speaks. It was a broadcast of a panel discussion about engine emissions and what people could do on the individual level to help decrease this huge level of gases that are toxic to our atmosphere. Some suggestions were given but one of the panelist made a very sobering and true statement: "people will only genuinely respond to an economic incentive. That is, if it's valuable to me, presently and tangibly, then I will do something about it; otherwise, I may nod in assent of the problem but will likely refuse to participate in the solution.

One encouraging thing that we saw during the past election was the emergence of a centrist evangelical constituency that made environmental issues a priority. This has greatly helped to bridge the divide between liberals and conservatives and hopefully will help both groups to pool their resources together in an effort to truly make a difference on this front.

Our earth is one of the greatest treasures that we as humans posses. As caretakers, we are called to take our custodial role seriously and refuse to do things that continue to harm and destroy the beauty and potential invested in this great planet. God, the sacred, whatever your inclined to call him/her, is counting on us to be good stewards of that which is entrusted to us. We need to look for ways to be practically engaged in the work of creation care. We can all recycle, choose to walk when possible instead of driving, purchase goods and such that are environmentally safe, turning our vehicles off when waiting for our turn in the pick-up line at our kid's school. We can volunteer in groups to help pick up trash along an interstate or around sidewalks in town. Individual participation is key to the success of this endeavor. We can no longer sit idly by while our world is being destroyed; a world that our posterity will live in many years after we are gone.

This world is our home and we can not assume that God is going to do something in the near enough future to help us avoid disaster. Within the greater framework of Christian teachings, the incumbency of faithful stewardship of the gifts bestowed upon us is quite clear. In the Jewish creation narrative, man was given power over the animals and set in the garden as its caretaker. This caretaker image is indicative of the biblical teaching about man's relationship to the world he lives in.

All of the enduring faiths of the world convey this responsibility upon man. In my next post we will take a look at what these religions say about man's ecological guardianship.