A Christian perspective on the environment

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#999933" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040006e0ddwnfv.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage - Oxford's Christian Environmental Group</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |    </B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sage Oxfords Christian Environmental Gr"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> Jennifer Brown's Bible Studies- Number 2</div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" background="041bec00esnpes.png"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="8cb9dd10.jpg" border=0 width="157" height="209" ALT="Oilseed rape" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>A Christian perspective on the environment</B></div> <div> <B>Introduction</B></div> <div> What does the Bible teach us about the role of mankind in relation to the environment? Unfortunately, until recently much of the Church's teaching on creation has been based on a belief in the impermanence of the earth and even more on the belief that the earth and everything in it exists for our use and pleasure.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Bible study</B></div> <div> <I>Read Genesis 1.27-28.</I></div> <div> Do you think that this makes man special and different from the rest of creation? If so, in what way?</div> <bR> <div> <I>Read Genesis 2.7-9 and verse 15.</I></div> <div> What is the role of man? Why was the garden created?</div> <bR> <div> <I>Consider the following:</I></div> <div> In Genesis 2.15, the Hebrew word usually translated as `to work' or `to till' is translated as `to serve' when it appears elsewhere in the Old Testament.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Now look at Colossians 1.15 and Philippians 2.6-7.</I></div> <div> These passages show us that Christ is the only true, uncorrupted image of God, and that he did not consider equality with God to be grasped, but became a servant of those `lesser' than himself.</div> <bR> <div> <I>With all of this in mind, re-read the passages from Genesis.</I></div> <div> Following Christ's example, what does it really mean to be created in the image of God? What type of dominion does this imply God gave to mankind? And if Genesis 2.15 can (or should) be translated, “and God put the man in the garden to serve it and to keep it,” what would this imply about how we should treat the environment and creatures other than ourselves?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Conclusion</B></div> <div> The Church (most, if not all, denominations) through the ages has traditionally referred to humanity as the pinnacle of creation, and has claimed for us special status because we have been created in the image of God. But everything we know about God tells us that God is one who loves and cares for His creation. Psalm 65.9-13 says about God, “You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.” This describes a creation abundantly provided for, renewed and filled with joy and life. Christ demonstrates what it truly means to be created in the image of God: he does not grasp his equality with God, but lets it go to become the servant of all. Surely this means that we cannot grasp our being made in the image of God as some sort of preferential status. Rather we need to see that the real image of God, revealed in Christ, is to be a humble servant. God put the man in the garden to serve it and to keep it. We need to become servants of creation and thus reveal in ourselves the true likeness of God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Prayer</B></div> <div> Lord God, we thank you for creation: its beauty, its diversity and its bounty provided for all. We thank you that the fullness of creation is evidence of your great love. Help us, Father, to live in your likeness, not grasping the status given to us, but emptying ourselves and becoming the servants in your garden. Fill us with a childlike joy and wonder at all that surrounds us, and may our service to creation bring us ever closer to you. Amen.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Some references</B></div> <div> Linzey A and Yamamoto D [editors]. Animals on the Agenda. SCM Press, London, UK, 1998.</div> <bR> <div> Regenstein LG. Replenish the Earth. SCM Press, London, UK, 1991.</div> <bR> <div> © Jennifer Brown (2006)</div> </td> </tr></table></body>