Christian approaches to the Environment

Introduction

• There are four different approaches Christians take to the environment
• Dominion - it is the belief that humans are created in the image of God and are hence given authority over the Earth; God's creation (Gen 1:28)
• Stewardship - it is the belief that humans were given the respnsibility, by God, to take care of the environment (Second Creation Story - Gen 2)
• Creation Spirituality - this belief emphasises that humans are part of God's creation and God is present in all of his creation - "Original Blessing"
• Consequences of sin - original sin has made the world as it is today - it is for us to rectify this by treating the environment well
• The Christian approaches to the environment are mostly perceived as anthropocentric - placing the needs of humans before that of other species
• God values creation - this would make creation seem to appear to have intrinsic value

Dominion

• Humankind is given dominion, because they are created in the image of God - Genesis 1:28
• This holds a very anthropocentric approach to the environment 
• The idea of dominion presented, however, seems to have negative ideas - domination and rule by force 
• Humankind is put at the top of the hierachy 
• In the Bible, however, dominion suggests that God…