Environmental Protection from the Perspective of Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation

Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation

　　From a historical perspective, it is undeniable that neither the early Church Fathers nor the Reformers saw “environmental protection” as an issue of concern. It is only because of the worsening global pollution and climate change in recent times that environmental issues have gained the attention of the church community. However, this does not mean that the early Christian literature is irrelevant to this contemporary discussion. As a matter of fact, the Old and New Testaments do not directly address the issue of environmental protection either, but the Scriptures remain a primary reference for the Christian perspective on it today. Likewise, there are many valuable documents in the history of the Church that can provide inspiration for the modern Church. Here, let’s reflect on the environmental implications of the doctrine of creation of the much-celebrated Church Father, Augustine of Hippo (354-430).

　　Augustine’s doctrine of creation is expressed in his dialogue with Manichaeism and Neoplatonism, the former sees the world as having two origins, the good and the evil, while the latter sees spirit as good and matter as evil. Based on the understanding that God is the source of all things, Augustine maintains that everything in the world is created by the will of God; this creation is not an event that happens overnight, but a gradual transformation of the goodness and order from potential to reality as God predetermines. In other words, God’s act of creation is a process of growth toward goodness and order; the created world is not static, but in a continuous process. Augustine expresses this in terms of rational causes (rationes causales) and rational seeds (rationes seminales), meaning that all creatures have the potential to develop. This development does not come naturally by itself, but gradually, with God’s providence and under His governance. This act of creation and providence involves the participation of the three Persons of the Godhead: the Father initiates the existence of the created order; the Son is the source of life and the paragon of wisdom, and the Holy Spirit oversees the process by which the goodness of creation is realized.

　　Subject to this doctrine of creation, Augustine, while adhering to a position similar to the doctrine of predestination to a certain degree, believes that the development of the world is not set in stone but involves the real interactions between the Creator and the created. Predestination is not the same as fatalism. Though the ending of the created world has been predetermined, there can be variations in the manifestation of its destiny. Augustine explicitly states that God created the world according to “measure, number and weight.” Measure (mensura) means that a creature is not a limitless existence, but only free within certain boundaries; number (numero) denotes the harmonious proportions that a creature must process to maintain a balanced existence in various situations; weight (pondere) represents what guides the good order of the created world toward the divinely predetermined end. Accordingly, all creatures are relatively free to act on their own, but their actions will bring about corresponding responses from God, and God may even guide and correct the creature by miracles and wonders. While the predetermined end ultimately rests on God’s will, the course is shaped by the choices of the creatures. With the timely triggering of different incentives, God brings things to their predetermined ends.

Creation and Environment Protection

　　Augustine’s doctrine of creation described above gives contemporary Christians many insights when it comes to the issue of environmental protection. I would like to suggest some of its implication in five points.

1. Environmental protection is consistent with God’s will for His creation: The natural world and humanity are both God’s good creation. Christians should protect the natural environment according to His will and strive to help realize its potential goodness therein. For example, we should preserve the natural environment so that it is suitable for seeds to sprout naturally and for fledglings to have a chance to grow and soar.
2. Damaging the natural environment is evil: It is well known that Augustine regarded “evil” as a privation of goodness. Damaging the natural environment is not only violating the will of the Triune God for creation, but also prohibiting the manifestation of the divinely predetermined good order in the created world, so that the potential goodness cannot be realized. This leads to a privation of goodness; hence it is an act of evil.
3. Environmental protection is the pursuit of harmony and order: Time and again, harmony and order is emphasized in Augustine’s doctrine of creation. This should also be a priority taken by those who promote environmental protection. For example, suppressing the overgrowth of their competitors or natural enemies in order to give endangered species a better chance of survival should be considered appropriate in order to maintain a natural balance.
4. People should consider the consequences of environmental degradation: When humans misuse our confined freedom to destroy the natural environment, God will act in response to the decisions we make. For example, global warming caused by deforestation and epidemics triggered by the indiscriminate consumption of wild game may be God’s warning signs for us to correct our errors, and we should take heed and repent.
5. God’s goodness is the ultimate goal: Christians support environmental protection not to keep up with trends, nor to gain the world’s approval, but to reveal the goodness of God’s creation. Environmental protection is only a means to an end, and the ultimate goal is God. Therefore, Christians should not use unbiblical and inappropriate means to promote the cause of environmental protection!